I’ve been querying the Freedom Game to several agents. Right now I’m sitting at seven submissions and three rejections. And, as most of you know, a non-response is still a response. Every time I see the rejection email, I’m hit with that little twist right in my heart. Several of the agent are very gracious, reminding me that the literary arts are subjective, and that just because they didn’t connect with my piece doesn’t mean that it’s not good. Well, nice words aside, that’s exactly what it feels like.
Well, guess what. I don’t care. I wrote a damn good book, and I know it. Is it perfect? No. Is it better than my last novel? Hell yes. Can I honestly picture it on a bookshelf at Books a Million or Barnes & Noble? Yes.
I can honestly see my target audience (Young Adult) picking up this book on just an average day. I can picture them reading about my main character Ethlynn and falling in love with her. I see people arguing over if she belongs with Nash, the main love interest, or her best friend, Wystan. I can see my readers growing along with Ethlynn and finding their strength.
It’s going to happen. I’ll continue querying, and will do so until March of next year. That’s the deadline I gave myself. If by then I’ve still only heard rejection, then I’ll self-publish. Then I’ll self-publish. Plain and simple.
So, what have I been doing in the mean time? Writing the sequel. I’ve told you all in the past how major selling platforms have algorithms set up to help you advertise up until 30 days and then another until 90 days.
Right now, I’m not sure how many books this series will be, but I know it’ll at least be a trilogy. Even though it’s not for certain that I’ll be self-publishing, I want to be prepared. (Also, I absolutely love these characters and writing their story.) If I take the Indie author route, I want to be able to publish the novels within 90 days of one another. I’m still a business woman at heart, and I can’t imagine not taking advantage of the marketing opportunity.
I’m still presented with the problem: me. I’m a slow writer. This year I’ve finished the Freedom Game and written over 17,500 words of its sequel. In 10 months. Thinking realistically, I want this second book to be completely finished before I publish the first. Ideally, I’d like to be well into the third, already outlining the fourth. (My writing style involves me writing the original outline of the following book whilst writing the predecessor. This means that I can add in foreshadowing and adjust my subplots to make them more relating to one another.)
What’s the point of all this rambling? Writing itself is the reward. I don’t write for anyone but me. With that said, I want to get books published. I want them to do well. The better my books sell, the closer I am to being able to do this full-time. That means I have to come up with a plan.
My final thought: set up an action plan for your writing! Make it happen. Success hardly ever falls into our laps. You have the same 24 hours in your day as any successful author. Use them.