Road to Publication: The Waiting Game

Whew! So where were we on this road-to-publication story?

I think I left off at Step 76 or so.

If Step 75 on the road to publication was making manuscript changes for your agent, and Step 76 was going on submission, Steps 77-85 would involve waiting. Which is where I am. Sitting-on-the-couch, eating-ice-cream-out-of-the-carton waiting. Checking-your-email-800-times-a-day waiting. Refreshing-your-email-another-800-times waiting. …

Oh, and rejections.

Yeah. I sort of forgot I was going to have to go through a whole slew of rejections again, but that’s part of the process, too.

You sort of get this false sense of hope that once you finally score an agent, you won’t have to deal with all the “we-just-didn’t-like-this” rejections anymore. You sort of feel like you just got married, and you can walk around without any makeup on, and you always have a date on New Year’s Eve, and you don’t have to worry anymore about that cute guy at the bar and why he’s looking at you like that, and you don’t have to care that he would probably say no if you asked him to dance.

But … no.

You didn’t get married.

You got an agent.

And you still have to worry about rejections galore. They’re just coming from publishers now instead of agents.

So far, I’ve been rejected by three, half-rejected by one (but there’s hope there for something in the future), and have four to go.

Deep sigh. …

I feel like I’ve been turned down for the Prom four times.

But the rejections are “good,” if that’s possible. I mean, the potential Prom dates are not telling me they hate me. They’re appreciating my dress, telling me the fabric is nice, my hair looks decent, that’s a unique necklace I’m wearing, but they’re simply in love with someone else. …

So it’s manageable. Or maybe my skin is toughening. …

Meanwhile I’ve been in a panic to get the next book going. Because if/when this first book sells, I have to have another one, right? 🙂

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6 thoughts on “Road to Publication: The Waiting Game

  1. You are so living the life of a true writer! It’s just a matter of time. Good luck focusing on your next manuscript while you wait to hear back…. This is fun.

  2. Best of luck, Laurie! I know you’ll be published soon! You’re so talented! Congrats on getting an agent! While I cheated and self-published, I really admire you for doing it the “real” way!

  3. Laurie,
    I’m sitting at the same table, in the same ballroom, waiting to be asked by one of the cute guys to dance. I am so glad we have each other to sip wine with and enjoy the music until its our turn. (One day it will be. Promise!)

  4. Hang in there Laurie – I know it will happen soon! You are just too good for it not too =)

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