Querying Sucks Part 1.
How do you get yourself out there as a writer? For me, I'm typically an introvert. I'm not good at pushing myself or promoting myself. Do you self publish or keep trying to be published? And how do you get there? I've done hours and hours of research on query letters and how other authors have gotten their breaks and it doesn't help. Everyone's story is different. Every "expert" with query letter advice says something different. One thing in particular about most of them that irritates the crap out of me is don't mention anything about yourself that is not a publishing credit. Does this make any sense? I understand that this is a difficult field and agents are lambasted with tons of queries. In my mind, an agent and author is a mutually beneficial relationship. An agent should care that you write every day or not. I know people will not always tell the truth. But many people will. If I ever get an agent, my hope is that they are there for mutual benefit. They should care about you as both an author and a human. They should know that your put in x amount of hours every day with no guarantee of any return. That should count for something. In my mind it does. But you're also listening to the guy who writes almost every day, for years getting up at 4 am, because that was the only free time I had and never sending anything out. Querying is hard. The author then must sum up their work in one to two paragraphs and make them interesting enough for someone to look at the first chapter. You take the time to craft something from your heart and have to condense it in to one paragraph, along with target audience info and possible sales potential. It's a tough field. I've dabbled in it forever, never fully commiting to it. That's on me. Those of you reading this are watching the process of my attempt to change.