The Waiting Game

[reallyrosie]

So I'm back out, as I've announced, but now I know who with. It's only been a week or so. And this is only the first round.

The limbo of revisions is starting to look damn good. At least then, anything was possible.

[HorsebackWriter]

Congrats, Rosie!

It's good to know who you're out with, isn't it? I love researching the editors and reading their interviews, and, from those interviews, trying on potential fits.

As for being out on sub, I like this limbo, where any yes is possible, where no's don't exist, yet. : )

Em

[MaryL]

Yeah, Rosie! 

[violet]

ML-

Why are you on submission? I thought when you write book #2, the publisher who bought book #1 gets it. Or do they get it first, and if they pass, you go out on sub?

Can you clarify?

 

[MaryL]

This is an entirely new series. It's not out on submission yet--any day now. Agent putting together submission package.

Penguin is only committed to Souls and its sequels/spinoffs etc. We're running this one by them, but since Souls is YA horror/romance, they might not want a MG action/adventure series.

[violet]

This is an entirely new series. It's not out on submission yet--any day now. Agent putting together submission package.

Penguin is only committed to Souls and its sequels/spinoffs etc. We're running this one by them, but since Souls is YA horror/romance, they might not want a MG action/adventure series.

Gotcha.

Interesting....my friend who is a published author has it in her contract that her publisher gets first dibs. They just bought her second book which made her very happy.

Good luck with this one! 

[MaryL]

My publisher gets first dibs on all YAs during the contract period and as a courtesy, we are sending this middle grade series to them first. Because my "brand" at Penguin is horror, it's not likely they will want a funny, light middle grade adventure, but you never know.

[tradergirl]

Yep-- "dibs" (otherwise known as an Option Clause) is usually restricted by genre.

[jennamatty]

i'm on this boat but i don't really mind too much since i'm working on my 2nd book that has nothing to do with the first book that is a series! i almost feel like i'm getting a chance to play hooky from writing the 2nd book in the series and writing my passion project i've had on the burner for years....but ofcourse i would LOVE to get the call that says one of the 10 publishers wants my book....that would rule!

[morethanafeeling]

This thread is really amazing!!  I agree with so many of the sentiments here.  Seriously, this kinda made me want to cry   b/c I seriously thought I was the only one struggling.  I was so afraid to admit any of this b/c I thought I was being ungrateful/whiny/negative etc.

Here's how things stand now: I'm having trouble finishing my WIP while my novel's on sub.  Almost there, and I still love the story--but I'm a slow writer to begin with, and being on sub/the WAITING is so nerve-wracking.

I'd really like to contact my agent to see if there's any news--even though I know that she'd contact me if there was news.  *Sigh*

Then I feel bad about not contacting her, like I don't care (I saw earlier that Sandy felt this way as well, which was such a relief).

I have this awful fear that my agent will drop me if this book doesn't sell.

And I'm an introvert, so I basically keep all of this to myself.

Sorry, I'm really a positive, upbeat person, and I love the idea for this thread.  Helped me so much already  

[munley]

Yes, this is a great thread. Been going on for a few years.

We've probably all heart the old maxim, "A watched pot never boils," but sometimes it really is hard to find a sufficient distraction or muster the restraint to avoid checking emails and voicemails several times a day even when still in the stage of trying to find representation.

I'm glad you resuscitated this thread with a current reply.  Nice to see a lot of old QT friends that have gone off to wherever.

[Falen]

Yeah this is a great thread.

And MTAF, i'm sure all your feelings are completely normal. I mean, I can't say from personal experience, but everything you're worried about seems like everything i'd be worried about, or any other normal person too.

((HUGS))

[morethanafeeling]

Munley-- Yes!  It is so wonderful to see so many of the QT'ers finding such success.  Gives me (and I'm sure everyone else) hope  

Falen-- It feels good not to be alone.  Not that I want other people to worried, but I'm kinda relieved that I'm not the only one in that boat, you know?  Thanks for the hugs and right back at you, lady!!

[Wordwise]

I haven't been on submission long enough to complain, but I'll start by saying, regardless of length, waiting on editors is sheer agony. 

I've never waited around for an editor to respond. I continually research more and more places to submit.