Updates

Status: Drafting the fourth book in the PERILOUS series!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Countdown: 10: 2nd Submission

October 2007

Well, technically, this would be the third submission, but since my second submission got lost in the mail, I consider this one my second.

And this was the real thing. I did my query and submitted it to my critique group for feedback. I read through the manuscript one last time, and then with itchy fingers, I printed it off.

The company I submitted to did not take email submissions. They also didn't ask for just the query letter, but for the first three chapters. They also stated that you could send the full manuscript if you wanted to. Being the confident author that I was, I thought I'd make things easy for them and submit my full manuscript. After all, I knew after the first three chapters they would want to read more.

Honestly, I don't know if they made it past chapter one. Or even past the query, for that matter. At that time, I had about seven different points of view in my book. I had, thankfully, eliminated the head-hopping, but I still gave each character a chance to share his or her thoughts (within a scene or chapter). At least I had cut out the shopping scenes. I mean, really, who stops at a garage sale while running from a kidnapper?? (I blame my 13-year-old self for that one.)

I held my breath. By the time December came with no word, I let it out. I know three months isn't that long, but I figured, if they had liked it, they would have contacted me.

Sometime in late January I got my rejection letter. I rolled with it. Kept it for my scrapbook and reevaluated what more could be done to my book. As much as I hated to do it, I decided it was time to cut POVs. I narrowed it down to three and rewrote the book. I already knew to whom I planned on submitting next, and I was giving myself one year to have it ready again.

12 comments:

Rhiannon Hart said...

Head-hopping! I love it. It's always interesting to hear about other people's query process.

Voidwalker said...

"AHHH Holy crap, I'm gonna die"---"ooh, that's a nice clock, maybe I can talk him down to $10." LOL

Garage Sale'ing during a chase scene... I Love it.

Bethany Wiggins said...

Rejections suck almost as bad as waiting to get them. I once got a rejection eighteen months after an agent asked for the partial. I was shocked.

Carolina M. Valdez Schneider said...

Rejections are so tough, but they help to toughen us up. And if they keep coming, they also help us to reevaluate our work! God for you for staying strong and keeping at it!!

By the way, left a little something for you on my blog! Check it out! http://carol-in-print.blogspot.com/2009/12/have-blog-will-follow.html

Sara {Rhapsody and Chaos} said...

I love this series! And I want MORE. haha I'm impatient, but I am definitely living vicariously through you right now. And since I know this is going to end in a happy way, I'm dying for the rest!!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

Thanks so much for sharing all of this. It really is fascinating to "experience" the process through the eyes of others. :)

sanjeet said...

I once got a rejection eighteen months after an agent asked for the partial. I was shocked.
Work from home India

Anonymous said...

You've won another award over at my place, Tamara!

http://m-wolfe.blogspot.com/2009/12/infamous-harry-potter-questionsand.html

Annie McMahon said...

Hi, Tamara! You just won a blog award at my place: http://dutchhillnews.blogspot.com/2009/12/circle-of-friends-award.html

Happy Holidays!

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Voidwalker, I died laughing when I read your comment! So true!

Carolina, on my way to your blog!

Sanjeet, how awful! Man, I think I'd prefer to just be forgotten.

Sara, so glad you're enjoying the series!

Kelly Lyman said...

Thanks for sharing this! I am hoping to start the dreaded query process in Feb. (at least, that is my plan). It's encouraging to hear others stories of the whole process.

Tamara Hart Heiner said...

Hi Kelly! My husband's about to start querying in January. So we'll be :::gulp::: going through it again!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...