Ready, Set ... Query!

Here’s the deal: Ready, Set, Write! is a summer writing intensive that encourages goal-setting and accountability. Plus, it provides an opportunity for writers to cheer each other on—whether they’re planning, drafting, revising, and/or polishing a story. The event is hosted by Alison Miller, Jaime Morrow, Erin Funk, and Katy Upperman.

HOW I DID ON LAST WEEK’S GOALS

I finally—finally—met my goals. It’s about time, right? As of today, my YA sci-fi mystery is finished. My query is polished. My agent list is updated. And my self-confidence is prepared for a major bruising. All is right with the world.

MY GOALS FOR THIS WEEK

I really only have two goals this week:

• Commence the query process. (And the alcoholism I plan to take up during it.)
• Continue the world-build on my fantasy WIP, which I put on hold while polishing my YA sci-fi mystery. 

A FAVORITE LINE FROM MY PROJECT OR A WORD/PHRASE THAT SUMS UP WHAT I WROTE/REVISED

My main character grew up in a sort of extended family made up of her father’s friends. In this final revision, I was fleshing out some of those side characters. This excerpt is part of a memory that I hope gets at the family dynamic:

We were waiting for a table at a busy Mexican restaurant when Reed made the grab. It was more of a pat, actually, but it didn’t matter. A loud voice boomed from behind us, “Nick, I believe that young miscreant just squeezed your daughter’s breast.” 

THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE I FACED THIS WEEK

As always, doubt is my greatest enemy. I doubt my abilities in achieving what I need to during a revision. I doubt whether I should be revising a scene at all. Whether I should be revising it differently.

And as for compiling a list of agents to query, well, that’s like feasting on doubt pudding with little chocolate chips of uncertainty throughout. Do I query these agents first—or these? Is a more established agent with a large client list better than a less-experienced agent who will have more time for me? I’m pretty sure I spent an hour an a half fully insane during the process.

SOMETHING I LOVE ABOUT MY WIP

That it’s finished. Just kidding. (Mostly.)

I love the ending. The ending to this book came with the idea, and I’m happy I stuck with it through drafting and editing. It’s part of what made me love the premise in the first place.

How’s your planning/writing/revising going?