Let’s talk about the Q word: Querying. Overall this is the part of the process that I (like many) dislike the most. It is an aspect of the journey that allows my imposter syndrome to run rampant. I am constantly second-guessing myself and my work and after researching agents in depth to gain insight into what they are looking for or what interests they are eager to see, I always aim to ensure my work checks many boxes on their lists. I have received very few partial requests and most of the rejections I have received were not very informative. I have seen the words “Unfortunately your manuscript isn't the right fit for me” many times and it is hard to decipher what that actually means.
At moments like this I like to reflect on what is not working, perhaps it is my query letter overall or the first few chapters I submitted. Without constructive feedback, it is hard to pinpoint where I might be going wrong. The one thing I seem to forget is how subjective all of this truly is. It is hard to pitch a story about a young male protagonist of a high fantasy that is mainly focused on friendship and self-discovery with elements of folklore in a sea of books that are hyper-focused on romance and strong independent female main characters. The YA fantasy market is flooded with stories that are hard to relate my work to, making comparable mentions more and more difficult.
Throughout the querying process, I am expected to know how to pitch my story within one sentence, which books they compare to by the value of demand within the market, and give insight into any writing credentials I may have. All of these aspects give away the writer’s experience or lack thereof. These are the areas of the process I personally struggle with the most. I find it hard to talk about myself in general, not only that but I lack the confidence needed to compare my work to established writers in a way that catches the eye of someone willing to take a chance on a debut author with no writing credentials.
My biggest insecurity of all, however, is my dyslexia. I have worked very hard throughout my life to mask this disability and without fail it seeps out when I am in the midst of querying. The excitement and anxiety that comes with filling out a Query Manager form exacerbates my dyslexia and no matter how many times I read and reread what I am submitting, there are always at least one to two typos. And without fail it is something I notice after submitting. Editing is something that I have outsourced before entering the query trenches and is something that I fully believe is beneficial. It allows fresh eyes on your work constructively and can catch some serious plot holes, grammar mistakes, etc.
I know I am not alone in my struggle to navigate this convoluted aspect of the publishing world and like many, I am open to hearing your experiences and thoughts. There are not many safe places where aspiring authors can openly talk about their grievances regarding this process without fear of backlash or share the rejections they have received and I truly wish to change that.