I've been out since January, and in that time we've only subbed to 10 editors. I don't feel "out" yet, but the time does pass slowly...
The Next Circle of Hell, Vol. 2
- Thread starter Calla Lily
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Muse, have you asked your agent if they will be subbing to more in another round soon?
Does your agent plan to submit to more now? September is apparently a good time to submit, or so my published friends told me.
I did some edits and am waiting for feedback. I think she's had some family stuff going on, so I'm trying not to push. I'm not in a huge toot, but I do feel good about the edit.
I hope whatever it is gets sorted soon. It must be hard on you to keep waiting. I've taken to daily meditation and that keeps me positive and continuing to write.
The Rs I've received are so varied, my agent hasn't asked for revisions. Some editors love the writing style, others hate it, ditto for hook, premise, structure. One even said he loved it as a reader but not as an editor. Go figure.
The agent says he's chasing all the avenues, so I guess we'll see.
The Rs I've received are so varied, my agent hasn't asked for revisions. Some editors love the writing style, others hate it, ditto for hook, premise, structure. One even said he loved it as a reader but not as an editor. Go figure.
The agent says he's chasing all the avenues, so I guess we'll see.
UGH I'm so frustrated. We're at the 6-month mark for my book being out on sub with no interest. When I try to work on the next thing I feel like it's pointless. People don't want the first one, what makes me think they're gonna want the next one? Or the one after that? This is the way I write. If they're not responding to it, they're not responding to it. So I'm going through an "everything sucks and this is pointless" phase. It's been a hell of a summer, and this could be leftover hurricane fatigue. But just UGH.
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Sometimes it really feels like you are screaming into the void, with not even an echo... 
May we all receive good news soon!
May we all receive good news soon!
Sometimes it really feels like you are screaming into the void, with not even an echo...
May we all receive good news soon!
I've used this website more than once: http://screamintothevoid.com/
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Jeneral I feel you sooooooooooooo much. <3 <3 <3 I really hope you get some good news soon!
I'm approaching 4 months on sub and I've gotten TWO responses, so, both rejections, yes, it does feel pointless and that void is looking pretty sexy right about now.
*stares into it*
I'm approaching 4 months on sub and I've gotten TWO responses, so, both rejections, yes, it does feel pointless and that void is looking pretty sexy right about now.
*stares into it*
I'm with you, there. This business sucks away my soul. I'm having a hard time working on anything, because I keep thinking, "why bother?".
I typed "my MS" into Polish's void, just so I got something in reply.
A few CPs have told me they're hearing from both agents and editors that contemporary romance is going through a slump right now. I'm pretending that's why we've heard nothing from 5 editors since May. And I'm crossing every possible limb that romantic suspense won't fall into the same slump, since mine's supposed to go out on sub this week.
Well, balls. That's probably why I'm not doing so well.
I really think that RS is on the rise, so I hope that bodes well for you, MM!
This rage at not being heard is the exact echo of my thoughts on some days.
But I've been reading up a lot about staying positive, and one of the things I'm practicing is to try and stay in a creative, excited mindset with something new, because that's a higher vibration than the huge amount of anger and frustration I sometimes feel. The universe is energy and energy responds to similar vibrations.
Might sound new-agey, and I totally understand if you guys laugh at this, but ever since I've been more positive, at the very least, my days have improved.
I'm no longer stalking my agent and the subbed editors on twitter, and refreshing my email obsessively.
I think just getting back to a first draft has helped enormously, and I hope I can stay this way for a while.
Good news is around the corner, I think. And even if it isn't, raging about it is not helping any, so I'm going to try and focus on what I do best: write. I don't think I'll be successful 100 % of the time, but hey, at least I'll be a little happier on some days.
I'm nearly 4 months in as well, and am sitting on 8 Rs. Every one of the other editors has apparently gone very quiet.
Sending you all lots of hugs.
I've written 1k today, and that counts for something, I guess.
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I'm actually okay with the waiting. A little bit of uncertainty in limbo is preferable to the crushing despair when a rejection actually comes in. When nothing is happening, hope still exists, but once that "No" arrives, that's a door that's been closed.
Well, we finally heard from a few editors.
Two were taken off the list entirely as they moved houses, one passed. My agent is looking for other editors to sub it to at those houses. The one who passed is from a favorite imprint, so
Two were taken off the list entirely as they moved houses, one passed. My agent is looking for other editors to sub it to at those houses. The one who passed is from a favorite imprint, so
Waiting and rejection are both punishing, but I actually want the process to keep moving. The more editors I go through, the closer I am to the editor who loves my work.
Well, we finally heard from a few editors.
Two were taken off the list entirely as they moved houses, one passed. My agent is looking for other editors to sub it to at those houses. The one who passed is from a favorite imprint, so
Sorry to hear of the R from the fave imprint editor. The editors moving is very hard, because a new editor has a point to prove to their new bosses, and the agent may not have the relationship with them to get them to read fast.
But I'm sure you're coming closer to your right editor!
Your upcoming book sounds interesting, would love to read it when it is out
Hey thanks, Neem! Welcome to the circle I love meditation and I totally agree it's a great creativity and energy booster.
I love meditation and I totally agree it's a great creativity and energy booster.Hey thanks, Neem! Welcome to the circle
Thank you! We do need creativity and energy boosters around here, don't we? Waiting to be published can become hard without daily meditation and positivity. Here's rooting for you and me and all of us--may we all hear good news soon!
Neem, you're right about working on a draft helping. I finished a whole new project already while I've been on sub and am waiting for notes on it, and I'm reluctant to return to the page but I need to for my own sanity. About to log off and get some words in.
I'm trying to get back to that "drafting a new thing" as a good coping mechanism. As I said, I've been in a "what's the use, no one wants what I write" funk for the past couple weeks. But I've been doing some thinking about my WIP these past couple of days, and this morning I revisited my notes. I *think* the desire to write is coming back? Even if no one wants what I write. So that's something.
ditto. I'm branching out from my typical genre in this one, so I'm feeling like "well, if not this approach, maybe...."
edited to add, I did log off for an hour and write, and now I have to go to day job
A creative state is higher than frustration and anger. What you think and feel long-term is who you are or who you become.
I think when we're writing with passionate intensity, we are in a better state to receive the bounties of the universe. Plus, in this way, you to have good days, instead of angry and frustrated ones. And the final bonus: a good MS, where you've invested all the craft you've learnt in the last one.
I think when we're writing with passionate intensity, we are in a better state to receive the bounties of the universe. Plus, in this way, you to have good days, instead of angry and frustrated ones. And the final bonus: a good MS, where you've invested all the craft you've learnt in the last one.
I get that you're trying to be super positive, but sometimes those feelings of frustration or anger are unavoidable. And that's what this page is for, I thought: to vent to people who understand where you are and what you're going through. I've found that it's better for me to allow myself to feel what I feel and wallow when I need to, and I can burn through the negative feelings more efficiently than just telling myself to "be creative instead." As someone who's dealt with depression for 20+ years, ignoring negative feelings doesn't make them go away.
This whole process is a roller coaster of emotion, and some days are good and some are bad.
Also, I was severely frustrated and depressed about the state of querying my MS when I got my first agent offer, so I received the bounties of the universe just fine!
This whole process is a roller coaster of emotion, and some days are good and some are bad.
Also, I was severely frustrated and depressed about the state of querying my MS when I got my first agent offer, so I received the bounties of the universe just fine!
As I've come to understand it, a big part of meditation is accepting anger and frustration and letting it in. We have to let ourselves feel this stuff or we'll never get past it.