I wrote a book that everyone I knew was excited about. Everyone in my critique group loved reading chapters from it. My beta readers raved about it and didn't have much negative feedback. I went to a few readings and posted a chapter or two on my blog, and people I didn't even know approached me asking how the book was going. I had two agent requests before I was even finished with it.
Then I sent it to agents and... nothing. No one is interested. I've sent it to 50 people so far, and while some of them haven't had a chance to look at it, I'm shocked at the lack of interest. Normally I'd rewrite it, but so many people think it's great the way it is. I don't know what to fix.
This isn't the first book I couldn't find anyone to represent, but my last book had issues that dozens of people pointed out to me, so I wasn't surprised by it's failure. This, on the other hand, has caught me completely off guard. It's a historical fiction, and I can't keep spending years of my life doing research for a book that will never be published. I just can't.
Self-publishing is an option, but that isn't what I wanted. I've always looked down my nose at self-published authors (don't judge me: I know I'm a snob and I'm feeling down enough as it is). I want to be in bookstores. Another problem is this book was supposed to be the first in a trilogy. If it fails, writing a sequel doesn't make sense.
I have some ideas for contemporary books that will probably sell better, but I want to publish this book. I put my whole soul into it.
I don't know what to do.
Then I sent it to agents and... nothing. No one is interested. I've sent it to 50 people so far, and while some of them haven't had a chance to look at it, I'm shocked at the lack of interest. Normally I'd rewrite it, but so many people think it's great the way it is. I don't know what to fix.
This isn't the first book I couldn't find anyone to represent, but my last book had issues that dozens of people pointed out to me, so I wasn't surprised by it's failure. This, on the other hand, has caught me completely off guard. It's a historical fiction, and I can't keep spending years of my life doing research for a book that will never be published. I just can't.
Self-publishing is an option, but that isn't what I wanted. I've always looked down my nose at self-published authors (don't judge me: I know I'm a snob and I'm feeling down enough as it is). I want to be in bookstores. Another problem is this book was supposed to be the first in a trilogy. If it fails, writing a sequel doesn't make sense.
I have some ideas for contemporary books that will probably sell better, but I want to publish this book. I put my whole soul into it.
I don't know what to do.