Hi, I'm new.

AnaBlaze · Sep 6, 2012

Hello everyone, I've been lurking for awhile now and decided it was getting creepy. I've already found a few threads here very useful, so I'm looking forward to getting to know some of the awesome folks behind the posts. I write romance, mainly paranormal and contemporary and I'm just starting the transition from someday writer to actually submitting things.

Current total:

Submission: 1

Rejection: 1

But it was very nice and came after an email that said my novella was being forwarded to the Senior Acquisitions Team, so I guess I made it past the first hurtle at least and that is kind of a win, right?
Anyway, I sent a query for it to another publisher today so I'm back in the game. I think this time I'll try sending queries to more than one publisher at a time and not just stare at my inbox for six months.

Nickie · Sep 6, 2012

Hello there Ana, and welcome to AW. We all had our share of rejections - just don't mind them and keep trying!

regdog · Sep 6, 2012

Take some time and read the Newbie Guide and the Stickies found
at the top of Forum pages. They are your best guide to learning about
Absolute Write.

Don’t forget to read the FAQ regarding posting pictures at AW.

In fact, we have lots of brilliant FAQs check them out.

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Griffin Hayes · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome!

PorterStarrByrd · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome aboard

thehairymob · Sep 6, 2012

rhervey · Sep 6, 2012

Hi Ana. Welcome to the Cooler!

phineas12gauge · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome to AW!

Tepelus · Sep 6, 2012

Hello, and welcome!

Ari Meermans · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome!

IAMWRITER · Sep 6, 2012

Hi and welcome!

L. Y. · Sep 6, 2012

Hello and

Lady Cat · Sep 6, 2012

Hi Ana and :welcome:

to AW! This is a great place to hang out while waiting for that novel to be accepted.

AnaBlaze · Sep 6, 2012

Oh my! Thank you all. That's a lot of welcome to read all at once.

LindsayM · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome! Step out of the shadows and join our craziness!

Also, making it past that first hurdle is most certainly a win! My advice is to have at least ten queries out there at a time when you're first starting the process - it makes the waiting just a little more bearable!

KellyAssauer · Sep 6, 2012

Hi Ana!

Welcome to AW!

AW basics:
Read the Newbie Guide!

Forum software questions can be found in the FAQ's menu.
(also in the handy blue bar at the 'top' of this page.)

This common acronym list helps identify our mystifying abbreviations.

Before you ask that Newbie question!!
See if Katiemac has the answer here.

Writing Guides:
Sara's 10 Basic Writing Tips.
What category (or genre) is my writing?

Critique Info:
Please read the 50 Post rule.

Questions about posting your writing to the Share Your Work (SYW) area are explained here. This link covers the most common problems found in the Share Your Work *Worth reading no matter how long you have been here!*

The Social side:
Meet people & sharpen your wit in the Office Party!

AW is a community built on the foundations of respecting your fellow writer and helping each other, it's the basic building blocks of how and why AW works.

Welcome to our community! =)

-kelly-

rwm4768 · Sep 6, 2012

Welcome, and I hope you get something positive with your submissions. If not, though, keep at it. You never know what will happen.

Ballistic_Dragon · Sep 7, 2012

I say welcome and good luck.

Amberabardan · Sep 7, 2012

Welcome, good luck, if you made it past the slush your on the right track!

Susie · Sep 7, 2012

to the cooler. Super place!

cacoethes scribendi · Sep 7, 2012

AnaBlaze said:
I'm just starting the transition from someday writer to actually submitting things.

Hello. I just joined this forum too. It's great to hear that you are making submissions. I don’t have data to support this, but I guess that the vast majority of aspiring writers don’t get that far.

I recall many instances over the years where I met people on aircraft or in bars, who would introduce themselves as writers. In part because I had always harboured a writing urge, my reaction was always the same: I would ask them about their projects and enjoyed listening to their replies. Whether or not I was interested in the genre, I always asked for their names and promised to be a customer when the books appeared.

Of those people I met, I never saw one book in print. Maybe they talked themselves out over drinks instead of doing the talking on the page, maybe they just weren’t accepted by publishers, but I resolved to keep my mouth shut and my keyboard warm if I ever started to write.

Other than close family and friends, I told no-one about what I was doing until I had 20K words on paper and knew that I would find the next 30K from somewhere in my head. Unless the future has very bad fortune in store for me, I will complete and submit, with self-publishing as a backup plan if all else fails.

You are a clearly a finisher. If you don’t get a positive response, would you consider self-publishing?

Colter · Sep 7, 2012

HollyRutan · Sep 7, 2012

Hello, AnaBlaze, nice to meet you.

I feel you - lurking is appealing, but sooner or later we all have to dip our toes in the water and actually talk to people. Scary business. 0_o

Todd Larkin · Sep 7, 2012

Welcome to the forum!

AnaBlaze · Sep 7, 2012

cacoethes scribendi said:
.

You are a clearly a finisher. If you don’t get a positive response, would you consider self-publishing?

I suppose it is not completely out of the realm of possibility, but I'm not there yet. I figure one almost isn't too discouraging. I just received a request for a full manuscript from another publisher, so I've sent off my baby and I'm trying not to get too worked up this time.

In the meantime, I'm trying to finish a few other projects and working up the blurb for a short story that is finished. The big question is whether I'm bold enough to send it to the same pub that rejected the other story. The editor who wrote the rejection said that he'd like to see more, but...

I too have resisted the urge to tell people that I write until very recently. In part because as soon as you mention it folks ask if you've had anything published. *long sigh*

I know that some people have had a lot of luck with self-publishing, but I guess my instinct is that it works best if you have something really unique. The stories that I have complete are fairly traditional romantic comedies. There might be a bit more heat than the average story, but I think they'd best find readers with a publisher behind them.

What are you writing?

Hi, I'm new.

Bookwright has a nice ring to it.

Not too old to learn

The Scavengers

One evil little baby step at a time

nutruring tomorrows criminals today

If I had a brain I'd still be dumb

And so...

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter

QWERTY!!!

Thread surfer and virtual bartender

Bookwright has a nice ring to it.

The Anti-Magdalene

practical experience, FTW

Thanks, special friend for my avi!

Werewolves Kick Butt

Bookwright has a nice ring to it.