Avoiding Becoming The Token Cripple

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Today, I want to talk a little about some of my struggles with deciding how much to reveal about myself when submitting to publishers and/or agents. I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal in the grand scheme of things, especially with Garnets and Guardians, because being cripple is the best asset one can have when writing cripple characters, right? But, honestly, it’s really difficult to know how much to reveal about yourself and how that information is going to influence the people who are ultimately judging your talent (or lack thereof).

6M3X1 — There’s a thin line that I don’t want to cross.

When it comes to submitting short stories to various magazines, I don’t bother mentioning my disability. Mostly, I keep it to myself because it has no bearing on the stories I submit. There aren’t any cripple characters in my short stories, so there’s no point in mentioning it. But, I also keep it to myself because I fear the concept of a pity pub (getting published because they feel sorry for me). I understand that these are professionals who are supposed to be above such actions, but years of “cripple perks” (earning awards in high school for simply doing the work I was assigned, being called “inspirational” at college just because I preferred classes on campus instead of online, etc.) have made me wary of succeeding in subjective areas. It’s just something I will always be worried about.

However, when I began submitting Garnets and Guardians to agents, I was forced to reevaluate the choice to keep my disability out of things. On the one hand, I don’t want to take the chance of people judging my writing less harshly just because I’m cripple. I also don’t want agents to become intrigued by me even if they aren’t enthusiastic about my writing. I’m not interested in being anyone’s token cripple. On the other hand, the protagonist of my novel has a disability, so my own crippleness gives me a unique perspective into her development as a realistic character.

b927f1a31fcbaa6421272bbde12cc70e — We can’t all write Timmy and Jimmy.

In the end, I chose simply to mention my disability in passing in my query letter. I don’t know if it’s the correct decision or not. Sometimes, I wonder if I should go into more detail, but then I worry it will seem like I’m hoping for special treatment, which I also want to avoid. I was raised to never expect or ask for special treatment beyond the accommodations I need (but not to turn it down in certain cases either). But ultimately, a brief mention of it to establish that I have knowledge about cripple experiences feels necessary. Besides, if my query letter intrigues an agent and they decide to look at my website or blog, they’re going to find out about my crippleness anyway, so it’s not as if I’m hiding it.

mermaid — I try, but how much of myself should I be?

So yeah, while I don’t technically hide my disability from people, I remain wary about announcing it in a professional (virtually anonymous) setting just in case it will cause people to think differently about me. What about you? Is there anything you refrain from mentioning because of similar reasons? What about completely different reasons? Feel free to share here or on my social media sites!

Until next time!

Writing Cripple Characters

July 4, 2017July 4, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! I hope all of my US and Canadian friends had wonderful independence days! Mine was quiet. It was spent writing this and playing mindless games, because I was a little tired and didn’t feel like doing anything else. But that’s not what I’m here to talk about today. I wanted to tell you all a bit about the protagonist of my current series-in-progress and why I chose to make her cripple (this is my preferred term, so if it offends you… sorry, not sorry).

54eb8caa17368_-_fourth-of-july-cupcakes-lgn-32120142 — I wish I had cupcakes.

Garnets and Guardians is the first book in my Demonic Jewels (working title) series. The series follows Bailey Donovan, a thirteen-year-old who has recently been diagnosed with Limb-Girdle disease, as she struggles to cope not only with her illness, but also with moving to a new town and the dark discovery she makes there. Despite everything, she remains fairly stoic, which occasionally causes drama within her family. And yes, unlike many protagonists in the fantasy genre, Bailey’s family remains whole and supportive.

So, why did I choose to write about a young girl who is newly cripple? I’ve actually heard a lot of theories on this in various workshops. The one I get the most is that I’m writing what I know, or that Bailey’s a fantasy version of me, or similarly weird things. In a lot of ways, she is like me. She doesn’t do well with emotional displays and she likes to handle things her own way. But her disability is nothing like mine, so she has to cope differently, which really means she’s a completely separate person from me. There’s also the theory that I write cripple characters because they are few and far between in genre fiction and I want to see myself reflected in these genres I love. I’ve covered that before: yes, diversity is important, but I (personally) don’t need or want characters to be cripple in order for me to identify with them.

criplit-and-dislit — Apparently, this is a thing? Interesting. Chose to share because of number 3.

All of that is great and I’m sure it’s why some people choose to write cripple characters, but it’s not why I did. Honestly, I just wanted to write about a hospital full of demons. What better way to do that than to give my protagonist a chronic disease that forces interaction with such a place? Yeah, I chose a disease within my realm of understanding, but that’s only because I hate doing immense amounts of research. So, for me, writing a cripple character has less to do with crippleness itself and much more to do with what fits the story and me being too lazy to look stuff up.

1331923161599_760411 — Writing is hard enough without the research.

Have you ever written a cripple character? Did you do so for the sake of diversity or was it just something you wanted to try out? Have you wanted to write a cripple character but chose not to? Why? No judgment here, so feel free to share your thoughts and stories and reasons below or on my social media pages!

Finding Your Genre

June 20, 2017June 20, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! When submitting to agents, one of the most common questions a writer has to answer is what genre they write. Sometimes, this is a really difficult thing to explain, especially if you’re not quite sure yourself. Granted, I know some writers who can tell you what they write down to the subgenre’s subgenre. But, I’m not one of them. And honestly, they kind of freak me out (but I still love them). I never really understood how people could stick to such narrow categories in order to be a specific type of writer. It always seemed constrictive to me. But I eventually fell into a genre and it felt good to know where I belonged, even if I do have a tendency to wander away from it. So, I thought I’d share how I found my genre.

genre-map — A genre map… and this is just the basics, not including YA and the like.

When I first got into Stonecoast, I had people asking me what I wrote and my go-to response was horror. At the time, it’s what most of my writing vaguely (and not so vaguely) fell under. But the truth was, I was still searching for what I was most comfortable writing. I liked dabbling in all kinds of genres, and still do. It was always fun for me when I stepped outside of my comfort zone, so I never really felt right restricting myself with genre labels. Don’t get me wrong, horror was and will always be my true love, but it’s not an entirely accurate description of my writing.

It wasn’t until my fourth semester, during my first half workshop with Nancy Holder (who had also been my mentor my first semester), that I started narrowing in on what genre I felt most comfortable in. When I was on the chopping block, Nancy said my story was “vintage Shawna.” She went on to explain that in her time working with me, she noticed that I tended to write about younger (usually teenaged) protagonists who stumbled upon hidden worlds. She wasn’t wrong. Apparently, I had fallen into the YA (young adult) realm when I wasn’t looking.

sub-buzz-29538-1490304640-6 — I admit this is totally what I thought of when I was accused of writing YA.

It wasn’t exactly my genre of choice, but YA chose me, so I couldn’t argue with it. Granted, I’ve managed to keep my horror leanings even in most of my YA work. Demons and psychological torture and all of that still play big roles in my writing, but there’s also a stronger thread of good old-fashioned fantasy as well. Now, I mostly tell people that I write supernatural YA (not to be confused with paranormal romance) or just YA fantasy. It’s closer to the truth for the majority of my work. Though, I do have pieces that don’t fall anywhere near those genres, because writing is hard enough without restricting yourself to one genre.

So, I found my genre when I wasn’t even looking. Actually, I guess it found me. But I will always suggest stepping outside your genre, whether when reading or writing or both. It’s fun and challenging and you can learn a lot when you’re working outside your comfort zone.

What about you? Have you found your genre yet? If so, how? Do you like working within super specific boxes or do enjoy the freedom of vagueness and blurred lines? Share your thoughts and comments here or on my social media pages!

Chase Them Up A Tree…

June 7, 2017June 6, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I was recently talking to a friend about putting our characters through hell (whether literally or figuratively). He was a little worried that people would be upset and accuse him of torturing his young female characters simply as a catalyst to turn them into “strong, empowered women,” as if that’s a bad thing (the torture as a catalyst thing, not the strong women thing). We talked about the story and that certainly doesn’t sound like the case, but so what if it is? What’s wrong with strong female characters having a tragic background? A lot of male characters have it pretty rough before becoming heroes, so why should female characters be any different? It got me thinking about some of the most common writing advice I’ve heard: chase your characters up a tree, then throw rocks at them/make them walk through the fire/etc.

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What does that even mean, chasing them up a tree? Well, it means that you should put your character in a bad situation, then pile on some more trouble. Nobody wants to read about a person who goes to the beach, where it starts raining, and they immediately find shelter in a dingy little restaurant where they have a nice meal, then they go home. For genre readers, make the restaurant haunted or infested with pixies or run by some super attractive person who seduces the protagonist. If you’re more into literary fiction, throw in some existential angst or a discovery of some lost love or an awkward conversation with a guy who knows the protagonist but the protagonist can’t remember him or whatever. In other words, it means you need to keep things interesting.

Another piece of advice to new writers, usually used as an explanation for running characters up a tree, is to make them walk through the fire. This kind of thing is especially easy to understand if you’re into genre fiction, because the Hero’s Journey often requires entering an unknown world (sometimes actually made of fire) and having the hero traverse the treacherous land. Whether they come out unscathed or not is really up to you. Either way, they’re forced to face numerous obstacles or trials along their journey and it transforms them into the people they become.

EmilysQuotes_Com-amazing-great-inspirational-motivational-matter-walk-fire-Charles-Bukowski

In my humble opinion, I don’t think we should really worry about whether or not people will approve of our stories. If your character needs to be tortured physically or mentally to move the plot along and help them develop into who they need to become, whether male or female, go for it. That’s not to say that something so drastic is always needed. Maybe your character grows up in a loving home and stumbles upon an adventure randomly. After all, one of my own characters is surrounded by supportive and caring family throughout her adventures. That’s great too. Trust your story to tell you what it needs, not judgmental people who think violence has no place in literature.

28673-Trust-Your-Story

Disclaimer: I am by no means endorsing gratuitous violence or anything that’s done “just because.” It has to move things forward and serve some sort of purpose. That being said, don’t worry so much about what people might think and just write your stories. If things feel a little excessive, that’s what revision is for! You can always change things up later on.

What about you? Do you find yourself worrying about things like this or are you all about running characters up trees and pelting them with rocks? Share your thoughts here or on my social media pages!

When In Doubt…

May 17, 2017May 16, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! I thought I’d share a little update on the agent search saga. I received a rejection from the agent who requested a full copy of my manuscript. It was the first rejection that I couldn’t attribute to slush reader denial, and I admit it threw me a bit, emotionally. They loved Bailey (the main character), but they suggested reworking it into a non-fantasy book because they felt my writing was strongest in the non-fantastical parts. I panicked. How was I supposed to rewrite this particular story without fantasy and keep it from turning into a memoir or something similar (there’s too much of my younger self in Bailey to keep her in the realm of literary fiction even if I managed to peel the fantastical parts away)? I’ve always been against crossing into CNF, especially when it involves elements of my own life (I’m not that interesting, I swear). I have nothing against people who want to write that type of stuff, but it’s just not who I am. So, I let myself be overcome by doubt for a couple of days.

zZL4Oqk1PljdC — Me normally? Kyoya. Me on rejection day? The twins. I will never be Tamaki, though.

It’s been a long time since I’ve received a critique (no matter how small) from someone who held my inner writer’s fragile little ego in their hands and had the ability to crush it. I love my critique group dearly, but I know they’ll give honest feedback in a friendly manner. When I was in school, I actually liked the people who were brutal with their feedback. I welcomed it. But over the past couple of years, I kind of forgot that a critique is just someone else’s opinions, whether that someone is a friend or a teacher or an agent or whoever. It’s simply one person’s opinion. Yeah, it’s harder to hear some people’s thoughts than others, but the story is still mine. I can’t help but feel like I’ve gotten a little weak for forgetting that.

For a couple of days after I received the rejection, I stopped working on my current WIP (the second book in the series). What was the point if I was just going to have to change the first book completely? Then, I remembered something my mentor for my thesis semester (Elizabeth Hand) wrote in my evaluation. She basically said that I was always extremely open to suggestions for edits and revisions, but that I had zero qualms about saying no to things because I knew what was best for my story. That was when I started working on my WIP again. This series started as litfic and went nowhere. It wasn’t until someone suggested I write it as the kind of stuff I actually enjoyed reading that it started moving forward on its own. I just can’t abandon that story yet.

How+About+No — My usual reaction when I come across suggestions that don’t fit my stories.

Sometimes, we all need a little reminder that we’re the creator of the worlds we write about. We choose which suggestions and comments to implement and which ones to ignore. That’s our decision to make as writers. I know it’s hard to ignore some people’s critiques, especially when they’ve been in the business a lot longer than you and when they’re successful and you’re just getting started. Be open to suggestions, but don’t be afraid to say no if it doesn’t feel right. You know what’s best for your stories.

So yeah, when in doubt, trust yourself. I’m going to try to remember this as future rejections roll in. I can’t promise I won’t temporarily panic, but I’ll get over it given time. If you’re in a similar situation, you’ll be okay too. Let yourself freak out a little if that’s your thing (I, personally, prefer to avoid that step), but then remember that you know what you’re doing. We will succeed… eventually.

One Step Forward

May 3, 2017May 2, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! Yesterday, after numerous rejections from agents (all of which were form rejections or close to it), I received my first full manuscript request. I won’t say from where or who, because I understand that this is by no means an offer of representation, but it’s one step closer and that makes me super excited. Even if I end up with a rejection at the end of this, at least I can say someone who is a complete stranger to me was interested in my work, which is a huge deal since I always wonder if people are only supportive of me because I’m cripple (it’s happened before). Anyway, I’m getting off track. Today, I want to talk about how the little steps are just as exciting and deserving of celebration as the ultimate goal you’re working towards.

One-step-at-a-time — Kitty has the right idea. One step at a time.

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I honestly needed a reminder of it myself: the little successes are still successes. I admit that I’ve been down lately with all of the rejections. I let the feelings of being a failure and an imposter get to me. It’s made writing hard and submitting things less than appealing. I forgot that submitting things and writing words were little steps on the writing journey in their own right, whether they end well or not. With all of the rejection writers (and artists of all kinds) face on a daily basis, we have to remember to celebrate the little things as well as the endgame.

Did you finish that short story or chapter today? Treat yourself! Is that your tenth (or hundredth) form rejection? Take pride in the fact that you submitted that many times. Did you get a lovely personal rejection? That deserves a toast! Without all of these little steps, some of which feel more like stumbles, we wouldn’t be moving forward. And as long as we’re pushing on, we’re trying, and that’s all that matters.

X7RiLS — This applies to life way more than it should.

Sometimes, we go so far down the rabbit hole of imposter syndrome that we need a hand getting back to a point where we can see the little steps. This boost could come as a surprise acceptance or a request for more, but more often than not, it comes from the support of people in the same situation. We aren’t alone in these feelings. If you can’t celebrate your own steps forward, help someone else to celebrate theirs. Most of the time, it’s easier to notice other people’s achievements, so you’ll cheer them on and tell them that rejection is just one step closer to an acceptance, then eventually you’ll realize these are the things you should also be celebrating for yourself. Help each other and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Celebrate your successes together!

dont-worry-we-got-your-back_o_78426 — Support each other like these puppies support this baby!

So yeah, even though it’s easy to get distracted by the big endgame, don’t forget the little things that get you there. It might take longer than you want, but if you stop trying, you’ll definitely never get to where you want to end up. Keep moving forward. Keep supporting each other. But most importantly, keep celebrating all the little steps as well as the leaps and bounds.

Writing Rituals

April 19, 2017April 18, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Howdy, howdy! I know a lot of people who can sit down and write with little to no hoopla, but I also know a lot of others who have to perform a kind of ritual before they can get the words to flow. I’m a little bit of both. There are only a couple of things that I have to do before I can write, everything else is just procrastination (at least I’m honest). But I thought I would share how my routine/ritual usually works.

Become-a-Writer-They-Said-It-Will-Be-Fun-They-Said — It can be fun, but usually it’s a lot of hard work that gets tossed aside in favor of other hard work that flows better.

My routine starts with my morning (actually, it’s noon-ish, but I don’t know what else to call getting out of bed and getting dressed) ritual. It takes about an hour and a half to finish because of the whole cripple thing. I can’t just jump up, throw pants on, and be ready for the day. That has to be done regardless of whether I write or not, so I don’t know if it really counts as part of the writing ritual or not.

Anyway, while Dad makes breakfast, I do all the little things that would normally draw my attention away from writing if I didn’t get them done. I post on my social media and respond to any comments, I check my email and note who I need to write back when, I play a round of my mindless games, and I work on the crossword puzzle. All of these things are just procrastination waiting to happen, so I try to get it out of the way before I eat (or right after if breakfast is a quick one).

procrastination-procrastination-everywhere — It really is, but you can work it into your routine if you try.

Breakfast is the only big thing that I have to do before writing. It’s impossible for me to focus on anything productive if I’m hungry. After food, I open the files I’ll need to get started on my work, do another quick social media and email check, set a timer for an hour, then start writing. After the hour is up, I log my word count and do another round of short procrastination, then write for another hour. I can usually meet my writing goal in two hours, but occasionally I’ll do a third. I will say this: I can usually write even if I don’t break it up by hours if I have to, but I find it harder to concentrate that way.

49863083 — Apparently there’s a Ryan Gosling meme for everything. I don’t really know why.

I know, I know. My writing rituals and routines aren’t all that interesting. There’s little to no blood sacrifice going on (it constantly surprises me too). But it’s how I usually work and it’s been good to me. When I stop being (kind of) productive, I’ll try something new. Maybe I’ll throw in a complicated chant or something to summon the muse. All my stuff aside, what works for you? Do you have a particular routine or ritual that gets you into the mood?

Which Came First: The Story Or The Character?

April 12, 2017April 10, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! One of the questions that authors often get asked is whether the story or the character came first. It’s basically the writer’s version of the chicken or the egg causality dilemma, but there’s no satisfying scientific explanation for it. There are actually a lot of different answers depending on who you ask, and in my experience, the answer is usually a little different for each story as well as each writer. It’s part of what makes writing unpredictable and fun. Even if I fall into a writing rhythm (which I like because it makes the words come easier), the path getting there is always a tad different.

chicken-before-the-egg — I thought a writerly version was more appropriate than the other cartoons I found.

For me, I usually get a nagging voice in my head that turns into someone who wants to tell me their story. The story is full of plotholes and vague connections and is nothing worthy of paper, but I can’t tell them that. They also have a tendency to talk about other people like I should know who these people are (pretty sure we all know someone who talks like that). Gradually, a cohesive story forms in my head and new voices pop up to fill in the holes. If I haven’t started writing by this point, it goes into a list of ideas to work on after my current project is done. That almost always quiets the voices enough that I can get my other work done.

To everyone who assumes I know everyone you do.

I guess that means that my answer is that characters and stories have a tendency to come simultaneously to me. Those are also usually the stories that are easiest for me to write down. But I will say that I don’t need a fleshed out story to start as long as the voice in my head is strong enough. I can’t work on a story when the characters aren’t there, so even though they might not technically come first, characters are the most important element to me.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I do occasionally have a voice that pops into my head without a story to tell (they’re my favorites, but don’t tell the others). These are the ones I talk to at night when I can’t sleep, so I learn so much more about them. I tend to keep them around until I find a story to slip them into. I also have a few plots and worlds that have built themselves with no solid characters to take the reins (but these are rare). So, like I said, each story gets born a little differently for me.

tumblr_ncqfgjb0St1tp42tfo1_500 — Just in case you were wondering about my sanity.

That’s how it usually works for me. The story and character more often than not happen simultaneously, but not always. What about you? Do the voices in your head tell you their stories? Maybe they just prefer to have random chats until you find homes for them. Or perhaps the plot comes to you and demands you create people to act it out with. Whatever your experience, feel free to share your thoughts or stories here or on my social media pages!

Form Rejections

March 29, 2017March 28, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ Leave a comment

Hello, hello! Last Thursday, I sent out a few of the queries I was talking about in my last post. Friday morning, I woke up to a form rejection from one of the companies that declare a no from one agent is a no from all of them. They didn’t even take the time to personalize it with my name or the title of my “material,” and the signature wasn’t from the agent I addressed my query to, but instead from an associate agent. It had been sent at 8:04 in the morning. I thought my first agent rejection would be devastating, that it would be so much harder to take than all of the other writerly rejections I’ve received. I was wrong. A form rejection that basic was pretty much the best first agent rejection I could have asked for.

rejected-kitty_orig — Cute animal memes help.

First, I suppose I should explain what a form rejection is for people who might not be sure. It’s basically a vague letter turning you down. Most of the ones I’ve gotten have an “it’s not you, it’s us” vibe. They start with a firm no, usually followed up by explaining that your story doesn’t mesh with what they’re looking for, and ending with something along the lines of “feel free to submit to us in the future.” Most of them are polite enough to include your name and the title of your story, at least in the realm of magazine/ezine rejections (not sure about agent rejections yet).

What do form rejections mean to me? Honestly, they tend to be an indication that my story didn’t even make it out of the slush pile, that it probably didn’t even make it to human eyes (and I might be entirely wrong, but it’s what I like to think). The places I submit to get hundreds of submissions a week. There’s no way they can read each piece and give them the attention they deserve. Slush readers weed through the ever-expanding piles and do their best to pick pieces the editors will enjoy or grab names that will bring in more readers. I’m guessing a similar process occurs in the agencies. I might not appreciate the whole process, but I understand it. As writers, rejection is a part of the game and we can’t question each one we get.

elephant rejection — Okay, but only for a little while, then back to work.

So, yeah. A barebones form rejection from an associate agent was exactly the kind of rejection I needed. It doesn’t mean that Garnets and Guardians is unwanted trash. It doesn’t reflect on my writing in any way. It simply means the agency wasn’t hooked by my query, if they even read it at all. And that’s okay. I’m more worried about when the rejections get personal, because then I’ll know it’s my fault. I might start getting really discouraged at that point. Until then, I’ll just keep writing and submitting and collecting my rejections. That’s all I can do.

49d9da07acf06ad615ae099ac4177a66 — Don’t let the rejections get you down!

How do you feel about form rejections? If they get you down, do you have any kind of ritual to help improve your mood again? Feel free to share any thoughts, stories, questions, or whatever here or on my social media pages!

The Agent Search

March 22, 2017March 20, 2017 ~ shawnaborman ~ 1 Comment

Howdy, howdy! How’s everyone’s spring (or autumn, depending on your hemisphere) going so far? I’ve been wrapping up my winter by searching for agents and researching how to write queries and synopses. In graduate school, they told us things like “make sure you have a finished, polished product (for fiction at least) before you query agents” and a few signs of questionable agents (ones who charge reading fees or want more than 15ish%, 20% at the most, etc.). But nobody really explains how to find reputable agents or how to go about querying them.

5871545579642200752 — When I first opened my browser to begin the research.

Google searches proved to be overwhelming at first. They provided a plethora of information and no indication of where to begin, so I admit I panicked and sent a few emails out pleading for help. That would be my first bit of advice: don’t be afraid to ask more experienced people for help. Even if they can’t help you personally, chances are they know people who can. While I waited for responses, I read through SFWA’s literary agents advice page, which is wonderful at telling you how to recognize questionable agents (it’s far more detailed than anything I learned in school). I realize it’s a science fiction and fantasy group, but a lot of the advice here probably applies across the literary agent spectrum. They also have pages about editors and publishers and other things that are super useful.

There are a number of publications (Writer’s Market comes to mind most readily) you can buy (some even come as Kindle books) or check out at the library that offer lists of current agents and agencies if you prefer more traditional research methods. I didn’t want to spend money or visit the library this early in my searches, so I started at the Association of Authors’ Representatives website. My only problem with this website is that it doesn’t group agents by agency, so it’s difficult to keep track of who works where which is really important since most agencies don’t want you to query more than one of their agents at a time (some agencies even say that a no from one of their agents is a no from all of them). Then, someone sent me this post which groups science fiction and fantasy agents by agencies, and it gave me a solid starting point for my search (it was a life saver). It’s a little old, though, so be sure to check out the agency websites and do your research as to who’s accepting what.

tumblr_mi1mkbm5OG1rqfhi2o1_250 — There’s no magical way around the research.

That’s my second bit of advice: do your due diligence. This is my baby that I’m about to shop around. I’m going to make sure, to the best of my ability, that I’m not getting mixed up with someone who’s trying to take advantage of me and my work. If you’re not sure how legit someone is, ask around. Also, I’m making sure the agents are a good fit for me. Don’t just randomly submit to people and hope it works out. Go through their bios and websites to make sure they represent what you write and if they’re actually open to new clients. And always check out the submission guidelines. I look at it this way, if I’m wasting their time by submitting something they don’t represent or not following their guidelines, I’m wasting my time.

tumblr_o6cjf5iLad1tq4of6o1_500 — Be wary! We all have gut feelings. Trust them if they say something is off.

Anyway, I’ve compiled a list of agents (I still have many more to look into). I didn’t stop looking just because I found one who sounds like a perfect fit (she might not be interested in my story after all). I will keep looking at different agents until I get ready to send out the first batch of queries (simultaneous submissions to different agencies are expected), then I’ll look for a new batch in case no one bites. That’s all we can do.

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