Who else is thinking about intentions for the coming year? Goals, fresh starts, it’s all very exciting!
If you’ve read any of my posts, you probably know that I believe in the power of positive thinking. But success isn’t all about rainbow thoughts. You have to act with intention.
Don’t Just Dream—Be a Dream Catcher
Obviously, my number one personal goal is to get my manuscripts published—both Birthday Ranch and my new YA sci-fi caper. I know this will happen (there’s that positive thinking).
But in order to nudge success along, I joined the Authors Guild and have connected with some fellow members/middle grade writers
to workshop the steps to publication.
I gathered together some vital stats about my efforts, to prepare for these Zoom meetings, and found the process insightful.
This is how I set it up:
Summary: I am seeking representation for my 30,000 word middle grade manuscript, Birthday Ranch. In August 2020, I began querying agents that I found via SCBWI’s The Book, as well as by pitching agents at a virtual Writing Day conference. I also sent queries in February, March, and May 2021, all with no success. Soon after, I paused the querying process to complete another manuscript.
Query Attempts: 14
Rejections: 10
No Reply: 4
Status: I reworked Birthday Ranch and sent it to a freelance editor to go over. It will come back to me next month, and I’ll make revisions. I will then resume the querying process at the top of 2022.
Goals: My goal is to have Birthday Ranch represented by an agent by ?? (haven’t decided deadline yet).
Digital Tools: Scrivener, Twitter, website & blog
Outlining your efforts can be useful for actualizing any kind of goal—not just for getting an agent or a book deal. Let me know in the comments if you give it a try, and if your New Year’s dreams come true!