Since I’m writing this final post like a year after I went into subs with my first book, I can’t remember at which point I had The Talk with my agents. Sorry guys! But it went like this:

1. My agents informed me that they were receiving the same sorts of rejections: YA Dystopia isn’t selling.

I think we’ve figured this one out ourselves.

2. I told the agent I was interning for about it and asked him for advice. He said he would shelve the book for now because it’s futile trying to sell YA Dystopia in this market.

3. I had a talk with my agents and we agreed not to submit the book to any more editors. We decided to move on to my third book instead, the YA Contemporary Suspense.

Just because first book is being trunked doesn’t mean we’re totally giving up.

4. The book went into edits. My agents suggested a major change which basically had me rewriting half of the book. In the end, my agents loved the changes, but because of said changes, felt that the book was too quiet for the YA market, and so wanted to move on to my second book, the Adult Fantasy.

Bwuh.

5. I thought long and hard about my options. I completely believed in my third book. After the major changes, I agreed it was a bit too quiet, but I thought it was salvagable. I asked my agents if they would still be interested in working on the third book, and they said no. So, after weeks of sleepless nights and hoof-biting and a good bit of tears, I decided to part ways. We parted ways amicably and they were extremely kind about everything and were just as sad as I was about the first book not selling. I promised to keep in touch with any news.

I don’t want to part ways, but I have to. I have to. BWAAAAAHHHHHHH.

6. I edited the hell out of my third book and queried it. I guess because it’s in such a hot genre, I immediately got tons of requests for it. But I also got lots of rejections. The reasons given for rejection varied. It wasn’t commercial enough. It wasn’t literary enough. Just didn’t fall in love with it. Too edgy. Not contemporary enough. And so on and so forth. I was beginning to wonder if my ex-agents were right after all, that this wasn’t the right book to debut with. Then, three months after I started querying, I got an e-mail from one of the oldest agencies in NYC. “I really enjoyed the book. Would you be free to talk about it tomorrow?” Would I ever! The rest is as per normal. They offered, I nudged the other agents who had the full, then, when time was up, I considered my options and accepted their offer.

Yaay, I get another shot!

So that’s where Book 1’s journey ends. That was my time on the submissions round, an entire roller coaster ride full of downs and more downs. But, well, it wasn’t all bad. I learned a lot from it, and the biggest piece of advice I can give to those who are in my shoes would be: WRITE THE NEXT BOOK. Not the sequel to the one that’s being subbed, but a whole different project. It was the only thing that kept me sane throughout the process, and, when I started receiving the rejections, my new book was the only thing that cushioned my fall. Knowing that I have a new book to move on to was invaluable.

Best of luck to those in the same boat! I’m pretty sure I will do a submissions process series when I next go into subs, so we’ll see how it goes the second time round.

THE END!

If you want to read how this entirely exciting/horrendous journey began, here are the previous parts in all their terrible glory . . .

Part Six

Part Five

Part Four

Part Three

Part Two

Part One

I totally caved and sent an e-mail to Junior Agent. She replied and told me that the MS is still with 8 editors and there have been no updates from them so far, but that she will nudge them this week. Well! That’s sorta good news! At least there haven’t been any rejections, right? Wheee!

Yes, Adam, gimme that half-hearted Yay!

She also said that she hasn’t had a chance to read much of the Adult Fantasy yet, but that she’s been enjoying what she’s managed to read so far. Another cautious Yay on the house!

Anyway, all this happened on Monday, and it is now Thursday, so you guys know what’s happening, right? Yuh, I’m basically flopped on the floor, going, “Why hasn’t she updated me yet?” In other news, I am only 30 pages away from finishing the second draft of my WIP! Wheeee! I will be sending it out to the first round of betas once I finish, probably some time later today. Go me!

Day 75:

We spent the last three weeks in Norcal, which was very good for my sanity since it meant I didn’t spend the bulk of my days moping about at home alone. It meant I spent the bulk of my days moping about at home with my sweet friend. So yay! No news from Junior Agent about Book A or Book B. She said she nudged the editors, but that’s been over a month ago now, and I’m guessing a month of silence is a no.

I know right, Katy.

But in other, more uplifting news, I have finished the sixth draft of my latest book and have sent it to Junior Agent! I’m quite excited about it since I know it’s more up her alley. Also, a month ago, I applied for an unpaid internship at a different agency and a few days ago, I had a very good interview with one of the agents. He sent me a sample manuscript and I read it in record time and sent off my report last night. Hopefully he’s not going to reply with “Um, wtf is this effing report you stupid effing reader.”

So yur . . . that’s all that’s been going on so far. Hiatus on my first two books, but I’m still writing and keeping my hopes up and stuff.

Day 85:

I am officially interning for an agent! I’ve read a couple of manuscripts for him and it’s going well so far.

In other news, there is none. Seriously, I have not heard back from Junior Agent about the editors and I’m SO confused. I don’t know if I’m just being really impatient (probably) but surely she should have at least heard back from a couple of them by now, especially given that there must be some rejections already.

Day 90 (4/29):

Well lookie there, it’s officially been 3 months since I went on the second round of subs. And so far…nothing. Not even a rejection.

Day 99:

I’m feeling a general sense that my writing career is put on hold, languishing in my agent’s pile of unsold clients.

I’m beginning to wonder if my first book is just cursed. I want to tell Junior Agent to give up on it for now. Stop submitting it to other editors, especially when all of them are going, “Market’s dead, no retailer wants yet another YA dystopia.” If the market isn’t good for Book A, I want to move on. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket.

Me neither.

UPDATE: I just received an e-mail from Junior Agent telling me she is halfway through my third book and is really enjoying it. The MC has just committed murder and she can’t wait to see how it all unravels. She will be in touch once she’s finished with comments.

AHHHHH!! I am so relieved to hear that I almost started crying.

Oh god, relief. So much of it.

(To be Continued…)

Part Five

Part Four

Part Three

Part Two

Part One

Mr. Cow wasn’t feeling well last week, so he spent the past six days at home, which was really nice. Now that he’s back at work, the house is all forlorn and empty. Which means extra time to worry about my writing. Gah! Weirdly enough, I’m mostly worried about my second book now, which has been in Junior Agent’s hands for about a week. Aaaaaaahhh! I so hope she loves it as much as my betas and I do.

Does she hate it? Is she going to file a restraining order against me now that my second book has revealed me to be a sociopath?

Day 17:

You guys, I am so excited. No, I did not get an offer for Book A. But my current WIP, that delicious murder-splashed YA contemporary, has an ending in sight! Omgz! It hit me a few days ago, while brainstorming with afore-mentioned awesome writing friend, how the book should end. And the ending is amazeballs. I thoroughly approve and love it. I want to be best friends with this ending. Aaaaaah! This is SO wonderful because while writing the first half of the book, I was so worried about how it was going to play out. And now I know. I know. And I want to scream it from the rooftop. I have an ending!

Lookit the ending! It is within sight! Ohhhh, so shiny!

Day 20:

I might be done with the first draft of my WIP either by tomorrow or the day after that. Aaaaaahhh! This is the best feeling ever. Ever! Well, aside from the whole getting an agent bit. That’s infinitely better. But this is pretty great too.

This is why it’s so important to have a whole new project to be working on. If not for my current WIP, I am pretty sure I would just be curled up in a corner by now, mumbling to myself and eating my own hair.

Day 22:

46 days after writing the first line, I finished the first draft of my WIP! Go me! Of course, I have a feeling it’s as full of holes as a chunk of Swiss cheese, but whatever. The first draft is done! Wooo!

Someone on AW just announced a two-book deal with one of the big 5 today. While I’m happy for her, the news also made me feel even more hopeless about Book A. This is a book that got me six agent offers in the UK and US. And still no love from publishers. Could so many agents be wrong about the market?

Yuh, that.

Day 28:

The submissions itch is back. I’m more aware of it now, this niggling fact, a constant reminder that my book is still out there somewhere, in the inbox of some editor, buried under a mound of unread e-mails. Has it been looked at? Glanced over? Read? Dismissed? I want to pepper Junior Agent with questions. Have you received any news?

But what’s the use? Obviously if she’s had good news, she would’ve told me right away. And if it was bad news, well, she’d tell me when the time is right. And what about my second book? Again, I feel silly worrying about it. It’s only the 22nd day. If she’s read it, she’d tell me. Right? Right.

Two books out of my hands. Two never-ending questions at the back of my mind. One book still to edit. The thought of the third time being the charm makes it so difficult to wade through the editing process. I have transplanted most of my hope from my first two books to this one in the hopes that this is The One that’s pretty enough to get me through the doors, strong enough to stay on the stage, talented enough to hold the attention.

The ostrich is my book, and the giraffe is the acquisitions editor. I JUST WANT TO LOVE YEWWW.

Day 39:

I spent the last week skiing, which works wonders to keep my mind off submissions. I find skiing kinda meditative, actually. There isn’t much else to think of while sliding down a mountain, because as soon as your mind wanders, you’ll probably face-plant. But now that I’m back, I just . . . want to e-mail Junior Agent for an update. But that would be showing impatience, right? Last time, I only nudged her after 54 days. I just have to be strong.

Okay, Demi. I will heed your advice.

(To Be Continued…)

Part Four

Part Three

Part Two

Part One

I e-mailed Junior Agent, and she replied and told me she has received several rejections. Some were “almost frustratingly positive” because they said they loved the story but they had something similar on their lists.

The only person who could possibly understand how I feel is Loki.

Day 55:

Junior Agent forwarded me an e-mail from one of the publishers and said that the rejections said pretty much the same thing.

“Thank you so much for sending me this manuscript, which I really enjoyed reading. I love a school setting, and the dynamics between the characters felt very fresh and convincing. The author also managed to launch us straight into the world of the story without too much exposition or dithering – which is all too rare!

Unfortunately, however, I’m not sure this is something we can take forward. The brutal truth of the situation is that YA that feels as dystopian as this one does is really hard to sell at the moment. While consumers are still flocking to the Hunger Games, in the children’s and YA trade we have seen a huge number of YA dystopian trilogies in the last number of years, and the retailers are really looking for something new. I appreciate this is a really bad reason to give to your author – but I think she has a real gift for storytelling, so she certainly shouldn’t give up. I might advise her to look at the adult genre market – which may be more open to the ideas she wants to explore.

And I would be very happy to read anything else she might write in the future.”

I wished it could have been something like “the character arc isn’t working for me”, or “the pacing needs work”. Something FIXABLE. But nope. There’s nothing I can do other than wail-weep for a full hour, scaring the neighbors and their pets.

I can’t say it better than this gif.

Then I nuzzled into the menagerie’s virtual lap and let the other barnyard animals stroke my virtual hair until I felt less like dying. You guys are the best.

Day 1 of Round 2 (30th January 2014):

Junior and Senior agents are more optimistic than I am. They sent the MS out to a few more editors, so I guess round 2 has begun. We revert to Day 1 once again. At night, I whine to Mr. Cow that it’s Day 1 once again, and how could I possibly survive this for a second round. It’s not like the market’s going to change that much. If all the editors gave the same reason for not buying, what good is the second round going to do? He pats my heid and tells me to polish my second book.

SIGH. I guess. I hate it when you’re all logical.

Day 6:

I finished polishing my second book, which is an adult fantasy, and have sent it to Junior Agent. The book worries the crap outta me because it is SO very different from the YA Fantasy (let’s call the YA Fantasy Book A). The worst curse in Book A is “By the dead!” When the characters are feeling particularly frustrated, they might yell, “I hate you!” It’s basically as clean as a Julie Andrews movie. Aside from all the killing, I mean.

In this book, which is Adult Fantasy, there’s an F-bomb like . . . I dunno, every other page or so. Also bewbs. Also sex. My betas have mentioned how strange it is to read it because it feels like they’re reading a book written by a completely different person. But half of them said they preferred it to Book A. I certainly think it’s a better-written book. Something happened when I wrote it. I remember sitting down and doing Word Wars with my friend, and the words just flying out of my fingers. I can only hope Junior Agent loves the book and doesn’t go, “Omg, here I was thinking you’re a sweet YA writer. Restraining order in 3, 2 . . .”

I’m just gonna hide my face until I hear from her.

Day 12:

I have a lot less hope this time round, which is actually pretty helpful. I no longer feel time crawling by. It’s a little bit sad, mostly because I really do believe in Book A. I think it’s high time YA readers have a fat heroine who goes around having adventures. On the other hand, I do believe that if I keep writing, one of my books will eventually get published, and hopefully that would give Book A a better chance. I refuse to believe that Book A isn’t fresh enough for the market. I can’t even think of another YA book with a fat heroine that isn’t a contemporary novel set around romance.

Aaanyway. I was caught in the saggy middle of my WIP, where everything seems to be creeping like molasses, but I brainstormed with an awesomesauce writer friend and she helped me knock together the last third of the book. Yay to writing friends!

My sweet writing friends. This is what I want to do to all of you. Except less creepy.

(To Be Continued…)

Part Three

Part Two

Part One

Interestingly, knowing that I won’t be hearing from editors for the rest of the month brings me a teensy bit of peace. At the very least, I know I won’t be receiving any updates about getting rejected until after the new year . . . right?

Days 19 to 25:

Have passed by at a normal pace! Ah-may-zing! Of course, it hits me today that there are only three days left before the new year. Junior Agent mentioned following up with the editors after the new year, which means come January 2nd, I’m going to be back to eating my nails. Even though yes, logically I know she probably meant like, a couple of weeks after new year. Sometimes I think keeping this journal does more harm than good. But I like the thought of looking back and laughing at this one day. Hopefully I’ll be looking back from a huge pile of money earned through the sale of my books . . .

Unrealistic expectations? Me? Nevurrrrr.

Day 33 (6th Jan 2014):

It’s the first Monday since the holidays ended. I’m pretty sure everyone’s back at work by now, which means, yes, I’m back to counting the seconds until I hear from Junior or Senior Agent. But! On the other hand! I have been hard at work on my new, shiny YA contemporary, and it’s coming along really well, so yaaay! It’s really helping to keep my mind off the book being subbed, which is good, because otherwise I would totally be out of my mind right now.

Day 36:

WIP still going strong. Mental state, not so much. Having to physically restrain myself from e-mailing Junior Agent and going, “Anee news?? How ’bout now? And now?”

Someone put me out of this misery.

Day 42:

I give up. It’s never going to happen. Time to commit seppuku.

I identify with Dr. Zoidberg. I have hit the bottomest of all bottoms.

In other news, shiny, new WIP is going strong at 35,000 words. The baddie is dead, giving life to a newer, worser baddie: the MC’s conscience. Mwahaha!

Day 44:

At times, I feel like I could almost will the phone to ring if I put my mind to it.

And every time it does, this is what happens.

On the bright side, I now have a healthy amount of rage towards all telemarketers. My responses to their phone calls range from “NO!!!!” *slam down the phone* to “Why?? *sob* Why are you doing this to me??” With any luck, I will soon be on the universal telemarketers’ blacklist.

Day 50:

Less than two weeks before it’s been officially two months since I went on sub. Not that it means anything. My quality of life has never been as bad as when I am on sub.

Except this is now every morning. Wake up. Remember I’m still on sub. CRYYYY.

(To be Continued even moarer . . . )

The Submissions Process, Part Two

The Submissions Process, Part One

Surprisingly, Days 10 and 11 go by like normal days. As in, time passed. It might be because it’s the weekend and Mr. Cow and I spent our time running errands and stuff.

Day 12:

Finish editing second book. Feel entirely badass.

Manuscript, you got pwned.

Day 13:

An update from Junior Agent! “Out of the 9 editors we pitched to, 3 said it didn’t fit their list/their list was too full. The rest asked for the full MS. I will follow up with them in the new year.” Is that good or bad news? I can’t tell. I manage to thank Junior Agent without squealing, “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ZOMGS.”

Yaaay!! …I think?

Day 14:

It is day 14. Two weeks. Two weeks since they pitched my book. Time is officially my nemesis. It is both going way too slow (Only two weeks?? Augh!) and somehow too fast (it’s been two weeks and no word from editors who have the full?! Inconceivable!)

I will die. I know it. This world is just too cruel.

Day 15:

Last night, I actually dreamt that I got offers from four different editors, one of them from Random House. This is precisely why part of me prefers nightmares to cruelly good dreams. When you wake up from a nightmare, you’re like, “Phew, my life does not actually involve being chased down Main Street by a chainsaw-wielding octopus! My life is the shit!” When you wake up from a good dream, it’s always, “Aw man, I’m not really a trillionaire with a lunch date with Oprah, followed by coffee with Hugh Jackman. My life is shit.”

Day 16:

Would you believe it, I had another dream about getting an offer, this time from Quercus. Wake up disappointed again. Today is the last day before most places shut down for Christmas. After today, I doubt Junior or Senior Agent would be available on e-mail, which doesn’t matter because the editors are probably all busy partying. I have never felt so much hatred towards Christmas.

I hear you, Grinch.

(To be Continued . . . )

The Submissions Process, Part One

Day 1:

Senior Agent calls me to talk me through the subbing process. She has sent out the pitch to a few editors. She tells me the best thing to do now is to forget about being on sub and keep myself busy. “Okay,” I say with confidence. I know submissions usually take at least two to three months. I’m totes chill.

Like Tyrion, I know the way this game is played.

Day 3:

I’m still chill. This whole submission thing is a breeze. I’m working hard on the sequel and stuff. Yay me.

Day 7:

It hits me that it is the seventh day. I don’t know why that is special, just that for some weird reason, it is. I’m sure time has stopped. Watch the clock until it turns from 9:57 to 9:58. Time hasn’t stopped after all. Remind Mr. Cow every ten minutes or so that it’s the seventh day.

Wut?? Forreals? It’s Day 7? Whoa. It’s totes special, although I don’t know why.

Day 8:

It’s been over a week. My novel sucks and everyone hates it. Flop onto the floor and eat chocolates like this.

Just walk around me.

Day 9:

Run out of chocolates. Contemplate the thought of the rest of the day without chocolate and grudgingly make my way to the store.

Store, why are you so far away?

(To be Continued . . .)

Doing these stretches as often as I can has seriously helped. (Also, wow, I feel really old.) Since I love doing Word Wars for Nano, I try to slip in one or two stretches in between WW rounds, and they’ve made a world of difference. I also switch writing positions every hour or so. I rotate between writing standing up, writing sitting on the floor, writing sitting at a desk, and so on, so I’m not frozen in a single position the entire day.

I hope these stretches are helpful! If you have any favorite stretches, do share them with us!

How do you create suspense in a novel? Since I’m attempting to write a scifi thriller, it is the number two^[1] question on my mind these days.

A couple of years ago, I read a New York Times article written by Lee Child, the author of the popular Jack Reacher series. In that article, he revealed his secret sauce to create suspense. I still like his pithy advice. More on that later.

More recently, I read an old bestseller that’s an impressive example of suspense. I’ve never read another novel that’s as effective in maintaining tension. Whether or not one likes the story, the book is a superbly crafted thriller, at least on a technical level. I should’ve read it long ago but kept putting it off, thinking that the story was ruined because I’d seen the movie.

When I finally read the book, I noticed this: many chapters end with a mystery. When I write, my intuition is to wrap up each chapter neatly – conclude the scene before starting the next chapter. You know, tidy. The thing is, while sphincteralness may be great for the sock drawer, it may not be the best way to create suspense.

What this author often does is to end a scene at the beginning of the next chapter.^[2] For example, one chapter might conclude like this (I totally made this up):

“Luke,” Darth Vader wheezed like a 20-year-old Hoover clogged with cat hair. “I’m going to tell you who your father is.”

“OMG,” Luke squealed. “It’s Obi-Wan, isn’t it? I swear we have the same cheekbones. LOL. Don’t tell me it’s the Emperor. He doesn’t look like he ages well. No, it’s gotta be Yoda. That’s why the Force is strong within me. Wait, does that mean I’ll turn green if I don’t get enough sun? Spit it out, you bastard. I gots to know!”

End chapter.

Are you gonna stop there? Of course not. Like Luke, you gots to know, right? You glance at your clock on the nightstand: 12:03 a.m. You promised yourself to read only one chapter before going to sleep. Cursing, you flip over to the next chapter, which might start with:

“I am your father,” Darth Vader said.

Nooooo, you mutter to yourself, eyes wide. Bookmark that page and go to sleep? Uh, no. If you’re like me, you like to finish a chapter. Thus you read through the current chapter. By the end of that chapter, the author baits you again. Damn it. The evil cycle repeats. Again and again. The clock now reads 2:14 a.m., and you have to get up at six to go to work. Massively screwed up the … well, you know.

To sustain this continuous suspense, you have to create a series of mysteries to string the reader along. But that’s really hard and a lot of work. Merely thinking about it makes me tired. Also, this setup wouldn’t be right for every story. Nevertheless, it’s good to know.

If you’re still reading this, then perhaps Lee Child’s advice worked: you create suspense by dangling out a question and delaying the answer. What is this novel I’ve been babbling about? Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.