Final Word Count: January 5, 2012- 3,080 (7 pages)
Does it ever feel amazing to be back in shape like I was at the beginning of this adventure. As I’ve gone on a following binge on Twitter, I’ve discovered a plethora of information regarding the publishing world. And now I’ve realized that I’m nowhere near ready for that giant leap. It’s not the rejection letters I fear, oh no. Pffft. In fact, I got a rejection letter from one of Canada’s most prestigious universities and it made me laugh (it also wasn’t my top choice but still), it’s all the extraneous stuff to consider. There are a lot more i’s to dot and t’s to cross than I thought. Let me list the ones I’ve realized to date:
1. format- it’s only daunting if you’re not working in the appropriate manuscript format already *cough cough* I’ve been working in 12 pt. font (ok), single spaced (yikes) lines and double space between paragraphs (double yikes) and my boarders are of undetermined width. Can we just say nightmare?!
2. grammar, spelling and proper tense & PoV usage- I’m hoping my only nemesis is tense, which is my achilles heel.
3. agent vs. no agent- I’ve heard getting an agent is like getting into Harvard- it’s only hard until you succeed. Then you’re in the clear. Which option is better for you? Winging it on your own or paying someone to go to bat for you? Tough call. Thank God I don’t have to consider it at this point.
4. query letter- I had no clue this had to be done until I read C.B. Wentworth’s blog about her experiences with writing one. Note to self- must research.
5. promoting- I think I would enjoy this part after all. Who doesn’t like talking about a major accomplishment like having your work in print? But then again I could be looking at this with starry eyes. The Hollywood version of being a writer is most likely over-glamourized (just like everything else they portray). However, I will remain optimistic that I’ll enjoy this.
I’m sure there are at least 20 other points I have yet to discover and more issues to make me realize that I am so far removed from that step I may as well just forget it. The good thing is though that I’ve recognized that fact. It’s a good sign when you realize how much you don’t know. I just have to keep doing research but at the end of the day, nothing matters if I don’t finish my stories. So until I have a stack of manuscripts to polish and prepare for submission, I’ll consider this an academic exercise. It can’t hurt, that’s for sure!
12 Novels in 12 Months 
Ahhhhh! Formatting was the bane of my existence this summer!
Don’t forget about promoting. That’s another part of the industry that’ll eat you alive! Writing is definitely something you have to really, really love in order survive the industry!
And the potholes on the road to literary acceptance are surfacing! I’ll edit the post to include promoting. I think I forgot rejection letters and the slush pile. Thanks, C.B.!