Hello, dreamers. This past week I passed another milestone in this round of queries: my first two rejections. Only two so far, however. One of them was a late addition, the other was one I wasn’t able to do much research into. So I got over it pretty quick.

For the other eight, however, so far so good. One of my dream agents is opening for a brief window this week, so I will be making at least one more query this round. But aside from that, the waiting game continues.

I often mention that most of the query process is waiting. And waiting, and waiting, and waiting. It can take several months for an agent to respond to a query. If they make a full request, it can take far longer. So I can understand if a lot of readers wonder how it doesn’t just drive a querying writer mad. Or, at the very least, “What the heck do you do with all that time?”

Well, if you’re smart, the answer is “a lot”.

While You Wait

In querying, the waiting really is the hardest part. After putting in all the time and hard work to write a novel, editing said novel, agonizing over your query materials, carefully researching target agents like you’re tracking the Zodiac Killer, suddenly it’s all out of your hands. It’s easy to feel powerless.

While waiting to hear back on queries, the worst thing you can do is agonize over it. The queries are out. Your part in this process, at least for now, is done. To paraphrase Benjamin Sisko, “The souffle will either rise, or it will fall. There’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Might as well sit back, and see what happens.”

But while that’s what you should not do, there are plenty of things you should do. As I always say, the work of an aspiring writer is never done. And while you’re waiting, there’s plenty you can do to pass the time, and set yourself up for success further along. Starting with the obvious…

Write

It should go without saying, but as a writer, the most important thing you can do is keep writing. Working on new projects is crucial. After all, if an agent offers to represent you, more than likely their first question will be, “So, what else are you working on?” When that happens, it’ll be helpful to have a ready answer.

But while continuing to write is strategic for your writing career, it’s also important for your mental health. When you go to query a novel, it’s important to remain clear-headed. You know your chances. You know the vast majority of queries will be rejected. You know there’s a very real possibility your current project, however much you love it, will “strike out”. But if you’re already working on a new novel, you know the story doesn’t end there. You know you’ll have another project to query if the current one fails.

Revise Your Manuscript

There’s really no better way to identify problems with your manuscript than sending out a query. The moment you send your work to someone, you’ll start finding things you should have changed.

So go ahead and change them.

Now, if you start messing around with your opening pages, that could be a problem. If an agent does, in fact, ask to read your full manuscript, and you send along something with noticeable changes to what they’ve already seen, that could raise a few eyebrows. Thus, as a precaution, I always preserve the original manuscript while queries are out.

I create a new file to play around with. It’s always possible that an agent won’t find fault where I do. If they like it the way it is, well…what do I know? But the goal is to avoid appearing disingenuous. I’d hate for an agent to request my full manuscript and feel like I’m pulling a bait-and-switch on them.

Prepare for the Next Round

Like I said, there’s always a real possibility this round won’t work out. Statistically, you’re likely to receive rejections across the board. That means it’s never too early to start planning for the next round of queries. So as soon as the first round is out, I’m always thinking about the next one. I update my list of target agents, revise my query letter (after working on my manuscript). Usually I even pick a tentative date for my next round to go out.

I’ll admit it can feel defeating. You’ve still got queries out, and you’re already thinking about what you’ll do if they all fail. But I’ve found there’s a psychological element to it. A reminder to myself that, even if this round doesn’t pan out, there will be others. And I’ll keep going until I find my “yes”.

I always say I’d rather get accepted while preparing for my next submission, than be rejected when I was sure it would work.

Take Care of Yourself

Last, but not least, remember that self-care is important. By querying a novel, you’ve subjected yourself to possibly the most nerve-wracking process in existence. Months of anxiety, rejection after rejection. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t protect yourself from the sting of rejection after all that hard work. It happens. So it’s important to take good care of yourself, physically and mentally.

Go on walks, or hikes. Get fresh air and exercise. Spend time with friends. Read. Do things for yourself that help you feel better. More than likely, your first rejection of this round won’t be your last.

As I often say, querying isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. Endurance is the difference between success and failure. And for every writer who lands an agent, there are at least a dozen who give up. There’s no shame in giving up; this is stressful as hell. It’s not for everyone. But if you’re a querying writer reading this, I strongly encourage you to keep at it. You’ll make it. You’ll get there. You worked too hard for too long to back out now. And the world deserves your story. – MK