Hello, dreamers. The inaugural #SFPit has come and gone, and though I didn’t attract any industry attention, I had fun. I did end up getting one more rejection this week, but this one was different. The agent offered personalized feedback in which he said…nothing was wrong with my novel. He liked it, loved my premise, and complimented my writing style. It’s just not something that fits with his list right now.

That’s now the second time I’ve heard that, and I’m sensing a pattern. Hard sci-fi is, and always has been, an niche market. I knew going into this that unless I waited a while for more favorable conditions, I’d face an uphill battle finding an agent with this novel. But at least now I know I’m on the right track. I don’t need to make sweeping changes. And if nothing else, I’m excited to try again in January.

In these posts over the past several months, I’ve sought to provide readers with a glimpse into the querying process. I’ve also tried to share what I’ve learned about querying with fellow writers struggling in the trenches. And since this will be my final “Dear Sir or Madam” post of the year, I’d like to share the one tried-and-true key to successful querying.

Not Giving Up

There’s an oft-repeated axiom in the literary world, one I myself have repeated again and again: the one thing that separates writers who succeed from those who fail is the successful ones didn’t give up.

I also like to point out that writing is a skill, not an ability. That means anyone can learn to do it. It’s true, yes, that some people have a natural talent for writing. But that doesn’t mean they’re the only ones who can do it; it just means they’ll get to skip a few steps. But anyone can reach the finish line. All it takes is a lot of hard work, dedication, and time.

I know this as well as anyone. Before my recent run of success in short fiction, I spent years watching rejections pile up. If you’re a writer who’s reading this, please read this carefully: I am not standing where I am because I’m better than you. I’m here because I stuck with it, and kept knocking on every door I could find until I found a few I could kick down.

The life of an aspiring writer, especially a querying one, is not for everyone. It takes years of tireless work and refinement for little or no reward. Launching a writing career isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon. The key is to stick with it, and to learn. You can learn something from every rejection. You’ve got to keep refining your approach, fine-tuning your writing skills. You must always be pushing the envelope, trying new things. And you have to accept that every “no” isn’t the end. It’s just the next step.

So don’t give up. Keep trying. Refine your work, learn new things, shake things up. Break stuff. But never stop believing in your goal. You can do it. It just takes time, and the willingness to do whatever it takes.

With that, my querying this year has come to an end. But my querying mission hasn’t ended. It’s just entering its next phase. Though I’ll be focusing on my work-in-progress in the coming month, around the holidays I’ll be back in query prep, eager to submit my next round to prospective agents. Until then, dare to dream. – MK