Now do you have a Byrds song stuck in your head? You are welcome!
While you are singing, “Turn, turn, turn,” right now, I’m taking the lyrics to heart. That being said, this summer is not my time to be reaching out to literary agents. So as much as it kills my impatient, impulsive character, I’m taking a hiatus from querying. (Big, sad, sigh.)
This realization came to me the night before #PitMad — a Twitter contest where authors are invited and encouraged to pitch their loglines (in 140 characters or fewer) online where eager agents are reading and waiting. I was so SO excited to present “Finding Seth” to the Twitter world … until I read a blog post by Carly Watters of P.S. Literary called “The Ultimate Writers’ Guide to Twitter Pitch Contests.” Since she’s pretty much my No. 1 draft pick at this point, I thought it couldn’t hurt to read every. single. thing. she’s blogged about — especially Twitter contests. Her best piece of advice? “If your book isn’t done, don’t jump in. There are many Twitter Pitch Contests every year… Wait until your book is ready. You only have one chance to impress an agent.”
I knew that piece of advice was written for me. Which also meant I knew I would not be participating in the June #PitMad contest. (Another big, sad, sighhhhhhhh…)
My “draft” is finished. My “novel” is not. My plot is solid but there is oh, so much work to do — so many areas to improve. Thanks to my amazing critique partners and beta readers, I feel like “Finding Seth” is growing stronger every time I sit down to revise. So I’m taking a step back from active querying and devoting the summer to revisions. (And spending as much free time as possible with my daughters.)
To everything, there is a season. A time to write, a time to revise. A time to query, a time to wait. A time to read others’ work, a time to ask them to read yours. And a time to get off your laptop and go outside and enjoy the beautiful June afternoon…
Look out September #PitMad! I’ll be ready for you!