Anne Faye

One of the blogs that I follow regularly is the "Guide to Literary Agents" blog offered by Writer's Digest. You have to check out today's post: How I Got My Agent - Lynn Rush Lynn finished her first novel in May of 2008. Since then she has written 14 more! That is 14 novels in 2 1/2 years! Anyway you slice it, that is amazing.

I have an idea percolating . . . Maybe I'll be working on my next story soon. Meanwhile, here is an article on an agent blog on why agents can't do anything more than a form rejection letter (if even that): Why oh why did I get rejected I should probably stop reading these things. All they do is get me discouraged.

I finished going through the 2011 Guide To Literary Agents today and have narrowed down the 550 agents listed to 69 potential agents. 23 of those I have starred as ones I want to target first as I feel they are the best fit. I now need to investigate their websites and find out all I can about them before I write those all important query letters. Say a prayer for me, please. I can use it. This is all so very scary to me.

My copy of 2011 Guide To Literary Agents had been sitting, waiting to be opened, all weekend. Today, I knew I had to face my fear and actually open the book. Have I mentioned that new things/ ventures scare me? I was actually feeling physically ill as I opened the book. But I said two Hail Marys for guidance and then did it. I read all the pertinent articles, and I started looking through the listings and writing down which ones are possibilities. I then will need to research them further. In some ways, this is a lot like looking for a job. You need to send out a query letter telling them in one page why they should represent you and the best letters are tailored to the individual agent. 

At a library trip last week, I discovered an issue of Poets & Writers in the donation bucket. I eagerly picked it up. At a different library the following day, I saw they had other issues available for circulation, so this weekend I read the May/June and July/August issues for 2010. I was very impressed by this magazine. It is mainly black and white, not flashy in any way, and packed with information. For those of you who, like me, are looking for an agent, their website features a free agent database: http://www.pw.org/literary_agents . Speaking of agents, I received my agent books from Amazon on Friday so I hope to get to work studying those this week and getting my proposal ready.

I just ordered two books that will hopefully help me get an agent for my latest novel: 2011 Guide To Literary Agents and 2011 Novel And Short Story Writer's Market I'm inherently cheap, at least when it comes to spending on myself and it pained me to spend the money (even though I can count it as a business expense), but these books weren't available at the library and I'm horrible at doing lenghly searches online. I like something I can mark the pages of and take notes on. Then there is a whole other issue. Honestly, I'm terrified. I'm scared of both all the rejection that will no doubt come my way and of the possibiity that I could actually succeed. But, I feel like the time is right in my life to try for this. Win or lose, I will try my best and leave the rest in God's hands.  So, I will share the story here of my submissions and rejections, and maybe, just maybe, an acceptance along the way. Enjoy the ride!