This post was co-published at talanhorne.com.
It's been a good week.
And the best part of that week was the progress I made. I can't tell you much about what is happening, but I am making some modest, but promising, strides toward publication.
Still, in the interest of transparency, I can at least give you an idea about my current status.
What I've Got to Work With
Let me introduce you to my spreadsheet.
Not my actual spreadsheet.
For my publication journey, I have been keeping an Excel file to track the agents I have queried and my current status with each one. This helps me in a number of ways, not least that it prevents me from querying an agent twice with the same project, or accidentally querying two agents from the same agency concurrently.It also serves as a safety against duplicating old work. Supposing there ever comes another time when I need to get a new agent, I have a list of names that I've already researched and vetted. Thus I never have to start over at square one.
I highly recommend all first time authors to put together spreadsheets like this. I cannot, however, post mine publicly, for reasons I am sure you will appreciate.
And if you can't grasp those reasons, then I will simply say this: it is never wise to list the names and contact information of total strangers and put that list on the internet. Every time that has been done, it has ended badly. DON'T DO IT!!!
But I can tell you how I the spreadsheet is organized, and that organization is what gives the document its power. Simply put, my Excel file has the following columns:
- Name: The Agent's Name.
- Agency: The name of the agency where the agent is employed.
- Represents: The types of books the agent will consider. For my purposes, I am only interested in whether they represent Middle Grade, Young Adult, or Adult. Other categories, such as "YA Fantasy" or "Omnivorous" or "Eclectic" also occasionally crop up.
- Looking for: This column usually consists of text lifted directly from the agent's bio, blog, or website. It describes, in their own words, the specific kinds of books they are looking for. This column goes beyond mere genre and gets down into the agents self-professed desires. Some want the next Anne of Green Gables, others want the next Ender's Game. And some don't really know what they want, but they know they don't want time travel, or a central romance plot, or toilet humor, etc.
- Requested Materials: A description of what the submitted material will look like. Each agency has its own expectation of what a query package is (and sometimes individual agents within an agency have their own standards, too). For some, only the query letter is desired. Others ask for sample pages or sample chapters, or a synopsis, or a comparison to existing books (they might ask you to name three currently circulating books that you would put in the same box as your manuscript).
- Package Sent: The date when I sent the query package (usually as an email or online form submission; I can't remember the last time I sent my query materials in an actual envelope).
- Response Received: The date when I receive a response from the agent/agency.
- Answer: A short description of the agent's response, whether that be "No" (a rejection) or "Wants more" (we move to step 2 of the agent's filtering process). It would be nice if "Yes" was an option, but no agent ever contracts with a book on sight unseen (unless you're a Kardashian or Meghan Markle's dog).
- Notes: Any additional information about the agent that I want to remember, such as "YOU GAVE A BOOK DEAL TO A DOG?! SERIOUSLY! HOW HIGH ARE YOU RIGHT NOW? THIS IS THE BIGGEST BOOK HUSTLE SINCE NEIL GAIMAN GUEST STARRED ON THAT ONE EPISODE OF THE SIMPSONS."
And that's the only information I need to keep track of which agents I have queried. Finding out which agents belong on my list, however, is an entirely different story. The internet makes it easy to research an agent's publication history and personal preferences, and most agents curate that information so that prospective clients to get a feel for what kind of books they're seeking.
Where I'm at Right Now
Which brings me to the moment of truth: just what is my progress, as of September 10, 2018?
Well, let's just say I'm starting to have more interaction with the people I'm querying. There comes a point where you're able to actually talk to agents about your manuscript, and where they actually have questions for you.
I am starting to see more of these moments, and I can only take that as a good sign. There are still no guarantees, but I can confidently say that I have never been closer to publication than I am now.
It's a learning experience, and I'm grateful to have it.
Where to, Next?
Who knows? But things seem to be moving in the right direction. I hope to have more specific news for you one of these days. Until then, I can only pass along the same hopeful glimpses I am getting.
This is my publication journey. I am recording it in these pages, and I make no secret about what I am doing. However, everything is still up in the air, and I can hardly announce what is going to happen before it stands up and...happens.
Keep watching this space for updates. Until then, I'll be putting in the hours.
Thank you journeying with me.
@talanhorne,
I also keep a Spread Sheet which is used to track my expenses and income daily basis! It might be a good idea, specially when we get Google Spread Sheet, we can easy access them through the internet!
I am not an author and I don't know that ability is in me! But what you are doing here is so great! You are showing the correct path to all people who want to be a part of Authorship!
Cheers~
Really your writing is very good and your writing skills are like a professional writer. Thank you very much for sharing with us your great writing. You doing very good job, keep it up boss
Your great job and excellent & the great article.
good knowledge about for writing and it's very difficulty.
Thanks @talanhorne
Have a wonderful day.
@talanhorne - Sir I think we can hear a big news soon... You share your knowledge & experience through every article of yours... I wish you good luck Sir... These tactics are good to capture our progress so well...
+W+
impressive tip & good luck for your progress. nice post.
@talanhorne
@resteemia
reteemed & upvoted
lol I was looking at you spread sheet and tried to figure out the numbers. Anyway, your spreadsheet makes completely sense and I wouldn’t be too happy either if my name was publicaly shown somewhere without my permission. At the end you have to build trust in these people and this wouldn’t help much if they found out. Great journey so far. A bit long, but I’m glad you are making a progress.
It's a great job, my friend, and it's very good that you are getting closer to your goal and the day when your manuscript will be published. I wish you good luck. Well done! Thank you @talanhorne
Congratulations @talanhorne
Now you are in the MinnowsPower Loyalty Member List...!!!
Exceptional article & useful guide to Steemians...!!!
100% Upvoted by @MinnowsPower
10th of September progress report helps new writers to start their journey with valuable guidelines. Thank you.
Excellent tip & useful guidance to every one who is willing to be an author. Excellent writing of your experience too.
@talanhorne, Long introduction article of your past progress. I think you have grateful working process already. I wish you to be more succeed of your future publishing work.
That’s exactly what I usually do. With other aspects of course, but at the end it’s all the same. I just don’t like mess and I see you don’t either.
That’s a good sign in my opinion. I’m glad you are making a progress. I wish you the best and let’s hope you reach your destination much sooner than you think.
Hello @talanhorne,
Extraordinary good article & incredible details attached. Congratulations for the success of your writings & wish you best of luck.
~@mywhale
We all can keep big hope you'll update big info here @talanhorne. I every time prefer to see & read your positive movements. It's exactly happiness for every followers.
Lets make this year count still have a long way to go :)
this is wonderful and interesting ideas. the actually writing.
100%like and resteem
Wishing you the best your progress. Updated more information here including spread sheet work. Better selection communication with agents.
@talanhorne
This is valuable writing experience and this is great post. the useful.
You described very informative contents who want to came to publication field. There are more following column indeed @talanhorne. Thanks for all tips.
Good content my friend!! Every day you progress more :)
I'm very glad that everything is going well for you, every day you are closer to the goal
Thank you for sharing with us! I hope you enjoy the upvote! This is wonderful writing. Great news sir
WOw sir this is really great writing. Best post dear
It's great to read your content that is full of the most important information and you deliver it in effective language.
I am happy for you that everything is going well. There is nothing more pleasant moving towards the goal
I am very happy to read this post, without a doubt you are a very creative person, I follow your work since I started working on the platform
You are really doing a nice job and by arranging your works in spreadsheet and column really shows how organize you are in getting things done the right way . Great job my friend
I highly recommend all first time authors to put together spreadsheets like this.You added the format of the spreadsheet that helps to every writer who didn't keep spreadsheet with their works yet. Excellent writing & valuable post.
Best of luck mate.
Good to know you're making progress
So nice writing.
Very interesting writing & publishing advice for business . You are awesome @talanhorne
Great information sir wonderful resources,pin point accuracy from you sir.
Awesome blog post sir i am a great fan of your blogs sir.Nice tips from you.
lots of hardwork at excell you have to do good job talan ..
yup we all are hoping for the best for future .. 😍
excellent & the great article and very intiristing thankyou @talanhorne