Holding Your Breath
July 31, 2008
So I finished the NF book proposal and sent off a query to my #1 pick for an agent to market it. She's currently out of town at a conference, so I wait. And hold my breath.
And this just seems to be a part of a writer's life.
Don't you just hate that?
Cheers,
Mark Terry
posted by Mark Terry at 7:21 AM
8 Comments:
Hate it, hate it, hate it.
In terms of income, too, all that waiting means it's an unsteady living at best.
E
Yes, Erica. I didn't mention it, but the waiting to be paid thing is also frustrating. No wonder my face is so read. I'm holding my breath all the time.
The publishing industry usually moves very slowly and I admit that I am impatient. Good luck!
Hate it. I recently gave my agent a rewrite and now I'm anxiously awaiting news about where it's being submitted. I feel like a kid in the back seat on a road trip: Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
I recently had someone in the publishing industry do a 2-day turnaround on a query, but it's been 3 weeks since they requested the whole manuscript. Hurry up and wait!!!
In what other industry can you have a job that pays you twice a year and you have no idea how much your paycheck will be? And throw in no benefits. And while you play the waiting game, you get to sit in a dark room, stare at a computer monitor seven days a week, and make up stories about your imaginary friends. I just hope we keep this all to ourselves. If word gets out, next thing you know everyone will be writing a book.
Joe,
Nice way of putting it. ;)
I was comparing it to writing for films and TV, where at least if you write for TV (staff) you get benefits and the pay is tremendous.
The problem with writing for film is it's sort of like getting paid for something that never happens, because you can write a script, sell it and the movie never gets made or gets made 15 years later.
Well, unlike with novels, they do get paid, I suppose.
It does make one wonder when the "glamorous" part is going to start.
Good luck, Mark!
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