Submitting a manuscript can be hard! It can be scary to put your work out there. It can also be fun! I hear from lots of writers who are afraid to take that step. If you've done all the work; writing, critiquing, revising,more critiquing, more revising, editing ad nauseam, etc., etc., etc., and there is no more that you can possibly come up with to improve your manuscript it may be time to send out some submissions!
Be brave! When I first starting subbing I had to tell myself that it was no big deal. I would never meet this person that was reading my work (unless, of course, they liked it. Eep!) I had worked hard on my manuscripts and it was time to give them a chance. I was nervous, but I managed to get some work out there this way and I learned a lot in the process.
Now that I've had a little more experience with submissions, I see it as a challenge. It's exciting to send a story I've worked so hard on out into the world and see what comes back. Yes, this writing business can be tough, but when you have a manuscript out on submission, you never know what's going to happen. You may get a form rejection, but you may get back a letter saying how much your manuscript was liked, or a revision request, or *gasp* an offer! You are never going to experience any of those things if you don't send your manuscript out in the first place. I like to think of us writers as the kid on the tricycle from my very favorite movie of all time:
So here I am, sitting and waiting for something amazing to happen. If anyone wants to join me, there's plenty of room!
Hooray Heather! Good luck to you! Did you sub to agents or editors? Crossing my fingers! =)
ReplyDeleteHa! Great post, Heather. I'm going to take it personally-- a very convincing pep talk to a under-submitter. There, I've said it! I'm joining you in that amazing waiting room. Really.
ReplyDeleteLove this! I have been putting off submissions out of sheer fear, but I've been using the 'I'm just not ready yet' excuse. I'm close to throwing that out the window. Better to wait for something amazing than to way for absolute squat!! Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteThe embarrassment of having to scrounge for another excuse as to why I haven't submitted just hit me again. Time to just do it. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNut doesn't your agent take care of the subbing for you, now?
ReplyDeleteA manuscript in your laptop is like Rapunzel in the tower - let her go roam the world already!
ReplyDeleteSo true! I always try to have stuff "out there" so there is always that feeling of hope!
ReplyDelete