Brave (This Terrifying) New World
Happy 2017 one and all!
And by happy, I mean horrendously scary.
Yup, I said it. This 2017, I’m starting the year off scared as hell. I’m going into my last couple of semesters of college and have started taking on the daunting task of preparing for graduate school **GASP** and thinking of what I want to do post-undergrad, but before heading off to grad school **DOUBLE GASP** Not only that, but I have decided to embark on another journey in my life: TAKING THE TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING ROUTE.
REPEAT, TRADITIONAL—which didn’t take me more than a day to realize that submitting a manuscript to an agent is going to be quite the experience. The more I researched, the smaller I felt, and the more timid I grew. People don’t realize until they’ve known me for some time that the fear of rejection and failure can be paralyzing to me. I opted for the self-publishing route in the first place because of this fear. I didn’t want to go through getting rejected by publishing companies and agencies. I still don’t. But just as I’ve mentioned in blogs past, the only way I accomplish my goals is by challenging myself, staying the course, and following through. So, for 2017, I decided to challenge myself, and market myself more. In the beginning, the plans were to keep self-publishing, and better my marketing approaches on my own terms: getting my books into independent bookstores and local libraries. Luckily, I have some encouraging people in my life who see greatness in me even when I don’t see it in myself, and push me to do better.
None of this will be easy—grad school, submitting manuscripts or otherwise. But the goals are set, and now, they’re publicized on my blog for all to see, and for all to hold me accountable. I will try to keep you all up to date on any helpful information I find, as well as how far along in the process I am. Maybe it’ll go nowhere—if that’s the case, I’ll go on self-publishing and writing for the fun of it. That’s why I started, and no amount of rejection will stop me because I’m not in it for the money, the fame, the attention, or otherwise. I’m in it because it’s what I love to do, and what I’ve always done.
Alright, end montage.
And cue up the typewriter…because no agents can be contacted until this manuscript is finished, and so far…well, there’s quite a ways to go.
Best,
Reina
