"Fighting Chaos" and discouragement

I have to be honest today. I feel discouraged. Not enough to quit writing, of course. Only death or mental disability will do that. It’s just that as 2007 closes out, I feel like I am working harder than ever but not moving forward.

I sent out a query letter this morning for my novel “Fighting Chaos” and am considering who to query next. And I remembered reading a delightful magazine article a couple of months ago on an agent named Penn Whaling. (Sounds very Eastern Establishment WASP but I don’t hold a person’s ethnic or racial background against them. After all, they didn’t pick it.) She works for the Ann Rittenberg Literary Agency.

I went to the agency’s website and saw that Ms Rittenberg published a book last year called “Your First Novel.” In it, she and a published author wrote about writing and getting published. It sounded good and I ordered the book. And on the agency’s website, Ms Rittenberg also suggested a new, aspiring author might consider, among other things, taking an online workshop on writing and publishing. (Rittenberg only accepts snail mail queries, which is good because I need to do more research on the agency before I decide to send a query there.)

Her advice is all good and I am considering a Gotham Writers Workshop course on getting published.

But what is discouraging is there is still so much to learn and still, according to Gotham, “. . . no sure path or magic formula for publication.” I know that. But how do I discern which path to take and when to take it? There is so much advice out there, much of it conflicting, and until someone inside the industry takes you under their wing, it seems like you are destined to remain at the window looking into the candy store. I don’t know how to break through. For all that I have learned, I don't feel like I have moved forward very much.

I know this post is a bit of a downer. After I’m finished, I think I will just go upstairs and sit in the bath and read for a while. But what I won’t do is give up. 2008 is going to be a great year. I just know it. My job is to be as prepared for it as possible.

So thanks for reading and remember, keep writing!