Managing \”The Call\” with a Literary Agent

You’ve spent a year (or six) writing a 90, 000-word Adult fiction novel. You’ve poured sweat, love, and too much midnight oil into it—coming up with an original plot, fleshing out characters that are relatable and memorable, minding the pacing . . . Whew!

Then, you dive into the querying process and the pain begins to kick in. You research agents like a forensic scientist. You submit queries like it’s a full-time job or depending on your approach, perhaps you submit to only a select few. And then, if your experience is anything like mine, wading through rejection letters becomes a second full-time job. The advice out there is you shouldn’t take it personally and you should develop a thick skin. Hah! Easier said than done—every rejection feels like some angry prophet’s judgment on your soul.