how to stay sane in the querying trenches

The querying process. 
It can be a brain-drain if you’re sending out multiple letters at a time, but, it’s a necessity if you want to break into traditional publishing. Agents and editors look at it as a selling piece. It’s a formal introduction to your book and who you are as a writer. A lot goes into a one-page letter: the pitch, the why you’re sending it to them, a blurb, and your credentials. 

Querying takes a lot of patience and energy. It can be a mix of emotions: Excitement, nervousness, and imposture syndrome. It’s all part of the process.

Maybe you’re not seeking representation or wanting to traditional publish and that’s totally fine. We all have our path to publishing. There’s no right or wrong way, but if you need an agent, the query letter is the first step to gaining the attention you need to sell your manuscript. 

If the agent or editor likes what they’ve read, they may ask for more, meaning a few pages, chapters, or your full manuscript. It can be a dreaded process because it requires patience while you wait months for a reply and if you’re lucky to get a request to read your whole book, there’s more waiting. It’s understandable because each agent gets hundreds of query letters a month. If they’re interested in reading the first five pages, five chapters, or the book, it’s a lot of reading when they have clients to manage and their author’s books to read. 

The whole querying process takes persistence, dedication, and time. You have to believe in what you’ve written. If you’re not getting the response you were hoping for, you may have to revise your query letter or, revise your manuscript. If you are getting feedback on your story, that's great. Appreciate the response from a reputable source because they are reading your book just like any other reader.

Let’s consider your book is polished, and you’ve been querying for months and haven’t had any takers. It can be frustrating and disappointing. However, knowing this is a long process, there are things you can do to make it easier on your creative mind. 

Here are five suggestions you can do to keep your sanity. 

Schedule time to query. Querying every day is just hard on your creative brain. It takes work and research. When you’re not creative writing, it’s a good time to research and find the best agent for your job. How do you do that? Well, you can start by checking out the acknowledgments page in the book you’re reading. Assuming it’s a genre you’ve written, authors will thank their agent, so it’s a great place to discover agents that might work for what you’re writing. The manuscripitwishlist.com is a great place to search for what editors and agents want. Once you have a list of agents to query, go ahead and write your queries and send them out in a batch of five or ten. This way, you’ll feel productive and organized. Follow agents you're interested in on social media. They may post their #MSWL. 

Join pitch parties. This is a great way to meet other writers-- both querying and published, who will cheer you on. Sometimes when we’re feeling low and discouraged, it can lift our mood and remind us of why we’re doing it. Pitch parties help you perfect your pitch and it’s an opportunity to showcase what you’re working on. You might even get positive feedback from other writers. You can find these one-day events on X, Bluesky, and savvyauthors.com

Set aside time for self-care. If you’re not looking after yourself, how can you have a clear head when writing query letters and pitching your story? The best thing to do is find something to distract you. Find another engagement, bake, read, knit, or whatever else you love to do. 

Take time to exercise. There’s nothing like moving your body to feed your brain positivity. It helps lower stress levels and recharge your mind. Whether it’s a fitness class, walking the dog, or getting outside, it’s all good for mental health. 

Connection. There’s nothing like chatting with other author friends to lift you and cheer you on. Authors need support. It’s a lonely profession if you let it. Sending positive notes, and replying to a post to another author will make them smile and feel good. Weekly communication with other authors is a confidence boost, and because the path to publication is different for everyone, it allows you to learn and support your fellow writers. 

When you’ve finished writing your book and have submitted it, the best thing to do is write another book. It keeps your mind engaged and it helps perfect your craft. It also is a good distraction to fall in love with another story. 

If you're in a slump, remember to keep going and not give up. It’s hard to stay positive when you’re used to receiving rejections, but this is what will make you a better writer. Persistence, perfecting your craft, and personal connections with other writers, will all help you stay sane in the querying trenches. 

Happy writing, and good luck!
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*I originally posted this o denijones.weebly.com