Thursday, January 13, 2011

Just Hit Send

Sometimes you just have to do it—you just have to write the dang email/query and hit send. There's this point when there's really nothing more you can do, even if you know there might be more stuff but you're not sure what it is yet. Does that even make sense?

I know the traditional advice you hear from agents and writers is to make sure you've made that book the best you possibly can. Edit edit edit. Wait. Don't be too hasty.

But...sometimes you just have to hit send.

Now, I'm not advocating you write a first draft manuscript and then a first draft query and just shoot them off to every agent out there. No. DON'T DO THAT. I'm just saying there are times when you hang on to that book too long—those who do that know what I mean. There's like two camps of writers. Those who jump the gun and those who stay at the starting line long after the gun fires.

I was a jump the gun writer. I used to send stuff out way before it was ready. I didn't know that. I do now. It took a lot of mistakes to figure that out.

With TRANSPARENT, I seem to have turned into a hesitant sender, sharer, talker, whatever. I feel like every time I say something about it I'll jinx myself or something. It felt like the moment I hit send I would realize how it still sucks and is ultimately flawed. This has filtered into my other new projects as well. Soooo hesitant to share my work now.

Well, I hit send today.

It actually feels pretty good, to have it out of my hands for a while. We'll see how I feel when it comes back...

30 comments:

  1. Good luck! And it does feel good to send things off and know it's out of your hands.

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  2. I'm definitely one of the people on the starting line way after the guns are fired.

    You are so right that sometimes you just have to step back, believe that you've taken things as far as possible, and take that leap of faith. Good for you for hitting send today. Somehow it never gets easier... or less scary...

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  3. Thanks again Natalie! You have reminded me once again that I need to try . . . maybe in March . . .

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  4. Woo Hoo!!!! I know what you mean: the longer you hold onto it, the harder it is to let it go. Congratulations on sending it out into the world! Who knew that just hitting a button could be so scary? And so brave?

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  5. I can see how it would be tempting to keep revising ad infinitum. Congrats on putting it out there, and good luck!

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  6. Definitely enjoy a cookie at the very least for hitting send. Ignore the Demon Insurance insane focus on weight for just one night.

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  7. WOO HOO!

    That's great. Now there's nothing to do but take a breath and know you've done all you can.

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  8. Hurray!

    You inspire me to finish this novel! I'm a few chapters away, and then I'm going to sit on it, revise novel #2, and then come back, revise, and send it out to beta readers.

    I'm not to the point you are... but with effort, I'll get there some day!

    Congrats again. It must feel great!

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  9. You have this amazing ability to write the precise post I need to read on any given day.

    Yay for you!

    And I'll be doing the same thing this weekend. :)

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  10. Wowzers! Way to go! I think sometimes books are more like our babies than we even know. And not letting that kid get on the bus just because you're feeling protective is only going to hold them back. They're six years old already/you've edited it six times already. It's time. They'll wave to you from the window as the bus pulls out. You'll go back inside and...probably get on your computer.

    Love this, and you're right, there are all kinds of writers, but some really need to hear this.

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  11. That's great! Here is to hearing back wonderful things.

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  12. Yay for you for hitting send!

    I hit send today, too, and it was scary. Now I'm stuck in the Waiting Place...

    http://oneyeartowrite.blogspot.com/2011/01/waiting-place.html

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  13. Hopefully will get there tomorrow-fingers crossed!

    Congrats!!!

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  14. Good luck, Natalie.

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  15. I love your starting line analogy of running in a race to sending out mss! If we could just learn to take off as soon as the gun goes off...

    I also have a blog award for you at www.christiewrightwild.blogspot.com

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  16. Love this post! It is what I needed right now.

    I hope that everything with TRANSPARENT goes wonderfully! Good job hitting send!

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  17. I can only think that all this truth you put out here will come back to you in some really great way.

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  18. I so needed that piece of advice today. Thanks.

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  19. Oh my God, I went through that very thing a couple of weeks ago. After working on my manuscript for nearly 10 months, I sent out one query. And I got a request for a full (that would be the good part.) But after I sent it, I found a few typos & mistakes & I really wasn't entirely happy with one of my 50 chapters. But I'd already hit send & it was too late. I figure she won't hate it just because of those few items but I still had that feeling of "why did I send that?" I'm relaxed about it now. Such is life!

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  20. I get this...and good for you! Crossing fingers for you!

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  21. This is funny...I was writing a query letter draft just last night and I seriously got a whiff of what you're talking about. I know the query isn't quite ready to submit to real agents yet (maybe Queryshark after a lot more reading), but thanks, I really needed this!

    Now here's hoping you get positive responses! If anyone deserves it, it's you.

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  22. I am totally going through this right now. I just hit "send" this week and my nerves were shattered. I drank several glasses of merlot this week :D

    I've worked hard on this novel and the query (and now the synop for those agents that request one). it's been beta read by 5 people. My query letter went through QLH and back (some of you may know what that is ;)) and then I made a document with my query and whatever else was requested for each agent.Every time I have to hit that send button, I think I might vomit. My fear isn't about the query or novel itself, but did I address it to the right person at the right agency? Did I get what they requested correctly or did I mix up what they want with a different agent? Did I put the right date? In the last para, did I remember to add the line, I have included the first five pages for your viewing, or take it out if the agent requests a query only. It is very nerve racking, but in the end I hit send and it's now out of my hands. Time for another glass of merlot :D

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  23. Congradulations. I may need to follow your example sometime this next week.

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  24. Good luck!

    I think I'm one of those writers that wait...and wait...trying to remedy that though.

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  25. Great advice, Thanks. I am still learning...

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  26. Every time, EVERY time, I get ready to send a query, my finger hovers over the mouse, the mouse hovers over the "send" button, and everything -- past, present,future -- hovers in the hesitation. And then I breath, hit the button, and start again.
    Thanks for a great post, and good luck!

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