In a previous blog post regarding
my memoir, dated March 13, 2016, I declared “it’s done!”

Oops.

It wasn’t done. I sent out
query letters (letters of introduction about me and my book) to a group
of literary agents in March and April, and I got no bites. Maybe my query
letters weren’t enticing enough. Perhaps my sample chapters weren’t compelling
enough. It’s quite possible I didn’t query the right agents. Who knows?
Since April, I’ve worked extensively on both my query letter template and the
manuscript itself. That brings me to today.

Now that summer is over and Kim is back to work, I have no excuses. It’s time for me to really
finish the book and get out query letters to the next round of literary agents.
Then I’ll wait six to eight weeks to see if I get any responses. While I
wait, I plan to be productive. On the assumption that I won’t land an agent,
which is a statistical likelihood given the ratio of aspiring authors to
literary agents, I will pull together a strategy for self-publishing. That way,
once I have exhausted the traditional publishing route, I won’t have to wait
long before getting the book out on my own.

And if, surprise of surprises,
I get any interest from literary agents, then so much the better.

I’ve had many people help
me on the book—friends, relatives, writing group members, beta readers, a
freelance editor from New York. Everybody told me that it’s well done, but I
remained skeptical. Most of these folks had a stake in making me feel good
about myself. Recently I submitted an essay to a mid-sized monthly magazine (circulation approximately 100,000 per issue), and they accepted it. Not only will I be published in their November
edition, but they paid me (heck, I would’ve paid them). 

Given that the essay is an
excerpt from my book, this experience has provided me with a boost in confidence.

The name of the magazine? I’ll
let you know in a future blog post, closer to the date of publication, which is
late October.

Now, time for me to get back
to those query letters…