Flinging Mud At The Wall

Okay, after only three posts I'm tiring of the Sisyphus parallel, as I'm sure you are. How many times can I refer to pushing the boulder up the hill, only to have it roll back down? I'm sure you get the picture by now.

Recently, I've began my quest for a new agent and the first thing to pop into my head was "flinging mud against the wall". Not a very flattering analogy; my query letters are the mud, the wall is the possible agents I've lined up. Getting mud to stick to this wall is almost as impossible as getting one's boulder to the top of the publishing summit.

The 2009 Guide To Literary Agents has proved to be a wonderful investment. In it I've discovered over 80 agents who are willing to consider young adult. 80? The odds of at least one mud ball sticking seem pretty good, don't they?

Here's the count so far. I've got 25 queries out. 4 have hit the wall and failed to stick. Yes, I do mean the dreaded rejection. In the words of Billy Joel, "I really wish I was less of a thinking man and more of a fool not afraid of rejection." But hey, if you're going to be a writer you better grow some thick skin. Writers, I'm sure, get more rejections than a door to door vacuum salesman(does that species even exist anymore?).

One more thing; the biggest mud ball I've created is a letter to my favorite author, Clive Barker. After gushing on about how much I've enjoyed practically everything he's written, I hit him with my proposal. What large kahunas on my part to think Barker, busy writing novels, producing movies, painting morbid art, is actually going to make time to read my novel and give it an endorsement. This mud ball has a snowball's chance in hell of sticking.

But just think; words of praise from the world's leading fantasist could be the pad that launches my novel Piercing Through into the public's eye. Hey, it's worth taking a chance. By know I've build up enough armor to handle another rejection. At the very least, maybe I'll get a signed copy of one of his art masterpieces to hang proudly on my office wall.

Okay, back to Sisyphus. Remember, Sisyphus is not about futility, but rather persistence and perseverance. Keep flinging mud at the wall and someday something will stick. I have to believe that. I've spent too many years dreaming the dream of publication.

AgentQuery.com is the perfect place for publishers, agents and writers to interact. Check it out by clicking my profile link at the end of this post. Hope to see you there.

Sisyphus Is About Persistance, Not Futility

How do you view the fate of Sisyphus? It might seem he is the shining example of futility, forced to roll the boulder up the hill only to have it repeatedly roll back down. It does seem a pointless excercise until one remembers that there is more to it than the simple fruitless physical exertion.

Should Sisyphus get the rock to stay at the top of the hill he will break the ties that hold him in Hades. So you see, he is working towards a goal. It just seems he never gets there.

I choose not to view Sisyphus as a symbol for futility, but rather as a symbol of perseverence and persistance.

As aspiring writers, we have the goal of pushing our creative projects up the steep slope towards the publishing houses. Sometimes we come close, only to have it slip away. Often it does seem like we are wasting our time, trying to row upstream without paddles.

Right now, I'm at the bottom of the slope once more, having come ever so close to having my work published(see earlier posts for more details). I could have thrown in the towel, surrendered to a fatalistic view of my efforts. It's destiny. I'm simply not preordained to be an accomplished writer.

What a pile of crap such thinking is. Just like I don't believe Sisyphus's efforts are a waste(if he keeps trying maybe one day he will break free from hell), I don't believe my efforts are a waste either. Sometimes our past efforts have a way of helping us in the present.

Case in point: A few years ago I sent my picture book Handsome Heinz And The Balloon Heads to an assistant editor at Viking books. She loved it and took it to the next editorial board meeting where they voted not to pursue it further.

Kendra L. Levin, the assistant editor, said if it was up to her she would definitely publish my picture book. She commented to keep her in mind for future submissions. So after my former agent dumped me, deciding she was not the right person to represent my YA dark fantasy novel Piercing Through, I decided to keep Kendra to her word. I queried her by email, not thinking much would result from it.

After all, it had been three years. Bearing in mind the volatility of the publishing world, she might not even be employed by Viking anymore. Things shift fast in their turbulent society.

To my surprise she emailed back, the next day. Here's what she said:

"Hi Robbie,

It’s so good to hear from you! I’m glad to hear you are still writing, and how exciting that you’re now bringing your edgy sensibility to older fiction. I hope writing PIERCING THROUGH has been a gratifying experience and that you’ve enjoyed exploring the genre.

Though I usually don’t work on fantasy, I’d be glad to take a look at PIERCING THROUGH. Based on your description, it sounds fascinating though possibly too dark for Viking. But I’d be more than happy to give it a read. At best, I’ll love it; at worst, perhaps I can at least help point you in the right direction for where to send it. Feel free to e-mail it to me."

Okay, so dark fantasy isn't really her department. So nothing is guaranteed. But my point is that this is Viking Children's Books, which is just one part of the publishing behemoth known as The Penguin Group. If Kendra doesn't bond with Piercing Through, I'm sure she'll refer me to another editor she feels matches it more. Or so I hope.

She also mentioned that she has been promoted from Assistant Editor to Associate Editor, which means she has more say in what finally goes to print. That could bode well for me.

In summary, if I hadn't paved the way earlier with my Handsome Heinz disappointment, I would not be in the position of having my YA novel being read by one of Penguin's top editors.

Who can say what will come of this latest development. It certainly isn't unreasonable to think the boulder will slip back to the bottom of the slope again. But hey, one of these days I'll break the curse of Sisyphus. That's what Sisyphus has taught me: persistance and perseverance.

AgentQuery.com is the perfect place for publishers, agents and writers to interact. Check it out by clicking my profile link at the end of this post. Hope to see you there.