A week that has revolved around what...? Around getting my act into gear! That’s what...
I’ve been working on a proposal for the book. What’s that? Well, it’s what will get
me through the door of the agent. Up until last week, I was only sending off an introductory letter and synopsis (which is a summary of the book) to the agents (that are legit!) But it wasn’t really doing the book justice. Well, not in my eyes anyhow.
So, I’ve spent 3 full days working on this proposal. I had no idea just how big this would be. Nearly 20 hours of sweat has dripped into this laptop and it’s turned into a 4000 word project! I’ve been doing hours of market research about treatment for eating disorders and have been gathering statistics and using every ounce of ME so the agents will want to read my book. I’ve even suggested a sequel to this first (man, getting so far ahead of myself right now... I haven’t even got the first one on the shelf and I’m already speaking of a second book!!!)... As well, I’ve been gathering key selling points, creating the ‘blurb’ (which is what will be written on the back of the book) and have been making myself out to be something more interesting than I may be – how cheeky of me...!!! I’ve been searching for convincing words to tell them why I’m the person to write about this specific topic, why this book differs from all the rest, what others can be compared to mine and what’s good or bad about the link between these suggested 'other books'.
Man o man o man... I hadn’t a clue the work that would be involved in getting the proposal together... And the importance of what it could mean is HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEE!!!!!!
A good proposal or an outstanding proposal can be the difference between getting published or not. If the agent doesn’t like the first 3 lines of the proposal, you’re on the scrap heap and they won’t consider reading your 4000 word project, let alone the 105.000 words in the book... Man o man o man... When the first 3 lines of the proposal ARE more striking than the 200 other proposals that have been delivered in the space of just one week, they’ll agree to read the manuscript. BUT then it’s still not a question mark whether or not they’ll take you on and represent you to the publisher! Man o man o man...
How can I ever stress the importance of what I’m doing...? I don’t think I can. And at the moment, it’s frustrating me to be perfectly honest. I feel so much is riding on this proposal and I want to speak to somebody soooooooooooooooo badly who’s done the same thing! Man, I just want someone to say: “Niamh, yeah, I’ve been there and it’s tough and I totally understand how important this is”. People around me, will never understand what I go through when I sit for hours behind the computer screen absorbed in doing my book justice, by writing a ‘simple’ proposal. Because actually I’m sitting in a world that has the potential of offering my book a lifeline...
Man o man o man. I’ve got so much rage today! I don’t know... It’s p-ing me off a little! Is this me shouting silently for help? Could very well be...
I’ve worked my ass off to get this proposal as good as can be and I’ll never know if it’s good enough for the 600 agents that I’m approaching at the moment!
Right.... breathe Niamh. This is where it will happen: an author will come falling out of the sky and offer me some kind words of advice. And that will ease the frustration and the desire I have to control this whole book world in the exact manner I want!
Whhhaaaa... the control freak has now officially been let loose! Where’s the trust and safety in the unknown? Wait, wait, wait... Is the frustration subsiding and is excitement returning? Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh................There it is... It’s appearing: the road ahead that’s clear and white... it’s a canvas and I can paint on it whatever I like! Or the world will start painting it for me and the winding road will lead to the agent, then the publisher and eventually.... the SHELF!
Okay... calm and focused again...
How can those around me ever understand what I’m doing? It’s impossible. They haven’t written a book, and even if they HAD written a book, then STILL they wouldn’t understand what’s riding on the proposal that I’m working on so as to get my foot in the door of the agent. Because up until the beginning of the week, I HADN’T A CLUE EITHER! (Yes, I knew it was important, but suddenly its alarming significance is something that’s swamping me!)
Right, I can see what’s happening. This post is helping me so much! Thank you for reading... hahha... even if it’s causing your stress levels to rise too!
My reason for sweating over it is because it’s the bridge between my book and the agent! Hallelujah! That’s why I’m so desperate for somebody to give me a pat on the back and wholeheartedly MEAN it when they say: “Niamh, I understand your sudden despair”.
Okay, I feel much better now... Calm and focussed again. I’m gonna finish the proposal and the agents will all be blown away! The next time I see you here, I’ll have flabbergasted them all and this sweating right now, will have been over... nothing...
RELAX and BREATHE.....................
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