Based off some advice I’ve heard from listening to podcast interviews with lit agents, I’m gonna take a break from querying until January. Sent ~50 out for this book so far, 35 are still alive! We’ll pick back up after the holidays.

Got this hateful comment on my writing journey update this morning. Don’t let hateful losers bring you down. Fascists wouldn’t ban books if books had no power. Keep writing, keep posting, keep finding community and support! And fuck this guy. #writingcommunity #booksky #authors #books #art

Submitted my book to two publishers today and submitted my short horror story to an anthology competition today! #writingcommunity #amquerying

Nothing like a rejection from an agent you thought your manuscript aligned with to a T to fuck your whole day up. We’ll get ‘em next time. #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #amwriting #books #booksky

I hate it when my body is hyper-energized for writing but I have to get through work and two commutes before I can ride that wave. I NEED MAKE BOOK GOD DAMMIT #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #amwriting #books #booksky

Page One - The Writer’s Podcast on YouTube is awesome. Seeing the humans and thought processes behind the agent wall makes me feel much more comfortable and confident as someone querying. #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #amwriting #books #booksky

Life Hack: if you can’t afford to go to writing conferences to get in front of agents, you can still go through the event’s agent roster to discover new agents and agencies to cold query. #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #amwriting #books #booksky

The more I query, the more it feels like a dating app. I used to spam my swipes for the day to “like” everyone, then take my pick of who matched back. That emotional detachment is what I need for querying. #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #amwriting

Is anyone here a CWA (Chicago Writer’s Association) member? How have you liked the membership value so far? #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Sent out 3 queries today. C’mere agent agent agent agent… #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Many a well known author has double digit rejection numbers. Keep going. The right fit is out there. You can also bypass the lions at the publisher’s gate and join the happy world of self publishing indie authors. Either way, keep writing.

Straight up struggling mentally with the novel rejections from so far. Rejection Counter: #5. Feels bad, but are we gonna stop querying? FUCK no. Keep going mother fuckers. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Destroyed a laptop by accident, fucked up at work, and got two rejections for my book today. Feels bad, boys. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Book announcement: "Decoding the Wisdom of Rider-Waite Tarot" www.pressenet.info/rider-waite-... I discuss all 78 cards of the Rider-Waite Tarot in detail in my book. Available soon. Make sure you bookmark this page! #tarot #tarotcards #tarotsky #tarotreader #tarotreading #booksky

Waiting for query responses is crazy, my eye has been twitching for a couple days because I’ve got so much adrenaline from the anticipation #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

During my sophomore year in journalism school, I took a feature writing class. On the first day, the professor came in with a box filled with rejection letters he’d received. He told us to expect it; it’s part of the process. Best advice I ever got!

Another successful writing day, though each day is successful if you actually sit down to write. It doesn't matter if it's 0 words that day or 2000 words, the attempt is what counts. Now my brain is full and I need to rest. #writing #goals #literary #wordcount

Just received a partial request for my novel. AHHHHHHH #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Got three rejections for my short stories this week. I usually handle it by taking a deep breath, remind myself that it's normal, update my excel spreadsheet and search for the next journal to submit to. Rinse and repeat.

Got the 1st rejection of my 1st novel! Feels a little bad but it’s also a means for celebration. I’m doing everything I can to find that ‘yes’. How did you handle your first rejection? #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

On my lunch break, trying to keep my shit together while I kill off three characters I've written for years. #booksky #horror #amwriting #author

Another rejection letter BUT this one was too good not to share because it contains valid feedback and the agent read my writing! Also, a query tip for ya, snail mail querying works too! #writingcommunity #amquerying #seekingliteraryagent #medicalthriller #bookclub

What made you want to write? For me, it was always being able to escape into books in school. They helped me become invisible and avoid being a target for bullies. I want to help provide that escape. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

6 queries done today! I also met a bunch of cool people at the West Loop Writer’s Meetup Group meeting. Love the energy in the group, I highly recommend going if you’re in Chicago. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Me rewriting the scene I wrote yesterday:

Just got back from a Freelance Wrestling show. God, I fucking love wrestling. #freelancewrestling #wrestling #wwe #aew #tna

Do I write and send out more queries or do I be responsible and take care of chores ? Such a hard decision. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Seeking black sensitivity beta readers for an urban-fantasy thriller novel I’m like 99 percent sure I didn’t write anything fucked up but I need someone to check my blindspots for that 1 percent. <3 #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Wrote 1 page of novel 2 this morning before work. Talked query strategy with a published friend of mine. Decided to send out 10 more queries for novel 1 Sent out 2 queries before bed. 8 to go! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

My next read is Sons and Other Flammable Objects By Porochista Khakpour No idea what I’m in for beyond the blurbs but it sounds fascinating! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Just finished writing for today. I wrote in the evening today because I was so enraptured reading Kindred by Octavia Butler on my subway rides, when I usually write. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

You need to read Kindred by Octavia Butler. I just finished it and highly recommend. It’s brutal and raw and mystical and so complicated. I need to go back and finish the Lillith’s Brood novels. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

I’ve been posting more frequently recently and have been seeing more interactions and followers. I’ve also been blocked 35 times. BlueSky pls let me look at the accounts I wanna see who hates meee #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Okay, I sent out one more query. Somebody please take my keys. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Second Novel Progress: Draft 1.1: 830 words I had started this project once before but the protagonist I had designed wasn’t working. I’m glad I went back to the outline. My new protag is way better #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Just sent out another query for GODDAMN!: The Mythos Wrestling Federation. Now to dive into some research for Make It Stop. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Picked this up for free from Books4Cause! Well, not free. I basically traded it for 6 books but it still feels free! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

My day job is in advertising. I recently watched the Masterclass from Goodby & Silverstein and am 50% through this Ogilvy book. I’m usually editing, so intaking more high level stuff is refreshing. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Spent the morning outlining my second novel! Now heading to donate some books to Books 4 Cause. Trying to find some feminist non-fiction to pick up there as research for my novel. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

After doing the math, it took 2 years and 19 weeks to get from the first iteration of GODDAMN! as a TV pilot to the day of calling it done as a full novel at 7.3 drafts. Super stoked to be querying! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Spent some time further developing the protagonist for my second book. I think I’ve gotten enough world-building and character development done to move onto the actual outline itself. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

My next read is Kindred by Octavia Butler. Rather appropriate given it is banned book week and also the month of Halloween. I was immediately immersed and look forward to the rest of the book! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Submitted my novel directly to a publisher for the first time last week. Submitted my novel to an agent for the first time this week. Feels so electrifying being at this stage. REJECT ME, COWARDS!! #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

I finished reading Gideon the Ninth today! I enjoyed it thoroughly. Such a great book to kick off the spooky month. Now to try and find Harrow the Ninth at an HPB… #writing #authors #writingcommunity #writers #fiction #books #booksky #books

Novel Progress: Draft 7.3 Page Count: 413/413 Slammed through the rest of my third revision of draft 7! Time to start looking for literary agents for my first query batch. AHHHHHHH!!!! #writing #authors #writingcommunity #writers #fiction #books #booksky #books

Novel Progress: Draft 7.3 Page Count: 214/413 Dove back into my marked up proof from a beta friend. She’s an evil genius so it’s chock-full of great (and sometimes brutal) notes. Brutal is the best kind of note. #writing #authors #writingcommunity #writers #fiction #books #booksky #books

Just sent my novel out for some sensitivity readings! I’m extremely white and wrote a black protagonist. Don’t want to cause harm with my work (or get cancelled). If all is well, it’s query time. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

Just wrapped up a revision pass! Landed with 118,058 words at 413 pages to finish draft 7.2. I have some last notes from a beta reader to parse through. Then I think I’m done. Hopefully. #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting

What types of posts do you actually find value in / like to engage with when it comes to writing and books? #books #authors #writingcommunity #writers #booksky #writing #fiction #author #bluesky #amwriting