Today, I sent off my first query letter.
It was probably the scariest and most exciting thing I'd ever done.
I had her email address in the "Send To" box, and the words Query Letter as the title, but I still wasn't ready.
I switched back to my query letter and read it.
Cut out a 'that'.
Then I read it again.
Reworded a sentence.
Then read it again.
My fingers started to tremble, because I was running out of things I knew how to fix. And I knew that once I couldn't find anything wrong, I'd have to send it.
I asked my mom to read over it.
Changed another sentence.
When my mom said it was good, I nodded and pasted my query into the email.
Read over it again.
Everything was fine.
I was done.
And being 'done' scared the crap out of me. I'd never been done before. Done with a draft, but never like... done. Finished. The End.
I moused over the 'send' button, but something held me back. I touched the 'left click' button on the mouse, but couldn't press it. There had to be something I was missing.
After reading over it ONE. MORE. TIME. I decided I had to go for it.
I took a deep breath and got ready to press it again.
No, actually, I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers, crossed my toes, my legs and my arms and shut my eyes.
Carefully, I pressed it.
But I didn't let go. I held it down, knowing the moment I picked up my finger, it would be sent.
Then of course, my mom came over and lifted up my hand from my computer.
Message sent.
I spent about an hour trying to stay calm after that. I'd start cracking up randomly and then feel a little queasy. Finally, I settled down and was pretty much okay.
How do you guys feel about sending out query letters? Do you get nervous?
Have an awesome weekend!
--Jess
It was probably the scariest and most exciting thing I'd ever done.
I had her email address in the "Send To" box, and the words Query Letter as the title, but I still wasn't ready.
I switched back to my query letter and read it.
Cut out a 'that'.
Then I read it again.
Reworded a sentence.
Then read it again.
My fingers started to tremble, because I was running out of things I knew how to fix. And I knew that once I couldn't find anything wrong, I'd have to send it.
I asked my mom to read over it.
Changed another sentence.
When my mom said it was good, I nodded and pasted my query into the email.
Read over it again.
Everything was fine.
I was done.
And being 'done' scared the crap out of me. I'd never been done before. Done with a draft, but never like... done. Finished. The End.
I moused over the 'send' button, but something held me back. I touched the 'left click' button on the mouse, but couldn't press it. There had to be something I was missing.
After reading over it ONE. MORE. TIME. I decided I had to go for it.
I took a deep breath and got ready to press it again.
No, actually, I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers, crossed my toes, my legs and my arms and shut my eyes.
Carefully, I pressed it.
But I didn't let go. I held it down, knowing the moment I picked up my finger, it would be sent.
Then of course, my mom came over and lifted up my hand from my computer.
Message sent.
I spent about an hour trying to stay calm after that. I'd start cracking up randomly and then feel a little queasy. Finally, I settled down and was pretty much okay.
How do you guys feel about sending out query letters? Do you get nervous?
Have an awesome weekend!
--Jess
