Revising and Querying

About two weeks ago, I finished up the first draft of my book. Now comes the revision process, which I've found I enjoy much more than I thought I would. It's a chance to look at my characters--to strengthen them, to contrast them even further, to make them truly come alive. I'm also trying to improve other things: dialogue believability, plot cohesion, and the hardest of all for some reason: pacing.

And then there's the whole "approaching the agent" thing. I've read Guide to Literary Agents, made my short list, researched what the agencies have recently represented, and finally--contacted my top choice through formal e-query, complete with cover letter, synopsis and first five pages.

Now....I wait. The agent's response will take four weeks at the least, and so in the meantime, I'l be revising even further.

Writing a book has been an awesome experience, but it has also been a little intense sometimes. Lately, I'm plagued with those all-too-common discouraging thoughts like, "Who am I kidding? No one's going to publish me!"

Ignore! I must ignore! :)

I know how common rejection is, and I'm prepared for it. I just wish it didn't sometimes come from my own discouraged brain! Booo...