Hi Mary, this is Dimple from the workshop at Bread Loaf. Just wanted to wish you a very hearty congratulations! I’m so glad that you’re on your way to having your work out in the world.
Yeah, hard at work trying to pivot away and de-center the Afghan narrative because of all the cultural appropriation issues it might run into. We’ll see how n where it goes. Totally appreciate the underlying message in this post, so thank you for that. It really is a long game😓
Oh man, yeah, I remember you talking about that in workshop. Good luck with it, revisions are hard!!!! Truly the longest of games but I loved your work, I have confidence in it.
Thank you, that’s really kind of you. And thank you for all the suggestions and feedback. Most of everything you said was very much on point, and I have made notes to incorporate when I get to revision.
Very happy for you, congratulations!! I have no idea what Bread Loaf is (I’m in the UK), but I loved reading your post. I always find it so interesting to see how different different people’s ‘how I got my agent’ stories are - makes me feel hopeful! 🙂
Yay for you, to keep going! Admirable. I queried maybe 12 agents over the course of 10 months with my first novel and got three really interested responses, each of whom decided they didn't have time to launch a new authors. Then I read about book doctors. "I don't need a book doctor," I said, but then I noticed their services included "agent referral." So I signed up with one who did offer advice that improved my novel, and then he referred me to an agent who sold that novel as well as the next one I was working on to a publisher. I stayed with that publisher for six books, until the depth of my characters and the richness of my plots left the publisher without a good marketing niche through which to sell them. My agent despaired of finding another publisher, so I'm not indie and have published several more books. But it's a hard job, this, and I'm seriously thinking of agent shopping again. Or maybe I should find another book doctor.
That's great! So wild to hear about other people's journeys – someone else commented this here, but they're all so different. It's good to know there's always another path open, at least!
Hi Mary, this is Dimple from the workshop at Bread Loaf. Just wanted to wish you a very hearty congratulations! I’m so glad that you’re on your way to having your work out in the world.
Omg Dimple, hi, thanks! Fingers crossed, haha. I hope you’ve been doing well since the workshop!
Yeah, hard at work trying to pivot away and de-center the Afghan narrative because of all the cultural appropriation issues it might run into. We’ll see how n where it goes. Totally appreciate the underlying message in this post, so thank you for that. It really is a long game😓
Oh man, yeah, I remember you talking about that in workshop. Good luck with it, revisions are hard!!!! Truly the longest of games but I loved your work, I have confidence in it.
Thank you, that’s really kind of you. And thank you for all the suggestions and feedback. Most of everything you said was very much on point, and I have made notes to incorporate when I get to revision.
Mary, I love this! I love you! What fantastic amazing news!
Thank you!!!!
Very happy for you, congratulations!! I have no idea what Bread Loaf is (I’m in the UK), but I loved reading your post. I always find it so interesting to see how different different people’s ‘how I got my agent’ stories are - makes me feel hopeful! 🙂
Thank you!!!! And for sure. Fingers crossed for you if you're querying as well!
Thank you! Not quite yet, but hopefully in the not too distant future… 😅
Yay for you, to keep going! Admirable. I queried maybe 12 agents over the course of 10 months with my first novel and got three really interested responses, each of whom decided they didn't have time to launch a new authors. Then I read about book doctors. "I don't need a book doctor," I said, but then I noticed their services included "agent referral." So I signed up with one who did offer advice that improved my novel, and then he referred me to an agent who sold that novel as well as the next one I was working on to a publisher. I stayed with that publisher for six books, until the depth of my characters and the richness of my plots left the publisher without a good marketing niche through which to sell them. My agent despaired of finding another publisher, so I'm not indie and have published several more books. But it's a hard job, this, and I'm seriously thinking of agent shopping again. Or maybe I should find another book doctor.
That's great! So wild to hear about other people's journeys – someone else commented this here, but they're all so different. It's good to know there's always another path open, at least!