When I Think Of Prospective Authors
—When I Think Of Prospective Authors—
I see bees. Or vultures. Bottom-feeders waiting for the notification that an agent has opened their inbox and is accepting queries. Fresh meat (or dead meat?). Honey ready to be harvested. That’s when the bees feed. That’s when they strike.
As a prospective author, I too am one of these bees. Though I prefer to think of myself a moose wandering an Alaskan tundra, minding his wares, biding his time till the others have suckled themselves drunk at the teat upon the tip of the interminable query hose.
It’s been almost a year since I last tasted from the hose. And a bitter taste, that. In the time since I’ve been hard-pressed to finish my second novel. It’s a fun write. I’m about 5k words from the finish line and feeling good. I’ve been keeping my head down, nose to the proverbial grindstone; I’ve been minding my wares. But the time is fast-approaching. The moose must recommence his pilgrimage, the unenviable slog. He must return to the hose. You know it, I know you do. Come on, say it with me:
The moose must become a bee. The moose must humble himself. The moose must submit to the query hose.
The query trenches.
Oh, yes, my friends. In just one-month’s time I plan to have the new novel complete and ready for querying. I do not look forward to it, but I do look forward to the endgame: the contract. The shift from prospective to real, bona fide author. It’s going to happen. I can just feel it.
And if it doesn’t I’ll just write something else. Then maybe something else after that.
Because remember, it only takes one YES to make all the NOs worth it.
That’s all for now. See you in two weeks.
-Taylor
TJH -- 04.28.2025