The Difference A Year Makes

A lot can happen in a year.

Today is September 30th. It was a good enough day, but it was nowhere near as exciting as September 30th was for me a year ago. According to the Facebook “On This Day” tool, here’s what I posted back then:

“So how about that: I spend most of my summer completely rewriting a manuscript that I really believe in, and one of the first literary agents I contact sends me a request to review the whole thing. For anybody who has never tried to get a book published -- this is KIND OF a big first step.”

I was thrilled by this because at that stage in the game any kind of good news is a big deal, and getting a full request was huge. I didn’t know it at the time, but the best thing about that request was how it began a six-month period of continuously overlapping agent requests and passes which culminated in my connecting with the right one. While my 2013 self would have been happy to end up with any agent willing to give me the time of day, my 2014 self can now give testimony to the incredible difference it makes to not just have an agent, but to have the right one. Writers, pay attention to that: It really does matter. (I won’t get into the whole story of how that happened right now, but click here to read the “How I Got My Agent” post if you’d like to see how everything came together.)

Circling back to this One Year Later idea, I’m struck by the thought that almost a year to the day after I was so happy to get a request for my manuscript, I just finished up a giveaway on the blog Middle Grade Minded, which I write for now. The prize for this giveaway was a critique of the winning writer’s query letter and the first three chapters of their manuscript, from both me and my agent. A year ago I was desperately trying to find a way into the writing community, and now today I’m taking steps toward giving back to it and had an agent who jumped at the chance to help. There are moments this is still absolutely surreal for me.

Incidentally, in what I can only attribute to the weirdest of somewhat relevant coincidences: Today, this year’s version of September 30th, saw the release of Dream Theater’s live album “Breaking the Fourth Wall.” It was recorded during their 2014 “Along for the Ride” tour. I saw them play on that tour out in Seattle, on the very same day my agent Carrie and I were on the phone deciding we wanted to work together. (Admittedly that might be somewhat convoluted as far as coincidences go, but I like the synergy so I’m going with it.)

I once wrote in an earlier post that all anyone can ever do is put themselves in the best positions possible for when the right opportunities come along. For anyone working toward a seemingly impossible goal (and especially for any writers who found your way here through the giveaway) I can tell you that persistence pays off. Hard, hard work pays off. Fight back the self-doubt and bask in the rare shiny moments of confidence. It might take longer than you hope, but every step along the way brings you closer to your goal. There are no guarantees in life, but reaching that goal really can happen. I’m proof.

Of course, achieving one goal brings on a set of exciting new ones to work toward. Tonight I’m wondering a little what September 30th of 2015 might be like.