Ready, Steady, Go...

My manuscript had been edited and, of course, I had also sent it to a professional proof reader - the lovely Viv Moriarty. You can find her contact information here:

I went through the manuscript one last time and it was ready to be sent out again into the big world of publishing.

I had prepared a synopsis - geez, that was another hard thing to do. To be honest, it was even harder than writing the novel. To condense everything that happens in the story into approximately two pages (some publishers wanted even less) was close to the ninth circle of Hell in Dante's ‘Inferno’. Really, I would rather write another novel (and I am) than write the synopsis, believe me.

Now that my manuscript was polished and my synopsis written, I was almost ready to try submitting to publishers again, but not quite. 

I realised that I needed to write a query letter. Now to 'sell' myself is something I REALLY hate to do. I honestly don't know how to do it. I could sell you almost anything else, but not my skills or knowledge. I just can't. And believe me, I’m really bad at job interviews...

But it needed to be done and I did it. Sort of. 

And I was ready. Sort of. I prepared a list of publishers open for submissions.  In a two month period I sent out five submissions (before editing and polishing my manuscript I’d also sent it to five, but different publishers). When it came to sending the last submission however, I made an almost unforgivable mistake.

I was copying and pasting the query letter into each email. When it came to that final email I wasn’t careful enough and I sent the email to the right publisher, but addressed it to the wrong person. As soon as I pushed the send button I realised my mistake. You know that feeling when cold sweat covers your body? Well, that was exactly how I felt - at 6:39a.m. 

Panic!!!!! 

What should I do?! My mind went blank but my fingers flew across the keyboard and I sent out another email (three minutes later - yes, that's how long it took me to react) sincerely apologising for my mistake.

The first email came back six hours later asking me if I was sure I'd sent the submission to the right person. I felt like an idiot. I was trying so hard and yet one mistake had buried all my possibilities and hopes. 

Or so I thought...