{"id":208,"date":"2013-06-29T08:19:25","date_gmt":"2013-06-29T12:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lgoconnor.com\/site\/?p=208"},"modified":"2013-07-07T18:57:59","modified_gmt":"2013-07-07T22:57:59","slug":"first-draft-dont-submit-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lgoconnor.com\/site\/first-draft-dont-submit-yet\/","title":{"rendered":"Just finish the first draft of your novel? Please don’t send it to agents…"},"content":{"rendered":"

Or hit \u2018Publish\u2019 on Amazon if you\u2019re self-pubbing!<\/p>\n

The first thing that comes to mind when I see first time writers, such as myself, post something in one of my writing communities to the effect of: \u201cI just finished writing my novel, and I\u2019m ready to query agents. Does anyone have any advice?\u201d\u00a0 The robot from the 1960s show Lost in Space<\/i> pops into my head yelling, \u201cWarning, warning, Will Robinson!\u201d<\/p>\n

When prodded you find out they\u2019re not talking about a fully edited book, their usually talking about their first draft (or even their second).<\/p>\n

I\u2019m knee deep in revisions. If my editor is reading this, please close your eyes and try not to kill me. I know\u2026 I need to write the ending of book two. That\u2019s my plan for this weekend.\u00a0 Sorry all, but I digress.<\/p>\n

My first novel, which I naively considered finished on St. Patrick\u2019s Day, 2012, has undergone quite a bit of development, review, and revision since then based on feedback from editors, critique groups, beta readers, and even an agent or two. My hope is that now it is closer to being finished and something worthy of being published.<\/p>\n

My most recent revisions, completed about a week ago, included writing two new chapters to start the book. Plus, I needed to reorder\u00a0the first eight chapters to increase action and add more tension.\u00a0 Let me mention, this is my third<\/i><\/b> Chapter 1. To top it off, I\u2019m now re-working Chapter 1 on my second book, and I haven\u2019t even finished writing it yet (A note to my editor: I promise the first draft will be done by August!)<\/p>\n

My point, after all this set-up, is for first-time authors who think the next step after completion of their first draft is to query agents and publishers –\u00a0let me say this with as much love in my heart as possible –\u00a0Don\u2019t even think about it. <\/i><\/b>Unless your plan is to use your rejection letters to wallpaper your spare room.<\/p>\n

Chances are if you\u2019re like me, or any of the other new authors I\u2019ve critiqued or beta read for, you\u2019ve committed errors you weren\u2019t even aware of \u2013 some of them egregious. Trust me, as much as you\u2019d like to think agents and editors will overlook your transgressions and see your brilliance shine through your submission\u2014they won\u2019t<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 As one agent said at the Writer\u2019s Digest Conference East in April, \u201cI can fix plot, but I can\u2019t fix craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, here is some advice to consider BEFORE sending out work to Agents and Editors and clogging up their already overstuffed inboxes:<\/p>\n

Seek constructive feedback, and be open to accepting and acting on it where it makes sense.\u00a0 If criticism sets your teeth on edge, or you think the source of the critique doesn\u2019t understand your work after you\u2019ve heard the same feedback multiple times\u2014let me say this clearly\u2014you\u2019re not ready to be published. And you\u2019re definitely not ready to query.\u00a0You only have one chance to make a first impression, and agents won't take a resubmission of something they've already rejected, unless they asked for it. Some options:<\/p>\n