Man, it hasn’t been easy but I’m taking all these rejections in stride. I’ve pitched my novel since early April of this year to at least 10 agents/agencies with answers ranging from, “your word count is too low,” which pushed me to enhance the story further to now, “I love parts of your story but I’m not the best fit…but keep going.”
I know that the last part is supposed to be encouraging, give me hope still that someone will pick my baby up but honestly, it’s giving me more motivation to move mountains on my own. I don’t feel like the answer is to self-publish, because I know this story resonates with a lot of women around the world. How do I know that? Because I’ve been asking women all over the world to read my book and they tell me so.
So yeah, I have taken a temp on my work and everyone who reads it, who isn’t in the professional world of literature seems to dig it. And there lies the problem; I need people in the literary arena to give her a chance to breath life, trust the vision, and guide me in ways to bring it all the way home if it’s not completely there.
I need to get this book out to a larger audience, to let women know of all types, especially black women, that our sexuality and preferences matter as much as men and we have to learn how to explore it in our own way. Not as we’ve learn, as we feel. Living our true nature, not this domesticated lifestyle. Isn’t that what being a true romance author is all about–telling the stories that bring not just love but self-assurance and joy into the lives of our readers.
I believe in my message and the words that surround it. My team, my family, my readers, and my followers feel the same too, so as much as rejection sucks, it’s inspiring me to keep it pushing. I’ve got to knock out the next novella and let the world decide.
I’ll hold on my novel for a while longer because I know the right agent is out there, but I hope we can connect soon because it’s starting to feel like I’m holding a firecracker in my pocket. Conversations around me hit on my storyline and women want to connect now about their feelings and thoughts.
NaNoWriMo is right around the corner and I plan to tighten up and complete Untraditional II so I can give women another outlet for their curiosity and sexual evolution. It’ll be a great distraction from the “No but keep going” comments. Even as I look back now, I remember thinking that I had some extremely outrageous goals for my fiction writing career, but something is telling me that it’s in reach. I just have to stay focus and resilient.
I challenge you all to do the same, my passion-fy family! If living your passion was easy, everyone would do it in a heartbeat. But when your passion is truly your purpose, you couldn’t jump off the train even if it stopped.
Let’s get it! Choo Choo (if that was corny I don’t care because I’ve earned my nerd badge damnit)!
Don’t forget to check out my Patreon page if you’re looking for a way to support my literary journey.
