What to do, what to do?

It happens to the best writer....writer's block. You sit down with the full intention of writing and you end up staring a blank word document with three lines on it...being the title, your name, and page one! I know what I need to write. I know what I want to write. It just isn't flowing...there's no continuity, no urge, no sense of I really want to write this. Worse yet, I find that the only time I am inspired is when I am about to fall asleep and then it is just swirling around in my head like a personal conversation between me and an intimate friend. Getting up would be pointless. I know I have to work the next day and if I turn on that darn computer, well I just won't get any sleep. It is so frustrating...maybe that is where this all stems from: generally frustration. I understand there are millions of other people out there with a dream, a dream just like mine; of one day seeing my little treasure trove of titles sitting on a Barnes and Noble shelf. I don't expect a tailored response, just a response, any response, even if it is an immediate reply of "we have received your email query and will be giving it further consideration within the next 90 days." Really, I do not think that is too much to ask...but then again...I am a dreamer...

Ever wonder how many manuscription solicitations a publisher/agent gets on any given day? I am sure it numbers in the thousands. I am certain they get quite a few that are a waste of time, but without looking at the body of the work how can it be judged? Send me the first 5 pages? I always thought that one was funny. Hell, even the first five pages of a cookbook doesn't get into the meat of the story!

Still, it is fun to sludge through the countless new agents out there looking for their next big undiscovered wonder...I would think it would be an exciting prospect to see so many new and exciting ideas pouring off the pages and into my lap... And I am sure a response to every single one is not feasible for everyone. Some of those agents might be feeling just as overwhelmed at the prospect of sludging through all those queries as I do about sludging through all the agents accepting a query.

So where is the counter balance? I think it is somewhere between sending out a few a week and devoting some undivided attention to writing, not checking my email six times a day to see if a response has come back, and returning to doing what really makes me happy....writing. I know it will come one day, that offer of a lifetime where my book will be sitting on the shelf and I will smile as I see people purchase it. I know one day I will be doing booksignings and smiling for photo ops. It will happen. Faith is 90% of the battle...What is that saying about success? That is certain percentage of frustration, persperation, and faith? I think that is right...after all if you don't believe in yourself, who else is going to? So off I go to write a bit, work my fingers to the bone, and when I am done....send out another query letter....Who knows...this one just might be the one!