While fiddling with the initial scenes of a fledgling manuscript, I received a fun email. From Scott, my agent at Folio Literary Management. Thankfully, this confirmed that my conversation with him last week concerning representation wasn’t a.) a prank or b.) a hallucination.
Phew.
The email contained some of Scott’s starting thoughts on how to get the manuscript ready for submission to publishers. Also on board with the revision/polishing process is agent Rachel Vater, who provided some in-depth comments on various characters and plot points that could use clarification and consistency.
I’ve heard plenty of horror stories where authors get feedback from editors and/or agents where the author is asked to give a character a sex-change operation, turn a fantasy novel into a historical family drama, or translate the manuscript into Klingon (you know, so it can be marketed to an intergalactic audience). For my first taste of the process, though, I’m encouraged by the agents’ insights into what revisions could give the story that much more oomph.
So, fledgling manuscript set aside for the moment, it’s time to digest the feedback, figure out where to start and dig back in to the story.
Yay! I mean, it's weird to say, “Yay!” to you having work to do, but I'm still so happy for you. Good luck with the revisions!
It's work I will gladly accept. Thanks!
This is the kind of work we writers pray for . . . beg for . . . dream about . . .