What to Do While Waiting to Hear Back from Agents

Rosemi Mederos: 00:01

If you have plot bunnies coming out of your plot holes, it’s time for a writing break.

These past few weeks without you have been insufferable. In homage to my favorite literary device, which is foreshadowing, the “head cold” I mentioned in the last episode turned into my first co-habitancy with COVID-19. If I had a dollar for every time in the last few weeks I said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with me” before knowing what was wrong with me, I could pay for a round of drinks at a rooftop bar in South Beach.

One thing to know about me is I have a high threshold for discomfort. I spent 10 years with a dislocated shoulder thinking it was just a bit of inflammation. True story. It wasn’t until an earthbound angel adjusted my arm back into place that I realized how much pain I had been enduring for a decade.

All that to say that the mere mention of my having a cold should have given me some idea of what was to come. Alas I missed all the clues. I only mentioned to one friend, besides you, that I was feeling a bit under the weather. And when that friend followed up two days later to ask if the cold was lingering, I replied to her, “Nah, absolutely not.”

Am I an unreliable narrator in my own life? Evidently, yes.

As the symptoms intensified and my energy drained, my coffee consumption increased. Clearly, I was just a little tired.

g to know about me is that in: 2020

When I finally decided to “just check” that I didn’t have covid, I not only tested positive, but I also had a fever of 100.6.

I did not reach a point where I wondered who was going to inherit my library and LPs, but I was felled to the couch. The living room became my kingdom, and I battled.

During the worst of it, I thought three things.

1. While all of my spoiled animals were surprisingly well-behaved, I now knew for certain which one loved me the most.

2. I had deadlines to meet.

And 3. Did I say everything that needed to be said about literary agents?

I gave my steadfast mascot a couple of extra treats, met my deadlines, and began composing this episode in my head because I found there was a bit more to say.

And then, I gave myself a concussion. I could tell you how that happened, but I would rather hear what you think might have happened. I’ll give you a hint, I did not fall.

I also did not make it to the podcast studio today, as I'm still wobbly on my feet. I'm recording from my office, and if it sounds good, it's due to our technical director.

So, now, here we go with the episode I should have thought of months ago and should have delivered to you weeks ago.

This episode suggests how best to spend your time while awaiting responses from literary agents you’ve queried. As Tom Petty told us, the waiting is the hardest part. This is the episode that will help you not spiral into despair.

The Writing Break cafe is open, and I’ll have whatever you’re having today. C’mon, the Overthinking Couch awaits.

Querying can feel like shouting into the void. You pour your heart into a pitch, send it out, and then…nothing. And unlike other careers, there's no real-time feedback loop. You don’t get a "Great pitch today!" badge. You don’t know if an agent is loving your pages or deleting them unopened. You’re in the dark, so let’s turn on some lights.

There are at least four writerly things you can do while you wait.

1. Work on something new.

Starting a new project will help you shift from outcome-focused to process-focused. It doesn’t matter if the new project is the sequel to what you just wrote, a mess of a first draft for a new series, or something totally different from your usual genre. Maybe you just make notes or start some research. Maybe you return to a long-abandoned project. Figure out what creative project will motivate you most right now, and go for it. Continuing to work on your writing career builds momentum and keeps your confidence high.

2. Read intentionally.

I’ve said it before: it’s important to read books in your genre. But during this waiting period, read whatever you want, but read as a writer. Take note of what works: pacing, character arcs, plot twists, all that. Reading is one of the most important things you can do as a writer. If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have time to write.

3. Organize your creative life.

Sure, you might now have time to clean out your fridge or reorganize the garage, but I’ll bet there is a lot of digital clean up that needs doing. Clean out your email inbox, update your bio, refresh your website, back up your files, back up your files, back up your files. Getting organized keeps you in the driver’s seat rather than feeling like you’re just waiting for your train to come in.

4. Revel.

Having something to send out to literary agents is an achievement in and of itself. Enjoy this stage. Revel in it. You are advocating for your art and figuring out how best to share your words with the world, and that is something to celebrate.

Remember this feeling. As Leonard Cohen said, “I hope you’re keeping some kind of record.” And if you haven’t heard “Famous Blue Raincoat” by Leonard Cohen, I highly recommend you add that to your to-do list.

A couple of don’ts include: don’t compare yourself to anyone else, and don’t doomscroll. Ever.

And no matter what happens next, you are still a professional writer. Because professionals show up, even when it’s hard.

The waiting is the hardest part, but it doesn’t have to be wasted time (cue The Eagles).

And, since my recently concussed brain seems to want to quote other people all day, I’ll end with one of my favorite quotes, which is attributed to Sigmund Freud (ew), and although no one knows from whence it originated, we know it wasn’t Freud:

"One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”

Thank you so much for joining me again. You already know I believe in taking breaks as needed, and I also believe you deserve what comes next in your career. And, as always, believe me when I say, you deserved this break.