Oh, wow! So almost a whole month has passed since I posted last. Bad, bad, bad. BUT I have a good reason. I've actually been working on those revisions mentioned previously. There's only so much time in a life filled with caring for a preschooler, packing to move, grieving taxes, grocery shopping, visits to the dentist, babysitting a guinea pig and other sundry activities.
Still, I did manage to find time to research how to promote a book. One way to go: Try and get reviewed in a publication read by librarians and booksellers. After all, they are in the business of recommending books. With any luck, yours could be one of them. (One caveat: You run the risk of getting a negative review. But let's think positive - and consider the perspective that any press is good press.)
Here are a few places where you could score a review. Keep in mind, some require that you send galleys before the book is actually out.
The Horn Book
The Book List (Actually, I just found out two of my books were reviewed! Take a look here and here.)
Kirkus Book Reviews
Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
American Library Association
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Rejection!
I just got a rejection email from an agent, and at first, I had this weird reaction. I didn't feel rejected. I felt more like I had gotten a bunch of suggestions for revisions that seemed hard and time-consuming and impossible to complete.
Now, reflecting on that feeling and rereading the email, I've realized something important. This is familiar territory. Even though it was technically a rejection, this agent gave me some suggestions, which means my reaction is up to me. I can view her rejection as a list of revisions instead. That means, I can do what I always do with revisions: Feel overwhelmed. Wait a few days to work on them. Then, start addressing each comment one at a time.
Even now, instead of feeling rejected or even overwhelmed, I'm getting excited. In a few days, these revisions won't seem so difficult to address. I'm pretty sure this is what it takes to succeed in this business: Just keep working!
Now, reflecting on that feeling and rereading the email, I've realized something important. This is familiar territory. Even though it was technically a rejection, this agent gave me some suggestions, which means my reaction is up to me. I can view her rejection as a list of revisions instead. That means, I can do what I always do with revisions: Feel overwhelmed. Wait a few days to work on them. Then, start addressing each comment one at a time.
Even now, instead of feeling rejected or even overwhelmed, I'm getting excited. In a few days, these revisions won't seem so difficult to address. I'm pretty sure this is what it takes to succeed in this business: Just keep working!
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