So, I Wrote a Novel (Seeking a Literary Agent Diaries: Prologue)

As the title of this blog implies, I have written a novel manuscript. I have been writing since I was a kid and overtime my writing has continued to improve. I fell in love with fantasy young and ever since the YA fantasy genre has been my home. If I was goldilocks, the YA fantasy genre would be my porridge that was the perfect temperature and my bed that was just the right size.

            Prior to writing this manuscript I hadn’t written anything for a couple of years. I worried I would never have another story idea again. Not being able to write was like missing an essential piece of myself.

            There was always a magical species that I had wanted to write a novel about, however. So, I latched onto that and built my story around it. That species is shapeshifters – creatures with so much potential. Initially, I had imagined writing them in an urban fantasy setting, but high fantasy has always been the sub-genre I’ve been most drawn to and comfortable both reading and writing. So, in the end I decided to make my setting a world with castles and princes. I don’t want to say a lot more than that (no spoilers!) but I will say that I took some inspiration from fairy lore when crafting my creatures.

            I truly believe that this manuscript is my best to date. My protagonist is my favorite I’ve written. For some reason, I’ve always struggled to make a likable protagonist. My protagonist for this manuscript is morally gray – which is my personal favored archetype because I find them the most interesting to unravel. My protagonist doesn’t always make the right choices, but she is ultimately good at heart.

            So, why am I telling you all of this, you may be wondering. I am in the process of finishing my manuscript and will soon begin my research process followed by sending out my query letters to literary agents. I fully support people who want to self-publish, but that is not the journey that I personally have chosen. I want to go the traditional publishing route.

I think there’s this misconception by many that this is an easy, quick process. Unfortunately, that is NOT the case. I attended a writing conference earlier this year where one of the panelist had been querying for FIVE YEARS. That’s perseverance! The thing that has kept me from seriously pursuing my agent search in the past is these inevitable rejections. I am sending out a piece of my heart to strangers to judge and deem worthy or not and that is a hard, scary thing. However, my dreams will never come true if I allow that fear to hold me back. So, I’m really doing it this time.

            As I finish my manuscript and do my research on starting my publishing journey, I will be posting rather sporadically on this blog. I love doing book blogs, but this is my hobby not a job I'm being paid to do. That’s why I’m able to sideline it a little to prioritize my manuscript. I will be documenting my journey in this series I’m calling Seeking a Literary Agent Diaries. I’ve decided to do this in the hopes that anyone else on the same trajectory as me might find comradery. If you’re at the same point in your writing journey please feel free to shoot me a message – I’d love to make some writer friends!

            That’s all for this chapter. I hope that one day you will all walk into a bookstore and see a book by Haley Lynn Thomas on the shelves.