Actually what bothers me most about the submission process and it’s accompanying string of rejections is not the fear that my work isn’t good enough (that’s a whole other anxiety train) but that my failure might be due to presenting the novel the wrong way. What if I’m just really terrible at writing query letters? (Entirely possible). What if I’m trying to sell the wrong elements of the book to the wrong people? (I leaned on the emotional content here, the straight-up plot there, the thematic drive for this agent, the hook for that agent… what if I put them all the wrong way around?) What if the synopsis gives the wrong impression of the book? What if the synopsis and the first chapter seem to be low in points of correlation and the agent/publisher thinks I’m selling them the wrong book? What if it’s really an adult book, not YA? What if they read the synopsis and think I’m being coy about the ending? (Legitimate interpretation, unfortunately, because it’s the first book and it looks like the start of something, not the end.)
Even the most fundamentally mundane considerations are suddenly concerning. Like — I write with Australian spelling and formatting. The formatting is easy to change, there’s not a lot of differences (that I’m aware of, anyway), but the spelling… it’s simple to switch ‘z’ for ’s’ and ‘o’ for ‘ou’ but… do you have any idea how many words there are where one version of English is a double ‘l’ and the other isn’t? Where it’s hyphenated in AUS English but a single word in US? Where… they’re endless. And there is, as far as I know, no piece of software that exists that can highlight this stuff.
I could make a list (a very long list) of the language differences and go through and changes them but (and it’s a big but) I’m bound to miss some. And I can’t rely on my own proofreading skills for that because my eyes read ‘colour’ and think it’s correct. There isn’t a switch in my brain that I can get to move over to US English just temporarily so that I’ll notice those things. Which basically means if I try to switch it I’m practically guaranteed to screw it up, so it’ll be wrong and inconsistent.
So I’m leaving it in AUS English, and thus running the risk of fundamentally irritating any US agent/publisher. And am thus left with the vague and unsettling feeling that I’ve made the wrong choice.
Actually, that’s a pretty good description of the whole submission process: Am left with the vague and unsettling feeling that I’m doing something wrong.
platform thing 
Wendy White
17/04/2012
I am having the in-person version of this. I’ve been to a few industry conferences lately where I’ve had opportunities to pitch my business ideas in various ways. Still trying to get it juuuuust right.
Sassamifrass (@sassamifrass)
17/04/2012
Now that I’m not on a mobile, a slightly less vague reply: my issue is balancing being entertaining and interesting without sounding so eccentric that they think I’m going to take their venture capital, set it on fire and then run off into the sunset with no pants on.
It’s a delicate balance!
Kandace Mavrick
18/04/2012
Mm. I’m reminded of the classic line, “Just be yourself.” Something that always made me think, But ‘myself’ sometimes WANTS to set the whole thing on fire and run off into the sunset with no pants on. Which gets you to, Okay, myself but without the whole ‘wants to bathe in jelly’ thing… And once your start tilting in one direction or the other you have to figure out which direction and you’re kind of back where you started.
Sassamifrass (@sassamifrass)
19/04/2012
But ‘myself’ sometimes WANTS to set the whole thing on fire and run off into the sunset with no pants on.
Yup! Here lies my internal conundrum 😀 I just gotta make sure that even if I’m honest I can follow up with ” – AND you’ll make money from me doing this, probably!” Heh.
Kandace Mavrick
20/04/2012
Ah, THAT’s my problem! I have never been able to convincingly say, “And you’ll make money from me doing this.” Because that is… something I have no control over or idea about. I usually go for, “And I will probably make you laugh. Laughter is good for the soul!”
Sassamifrass (@sassamifrass)
20/04/2012
I just drunk-ordered Karl a surprise pizza for when he gets home. Maybe this is why no one wants to give me their money… pizza not so good for the soul… (I wonder if this comment makes sense or drunk Wendy thinks it makes sense. Because I do. And it might!)
Chrissy
17/04/2012
I hear you! So far I’m on third rejection letter. “You are a talented writer, but the market is competitive, blah, blah, blah.” These query letters are so stressful and once you’re done you don’t know if it’s what they want. Every publishing house wants different versions as well (not query letter but cover letter, etc. ) which is the same thing!!
Kandace Mavrick
18/04/2012
Exactly! I understand why they don’t have the time to go into detail with their rejections but it does make you wonder if you’re being rejected because your query was terrible or because they simply don’t have space in their lineup. Cue unhelpfully circular anxiety. And the it’s time to do it all again!