A is for...

A to Z Blogging Challenge!

Ha! Is that a cop-out? I figure by the end of this post there will be multiple "A's", so bear with me.

Moving on...

Today is the first day of the A to Z Challenge. I'd like to stick with the overall theme of my blog, which is my journey to publication, along with everything I learn along the way. I'm hoping to introduce my readers to my novel in one way or another, and I'm thinking part of that introduction will come around "L," so stick around.

A is also for...

Agents.

Ooooo, agents. I am at the stage where I will be seeking an agent, so that word simultaneously strikes fear into my heart and sets it all aflutter. What does an agent mean to me? An agent is the first step to getting published. An agent accepting my work means someone thinks it is worth their time. An agent is a door opening. A big one.

Yes, I know full-well an agent accepting me as a client does not guarantee they will be able to find me a publisher. I realize it does not guarantee a publisher will see the same value in what I've written as I and the agent do. But it's a start.

Now is the time to sit down and research agents in my field. I'll be able to meet several at the upcoming conference, which I'm looking forward to. Last year I was all about the authors, because that's where I was, but this year it is all about the agents, which is more nerve wracking. I love that I will be able to get a feel for them in person, to see if we mesh in any way, because one point that has been pounded home in the last year is that you want to get along with your agent. If you don't like your agent, publishing will not be a pleasant experience for you. You will be working together, and we all know what an unpleasant experience it can be to have a co-worker who makes us miserable.

Realizing that, though, if I got an offer from an agent I didn't like, would I be so desperate to be published that I would blow off that advice? I can't answer that right now. All I can do is try my best to gauge who the best agent is and go from there. I think the conference will give me a leg up on this, as there are several representatives who work with Young Adult writers.

I'd considered doing one more "A," but I think this is probably long-winded enough. It seems like these posts are meant to be short. I wonder which will be the greater challenge: being consistent about writing every day on here or not babbling on and on and on. You be the judge.

Happy Writing!

P.S. Good luck to my fellow Challenge bloggers! After all, A is for Author, too!

Second P.S. I'm posting this a tad early, as it's only 10:30pm on the 31st here in Colorado, but it's the 1st somewhere (like on the east coast), and I'm a mom of littles, so night time is the best time to be sure to get something up on time.

MTA: A is also for Award! Check out the Powerful Woman Writer Award on the right-hand side of this blog. Thank you to Deirdre Coppel at A Storybook World blog for the honor! You can click on the award badge to view her site.