The Second Step

I've done it. I've taken the second step. (The first step being writing my memoir). I've gone to AgentQuery and started researching agents.

You may be thinking this hardly qualifies as blog-worthy news, but it is. Today my blogging friend Spyscribbler asked what are our mental leg irons, the things that you find yourself struggling against and that ultimately threaten to keep you from reaching your goal.

I responded that my insecurities are my biggest challenge. They often present themselves as procrastination, but usually there's something about the task at hand that frightens me. Today I had to call a printer and ask if my project was ready but the thought of asking in Spanish has kept me from the phone. When it comes to writing my biggest hurdle is forcing myself to pick up the pen and write. Once I'm there, writing or stumbling through a conversation in Spanish, I'm fine. I feel relieved that I finally got over myself and just did it.

A few weeks ago I said that while I'm waiting to get feedback on my memoir I'll start researching agents. I have one, Nathan Bransford, that I definitely plan to contact, but there's a saying ringing in the back of my head about putting all my eggs in one basket that tells me that isn't the best plan.

Today I entered the words I've heard tossed around the writing forum and began my hunt. The first agent I reviewed, Kristin Nelson, is another who's blog I read, but while she represents memoir she does NOT represent mystery or thriller. My new wip is too young to have a clear genre but I think it might lean that direction and I'd hate to start off with someone who has no interest in that area.

I've barely begun my search but I already feel more confident having taken this step. Query letters can't be far behind...