on Edge

The quest for an agent is underway. I've got seven query letters sent out to agents who handle stories in that area, and now I just have to hope that one of them requests a full submission.

It's surprising how long it takes to prepare the packets to go out. Step one was looking up all the relevant ones from the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, then checking them out on Preditors and Editors to make sure they aren't a scam, looking up their own sites for current submission guidelines and then finally making up a lot of different packs for varying requirements.

Also while many writing sites tell you to send a synopsis, they don't mention you'll need more than one: a one page, two page and for some even longer versions are requested. Of course the bit that really threw me was the CV request. What I do for a living has nothing to do with my fascination for heavy engineering, aircraft, railways, steam etc. so if they read the CV and expect a techno thriller, they're probably going to be disappointed. (I live this stuff, it's boring and I don't want to write about it!)

And I suspect I had better get on with finishing no#4 since my beta officially thinks I'm rotten - I left two would-be astronauts stranded halfway through a tricky re-entry for six weeks while I finished tweaking no #3.