Caught in the hype, I decided to work on my 12k not-so-short story. I love that thing and it is soft sci-fi and really I have no idea what to do with it because of it’s awkward length. I looked at the first 3k and realised that I love them. Are they for everybody? I think not. But let’s be honest, most of what I write is not for the (neurotypical) masses. Carapace has a definitely autistic enby lead in an asexual (possible aromantic) relationship.

I mean, it fit the queer theme of my sub short very well, but the idea to have the beginning hawed and hacked at made my extremely unhappy. So I decided to go with something else. I mean, don’t we all have more than enough projects languishing around?

And I even have more than one Mass Effect inspired project languishing around. A Mass Effect Andromeda retelling as high fantasy. With an enby lead, a polycule endgame and subterranean dryads. What’s not to like?

Unfortunately, that one is a lot bigger in my head space due to all the planning that already went into it. Planning? Mel? I hear your screams. I wouldn’t believe it either if I didn’t have several very distinct arcs weaving through this which need delicate timing. So, there wasn’t enough words written down in one piece to send in.

This was an unexpected setback.

I mulled things over and decided to go with the second part of my portal fantasy series. It had several things going for it:

1. I love part one.
2. I had 20k of it written down.
3. I know the beginning needs work, but I wasn’t married to it.

Well, my first sentence maybe. Like, come on! That gives you the whole vibe of the book in less than a line.

Since I still had a little time before sending in the materials, I did an editing pass on the first chapter. Not just the 3k I would send in, but the whole thing. So it’d be smooth for me to return to. Sometimes I think of Future Mel and all the trouble I get them into. They deserve better.

Fun fact, I had no idea we were to send a query letter as well. Less fun fact: writing a query if you don’t know about the plot and conflict specifics is hard. I workshopped it with friends because I knew I was being way to vague with everything but the names.

I’m a pantser. If I knew the specifics of the plot, I’d be writing it. Instead I am writing smut and whump on my Horny WIP. Where also, I only know the specific plot as far as I have written it. Still it was fun to do the other parts. I like being unruly with my house-keeping and about paragraphs. What you see is what you get.

Yes, yes, I know that being more professional would be more professional. But if you can’t take me at my nervous punning, I’ll never calm down enough for anything else. I’m a Hobbit. I will always make a joke, especially if it’s a serious subject.

So I put an imaginary word count that I think plausible and achievable. I also put in “with prequel potential” instead of series potential, because lo! I already have the first book written. (It’s paddling around haplessly in the querying trenches.)

I sent my materials and hoped that having the query for part one lying around in several inboxes wouldn’t be an issue. Also, it will certainly find its way into some more inboxes after the workshop…

Still, meeting agents in a workshop and then querying them sounded like cheating, like pay to play and I hated it very much.

I still added them to my list. Ngl, for the chance to put Sava into book-form, I will yeet my query at a lot of agents on the chance it sticks. I also argued, that I would not be working with all of them or even meet/talk to all of them. We all need our excuses.

Since I expected some strong feedback on my pages, I didn’t bother with thinking about some other 500 words to send in. I would have my plate full with revisions, right? RIGHT?!?

Announcer voice: Stay tuned in for Blog Post Eight where this burning question will finally be answered!
*sees themself out*