To The Writers Who've Gone Before...

My manuscript is almost ready.
I'm preparing to query agents.
This is the part I've been dreading.
Selling myself.
It seems boastful, showy to "talk up" my story.
How does one remain humble and sell their story?

One of the synonyms for humble is unambitious.
I am not unambitious.
So I must learn to put myself, my story out there.

I'd like to thank the writers who've gone before...
Who have shared what they've learned with other writers via their blog, an interview and in books filled with gems of wisdom.  Who, in spite of their distaste for selling themselves, have shared how to do it with their self-respect in tact.  The query letters you've shared have been invaluable in writing my own.

My query letter is almost done...I think.
My synopsis (oh man) is in process.

I'd like to thank the writers who've gone before...
Who griped and moaned and complained about writing a synopsis.  Their words of angst, anger and utter aggravation have helped me feel normal and validated as I delete lines of writing...why is this so hard?  I wrote the thing, surely I re-tell the story in a nutshell...or within a couple of pages...ugh.

I will get the synopsis done and when I do, I'd like to thank the writers who've gone before and have generously shared the process of querying agents...who have waited...been rejected...and wrote about the upset and their endurance and perseverance.  Who have shared that sometimes it takes a long time to find that perfect combination of story, timing, agent, publisher and audience.  I'm prepared to be patient.

Because of your willingness to share your experience, writers like me feel better prepared for the process and possibilities of publishing our work.  Thank you.