Yesterday I sent query letters to seven writers' representatives. I mentioned my past, present, and future projects for page and stage and screen. We'll see if anyone's brave enough to take me on.
The more I think about it, the more I like Finnegans Wake. With all three books I've tackled this year, I've trusted that the author is taking me somewhere, even if it seems like it'll never pay off. This worked better with Infinite Jest than Gravity's Rainbow, but my belief that Joyce is the master will staunch my doubt pretty effectively, especially this early in the game.
It makes me sad that more people don't give the Wake a whirl; it's funny and if you disassociate from reality from page one it's really not too terribly difficult. For now, I'm reading each page twice — once in the book (my paperback) and once online, with a Finnegans Wake online index.
I will keep you posted on this and other endeavors. I am having my hair cut today and intend to walk out of there lookin' like the most glamourous heterosexual mom in my town. Woo hoo!
Writer representatives… as in “agents” right? That's kind of on my own agenda as well, at some point. I figure I have a nonfiction memoir, a full-length indie feature screenplay, a novella. I've got a novel about half-written now and plans for another one. Oh, there's also a poetry chapbook that I may throw up on Lulu sometime… At some point, I think I'd like to get away from self-publishing, though. And, after exploring all of those genres, I see myself gravitating toward / settling into writing novels — and would certainly like to get paid for writing them! Keep us posted on your quest for an agent. I'm curious as to what it takes to get one. Always seemed like one of those Catch-22 situations — if you've sold a novel, you can easily get an agent, but you can hardly hope to sell a novel without one.
I included my upcoming Noho/Amherst book in each letter. It's possible that my complete lack of interest in writing a fiction novel could help my case. Indeed I'll keep y'all posted.