As I mentioned in passing yesterday I have queried one of the agents on my A-list. Here’s where things hit a hitch.
I’ve queried them before, with the same manuscript. But wait, there’s more.
The manuscript I sent them in early 2021(?) was the same characters, yes, but the story has evolved significantly.
Remember when I said my book-baby was butt-ugly in round one? Yeah, they are one of the agents that saw it in its not so stellar state. Since then I have cut 40K words. I have rearranged scenes and tightened the plot. Through careful evaluation I have beefed up some scenes and toned others down. There is a thematic strand running through every element of the story. And I dedicated a year to learning my craft, a process which is in no way finished.
My fear is that they look at the title, remember it, and then, without further ado, drop my manuscript on the ‘no’ pile. It is a possibility.
(Ah, there goes a little more stomach lining.)
I have made every effort to draw attention to the fact that the manuscript I sent is vastly changed from the initial manuscript. I think I even managed to slip the phrase ‘entirely rewritten’ into the first paragraph.
I hope those changes are for the better. I *think* they are. I hope they think so too.