More on Querying: The Race

Last night I finished some edits, sent off a partial request, sent off a few more queries because I was feeling momentarily confident in my newly-edited manuscript, when--

BAM!

Panic attack. Or at least the writer's version of a panic attack.

What if they hate it? What if I just made it worse? What if there's a huge typo in there that I missed the last fifty times I read through it? 

CALM DOWN ... with the help of an analogy (because writers LOVE analogies, if you haven't noticed):

I am a runner who has trained faithfully for a race. I'm hoping for a prize, but there are no guarantees.

I'm at the starting line, but pre-race jitters kick in. My compulsion is to turn from the starting line, run in the opposite direction. My fear: losing.

How will I know the result if I don't begin the race? I have to trust in my training, that all those hours upon hours I spent in the gym, on the track, weren't in vain. That my coaches knew what they were doing when they pushed me past myself. I know the race ahead is tough. I will be stretched. But this is what I've prepared for.

TRUST.

And GO FOR IT.

Honestly, my panic attack was very similar to my writing buddy, Krista V.'s. If you like reading about other writers freaking out, click here. She makes some very good points. I followed her advice last night and finally went to bed ... (where I had quasi-nightmares about typos and hate mail from agents. *sigh*)