The Nobodies: Another One Bites the Dust

Because it’s in my head and I want it to be in yours as well, before you even begin to read this, go have a listen to this. Well, I suppose you could do both. Yeah, do that. That sounds smart.

That song’s been drifting in and out of my consciousness the last few weeks, keeping me pumped and energetic as I’ve continued to submit The Nobodies to prospective agents. Sometimes, during and after listening to that (especially in the section that begins around 2:39) and other “versus” songs, I drift away and start to feel as if my manuscript is like a probe sent into the darkest regions of space in hope of finding some alien life and watched with nervous trepidation, for whatever outcome is reached becomes nerve-wracking and almost foreboding.

It would be something to hear from an alien life form. Just a simple radio transmission would be enough to send the whole world into an uproar if it leaked. And what if it was something else? A hello? A warning?

My story’s no space probe, though, and what I receive are only basic binary yes and nos. Like the one I received the other day:

Thank you for thinking of me, Warren, but I didn’t connect with the subject matter of THE NOBODIES the way I’d need to in order to consider representation, so unfortunately have decided to pass.

I’m so sorry not to be writing with better news and wish you the best of luck elsewhere.


I believe that’s the most genuine and personal response I’ve received, and I graciously replied, but, broken down to its core, it’s just another denial to add to the pile. Hopefully, one day, I’ll look back on this time of my life with fond remembrance as I thumb through the latest edition of my bestselling books. Because print will never die, of course.

Let’s go back to listening. Try this one out. Bit more melancholy than the last, but really delivers a depth originally lacking in the original song. It easily made its way onto my Best of the Best playlist (as did the one above).

As I said last week, I’ve still one more, rather massive, submission cluster to send into the void come next week. In preparation, I’ve decided to rewrite my query to insert additional content as the majority of the agents included in the mailing want that only, no samples of the book itself. In fact, I’ll be doing two versions. Sort of a last minute A/B test. I can’t imagine it will hurt my chances, as I’ve gotten nowhere fast with the current or previous versions. Then again, I suppose it could just be something of a waste of time.

Flip a coin. Decide. I’ll make my own call when February comes.

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