Hello writers! It has been a while since I last posted, but I thought I would create a quick post on what to do while publishing is in a bit of a slowdown.

Publishing tends to slow down twice a year; for the winter holidays and all throughout the summer. Publishers tend to ease up on acquisitions and literary agents tend to close to queries in anticipation of the fall. What you may experience, if you have been querying prior to summer and are still waiting on an answer, is essentially, for answers to start coming in as now starts a sort of clearing of the desk if you will. Since most literary agents tend to have day jobs, the summer is when life just gets easier and we are all able to tackle more like reading submissions and queries that were previously sent to us. Passes along with requests may start slowly but surely trickling in, however, don’t expect to see too many agents open until the fall.

So, what can you do to sort of keep yourself busy/pass the time? Well, a few things.

For starters, you can work on a new project. It is always a great idea to start building up your arsenal, if you will, with other stories. There comes a point where you have to stop touching the book that is already out in the query trenches and see how it does so while your waiting, why not start a new project? You can draft a new synopsis, outline, or even query letter and start diving into a new world. Aside from this being helpful to pass the time, it’s also great for if agents are potentially on the fence and want to see another sample of your writing or if they place you on submission knowing you have another WIP (work in progress) ready to get started on.

Another thing you can do while you wait is really hone your craft. There are a few ways to do this.

1. Read. Read. Read. Did I say read? Read ALL the books you can written within the last 3-5 years that is within the genre you want to write in to see what is being picked up by agents/publishers. It will also help you to see how much writing has changed over the years if you are still reading the same series of books from over ten years ago. Remember the teens of today are NOT the teens of the 2010s — the same goes for younger children and adults. The world, the way we view the world, and the way we write about the world is always changing so be within the times. This aside, this will also help you in discovering potential comparable titles for your books when you do query.
2. Read craft books. A truly great craft book that I highly recommend is called The Emotional Craft of Fiction Writing by Donald Maass that really focuses on showing vs. telling, connecting with your characters, and much more. Do some research, watch/listen to some podcasts, and get those fingers typing.
3. Join a critique group. It’s always great to have extra eyes on your work and to be able to experience the writing of other fellow authors and grow together. Writing can be very lonely so connection is key. You can find critique groups by posting online or even using Query Tracker’s latest qtCritique platform.
4. Work with an editor. This is not mandatory nor is it a plug for my own services but simply something that if you have the funds to do then give it a shot. Do your research on potential editor’s, see their history and background, really find out more about them and then see if it’s the right fit for you. There are many wonderful editor’s out there who work in the industry, don’t be afraid to reach out if it’s something you can afford. Remember, hiring an editor is a luxury, not a necessity.

Aside from honing your craft, you should also make a query plan. If you have a list of agents (or editor’s for indie publishing) that you want to submit to once they open, be sure to make a list of names, how to query them, when their submissions open, and so on for when the days come that they open back up.

Finally, something that can be fun is to prepare for pitch events. X/Twitter and BlueSky are usually chock-full of pitch events schedules throughout the year. Prepare yourself and start making fun mood boards through Canva or Adobe, prep your pitches, and see how they stand out.

These are just a few ideas to get you started while the slowdown is in effect. There is no telling as to when agents will close/open again, so always try and stay up to date through social media, their agency website, or querytracker.

Please know that I am here for any questions you may have whether it’s regarding articles, editing services, or the industry in general.

I hope this quick post helped!