By Cherrilynn Bisbano @bisbanowrites

We all hate waiting.

The lines at the supermarket are too long.

The slow child getting ready for church.

UGH! Even the Keurig seems slower.

So what do we do after we hit send on a manuscript or query letter and it’s been two weeks?

Pull our hair out—No!

Quit writing—No!

Cry—No!

Eat Chocolate—Yes!

Many times we resort to questioning ourselves.

 “What if they hate my book?”

 “Did I correct all the typos?”

“Did I send it to the right agent or publishers?”

“Is my email still working?”

Take a deep breath and W.A.I.T.

As a writer, I understand your angst. So, what do we do to occupy our time?

W-  Write!

Publishers and agents love authors with more than one book. Submit to contests and guest blogs. If you’re a fiction writer, dive deep into your characters, plot, and story—by the time you come up for air you might have an email.

A- Add numbers to your platform.

NO! Not the dreaded platform again. Social media involvement is a good start to building your platform. Think of it as spending time with your online friends. As you discuss writing, post memes, and ask questions, others will follow you, and your platform will increase. However, there are other ways to grow your platform. Check out this article. https://bit.ly/4d126sT

I- Invest in education.

Take a course, attend a conference, or learn more about marketing your book. Even best-selling authors study the craft. Every writing instructor will tell you to read, read, read. Purchase books or obtain them from your local library. Our toolbox will grow as we discover other styles and voices. Reading can help us to improve our skills.

T- Thank God and Trust Him with the results.

He’s called you to pen life-changing words. Martin Luther said, “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”

You may impact millions or a few. Obedience to God is the best reward for the writer called by their Lord.

Remember, agents and publishers want to see you succeed. The average time for a response can be up to three months. Look at a rejection as a redirection. There are many reasons manuscripts are not accepted. Here is a link to an article from Terry Whalen on reasons for rejection. https://bit.ly/3WnYzxB

Please take the time to W.A.I.T. and God will reward you.

 What’s the hardest part of waiting for you?

Join the conversation.

Cherrilynn Bisbano is a coach, editor, and partner at The Write Coach Team.

As former managing editor of Almost an Author, she helped the website earn the #6 spot on the Top 100 best writing websites for 2018 by The Write Life and Top 101 Websites for writers with Writers Digest.

Cherrilynn is a speaker with Women Speakers. Her topics include leadership, book proposals, and the Bible and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers ACFW.

She is a two-time winner of Flash Fiction Weekly. You can find her published in Southern Writers, More to Life (MTL), Christian Rep, Christian Voice, Refresh and other online magazines. Cherrilynn is a contributor to Selah nominated, Breaking the Chains, Heart Reno, and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Miracles books.

Cherrilynn proudly served in the Navy and Air National Guard, earning the John Levitow Military leadership award.  She lives with her eighteen-year-old son, Michael, Jr., and husband of 21 years.

Cherrilynn loves Christ, Chocolate, coffee, and Cats.