Every aspiring writer who dreams of publishing their novel via the traditional route will eventually have to jump into the “querying trenches.” Knowing that others have navigated those swamps before you and come out the other side with success can be all the encouragement you need to keep going (or to dive in).

The WRITE Prompt had the awesome opportunity to speak with Brittney Arena, an aspiring author who recently signed with Jennifer Azantian of the Azantian Literary Agency. She told us about her incredible writing and querying journey and how she finally landed the one.

Plus, she shared some great advice that all aspiring and querying writers need to hear.

To learn more about Brittney and her current projects, visit her author site or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

TWP: How did you get into writing?

Brittney Arena: I’ve always been a storyteller at heart, but it wasn’t until my health took a major plummet that I even thought about trying to attempt the phenomenon that is writing a novel.

In fact, until then, I hardly even read books. But everything changed in my mid-twenties.

I not only had to leave a full-time job that I had worked tremendously hard for, but all my time was suddenly either spent in hospitals or labs, or in my chair at home. I was in so much pain that I needed a distraction—desperately. Which led to books (audiobooks in particular).

I wanted to be an author, and that meant working hard. It meant studying other books, persistently honing my craft, and being vulnerable, and opening up to critique partners.

They reminded me how much I loved stories, and without really even meaning to, I started plotting out books in my head.

Not long after, I opened my first-word document and began to write. I didn’t know if I’d be any good at it, but I kept on, and with each completed page, I realized that storytelling on this level was a passion that had been missing all my life. It felt like coming home, or like I should have been doing this all along.

By the time I finished my first book, a new dream was born. I wanted to be an author, and that meant working hard. It meant studying other books, persistently honing my craft, and being vulnerable, and opening up to critique partners.

And yes, eventually jumping into the query trenches and putting myself out there.

TWP: Tell us a little about the project that led to you signing with Jennifer Azantian

Brittney Arena: The book I signed with was very much a heart-book, in that I wrote a very special part of me into that story.

It’s an adult fantasy tale about a dancer who was imprisoned for years for a crime she did not commit, during which she developed a muscular disorder (very similar to my own).

Yet the story begins when she’s drawn out by the very king who wrongly imprisoned her, and offered a new deal: If she’ll become his spy at a rather large royal event and complete his tasks, he’ll clear her name.

Of course that all goes very wrong. His tasks soon become bloody and viscous, leading her to decide just how far she’s willing to go to win her freedom. There’s lots of court politics at play, and if you know me, you know I can’t resist injecting a healthy dose of romantic tension alongside love interests you probably shouldn’t trust.

TWP: Did you have a plan going into the querying stage?

Brittney Arena: I queried the same way I did with my first book, in that I started with small batches.

My first batch was around five, then I sent another of around seven once I knew my query worked (after having gotten two full requests from the initial five). I stopped there and waited for feedback on my fulls before querying any further because I wanted to know if there were any large issues with the book as a whole.

I think it’s important to realize that not everyone’s querying journey equates to either an offer within a few weeks or none at all.

Only, by that time, COVID happened, and as we all know, 2020 quickly caught on fire.

I actually took a longer break from querying than I expected, mostly because I wanted to respect BIPOC voices during that time without pushing my own book forward. Once I decided to resume, however, I decided to do larger batches.

I sent around fifteen or so in the next round, mostly because of my mental headspace. I just wanted to be done with the book and move forward (after receiving a very ableist rejection). Of course, that’s when the most unlikely thing happened, and I not only had back-to-back requests but a month and a half later, multiple offers.

I can’t say I would do anything different, though. Querying is so experimental, and though the journey was tough, I’m grateful for it.

My querying process began March 2^nd last year and my first offer came on October 27^th. I think it’s important to realize that not everyone’s querying journey equates to either an offer within a few weeks or none at all. Instant success stories are rare, and if my story can offer someone peace of mind, it’s worth it.

TWP: Can you tell us about querying Jennifer and how that progressed into an offer of representation?

Brittney Arena: Jennifer was actually closed to queries when I started (and still is unless by referral). However, I put out a quick pitch on #DVpit, not really expecting anything to come of it. My pitch ended up getting two agent requests, one being from Jennifer.

I’m so thankful she saw me that day, but as we all know, 2020 was pretty terrible and almost all agents fell behind. It wasn’t until I notified her of my first offer months later that she was able to dive in.

Publishing as a whole is a marathon and not a sprint. Take your time with your book before you query. Don’t rush it, because once you send it out, you can’t take it back.

Even worse, it was election week, so you can guess how difficult it must have been to read during that whirlwind. Yet somehow she fit me in, and she actually called me two days before my deadline to decide (which sent me into quite the spiral because I had grown very attached to the initial offering agent).

They were both my top choices all around (I couldn’t believe I was so lucky) but deciding was agony. In the end, though, Jennifer’s revision notes and overall vision resonated the most, so I accepted her offer a few days later!

TWP: Now that you have an agent, what are the next steps for you and your book?

Brittney Arena: We are on submission right now with the book I signed with! So, crossing my fingers.

While we wait, though, I’m already deep into a new book. I’ve already pitched it to Jennifer who gave me the green light, which was a great relief. It’s now a wonderful distraction while I pretend I’m not on sub!

TWP: What advice do you have for other aspiring authors who are preparing to query or still looking for the perfect agent?

Brittney Arena: Instant success is the loudest on social media, but not the most common.

Publishing as a whole is a marathon and not a sprint. Take your time with your book before you query. Don’t rush it, because once you send it out, you can’t take it back.

And once you do hop into the trenches, find something to distract you. More so, find your people. You will need your writer friends to not only celebrate your wins but to help pick you up when you suffer a blow.

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