On Anxiety Disorders and the Query Process
You might as well pack it in for the day and take a nap.
It's known that stress triggers anxiety, and what is more stressful than querying**? You're waiting to hear if your manuscript is good enough for Agent A, Agent B, and Agent C. You're creative life is on the line. All your friends have gotten requests and deals and everything and--
You get the picture. Just writing that scenario made my heart spasm. Everything you do is under the srutiny of you. Is it good enough? Are you good enough? No one is going to take you on. Everyone is going to hate it. Your crit group was just being nice. If you get an email back, the heart spams start anew: is this good news or bad? What happens if they want to see more? That's the thing about us chronically anxious people--we're worriers.
So how can you handle the query procress without going into full-blown panic mode? I can't speak for everyone, but I can talk from personal experience.
- Have a cheerleader. As a chronic worrier and pessimist, having someone who sees things the other way is hugely important. So important, in fact, I have two.
- Do some cardio. Aerobic exercise helps reduce anxiety because of the endorphins your brain produces during exercise. Just like the runner's high makes you happy, it kills the stress.
- Meditate and have a mantra. Tell yourself "this too shall pass" and go someplace quiet. The less distraction in an area is best to clear out your mind. Sit quietly and breathe it all in. Relaxation is crucial.
These are just a few ways to handle querying on anxiety. What tricks do you have to keep the anxiety at bay?
* Like yours truly who pretty much dislikes all types of doctors.
** I know, there are lots of things more stressful, like unemployment, ailing family members, etc, but bear with me. I'm trying to make a point.
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Last.fm Hit of the Day: Seesaw Sway by Peter Murphy