Success Story Interview - Dawn Miller

An Interview with Dawn Miller (DawnFrances on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Joanna Rasheed of Ultra Literary.

08/07/2024

QT: How long have you been writing?

Dawn Miller:
I've always written stories, but never seriously pushed forward with my craft until several years ago. It wasn't until 2018 that I wrote seriously, shared my work with others (such a hard thing!), and took courses to improve my craft.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Dawn Miller:
I started it in 2021 I think. I queried it a little, had some full requests that ultimately ended in passes, so I pulled the manuscript and wrote another one! I decided to revisit the manuscript in 2023 as I believed in the premise (but knew the pacing was off). Having the time away from the manuscript helped me to see it with fresh eyes, and I spent a number of months in 2023 revising.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Dawn Miller:
Absolutely! Writing is so full of rejection! Persistence is key, though. I love to write, so I kept going because I loved doing it. It's hard to believe in yourself at times, and there were moments when I wondered if I should keep going. I took lots of courses to improve my craft, which was key. Most importantly, keep writing. Keep reading. Keep improving. If anyone says writing a book is easy, I don't think they've ever written a good book.

QT: Is this your first book?

Dawn Miller:
This is my second manuscript, although I also have three completed manuscripts in total. I'd abandoned this manuscript, then revisited it with fresh eyes and, like a car up on a hoist, I took the whole thing apart and rebuilt it!

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Dawn Miller:
I have a B.A. in English from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. Other than that, I've taken loads of writing courses.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Dawn Miller:
I write every day, although the mornings and afternoons are my most productive. By the evening, my brain is mush!

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Dawn Miller:
Two major rewrites.

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Dawn Miller:
Yes. Good beta readers are worth gold! But it's hard sometimes to find those great relationships. I've been lucky to find wonderful people to swap manuscripts with who give me honest and actionable feedback.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Dawn Miller:
I have a loose outline to start, but I always know what the ending will be.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Dawn Miller:
I started querying this revised manuscript in January. After getting some fantastic feedback from an agent, I stopped querying for four months, revised, then started querying again in June!

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Dawn Miller:
89

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Dawn Miller:
Whether the manuscript was a good fit for the specific agent's wishlist.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Dawn Miller:
If there was a solid connection between their wishlist and my manuscript, or a book they'd represented and my manuscript, then yes, I tailored the query to include that. I didn't "reach" for a connection that wasn't there, however, as I felt that might come off as disingenuous.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Dawn Miller:
To keep improving their craft, to expect rejection, and to be persistent!