It’s been a few months since I started sending my self-help manuscript to traditional publishers and I really started letting go of any hopes and doubts related to it. Well, that’s only half true. Quite recently, I was getting myself mentally prepared to get it ready as an ebook complete with intratextual links and everything else the electronic media allow because I was really thinking: Meh, if no one wants it, I’ll just put it out there so my soul can rest.

When I originally sent out my manuscript to my two preferred traditional publishers, I was pretty much convinced that they’d either love it or hate it. So, when I got back my first rejection letter, I figured the other publishing house would be the we-want-to-publish your book house.

Now, to be fair the first rejection was very positive. Whoever handles unsolicited manuscripts let me know that they liked the idea, but they don’t have the budget to do it right now. The person even attached half a page of information on other South African publishers and how to get into contact with them and encouraged me to keep trying.

Two months later, I got my second rejection letter. Compared to the first one, it was sort of a slap in the face. They said that if they were to publish a book on the topic of pregnancy, they’d get a doctor to write it – someone with the required medical background. It was so snooty, I suddenly felt like a real writer. After all, they’d only bother to put so much emotion into a letter if they actually took it all seriously. Ha ha. 😛

Anyhow. Yesterday, I got a letter from one of the second batch of publishers I sent my manuscript to last December. They asked to see the rest of my manuscript (you only send about three chapters initially, see). Suddenly, things felt a whole lot different.

They must have liked the first three chapters enough to want to see more. But is it really enough to get excited about? Is this like those first three months of being pregnant, where you know you’re pregnant but you’re warned not to tell anybody in case you miscarry? Ack! I really want to get excited. But what if I set myself up for disappointment? Good gracious. I’m stuck in limbo.