An author once said, "There's nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein." Writing is pain, joy, depression, self-doubt. These are trials we share as writers, but our struggle doesn't stop at your manuscript's THE END. 1/?

I have a saying: "Querying is little bursts of emotional trauma." I don't say that to be a drama queen. It comes from a place as a Black woman who suffers from clinical depression and PTSD. Much like being the trenches, you witness, listen, and survive. 2/?

We all have the same goal, but privilege makes it easier to walk through a minefield. We all bleed, yes, but marginalized authors will bleed, suffer, struggle more. We water down our identities and second guess our worth with every "I didn't connect with the voice." 3/?

We bleach our authenticity to appeal to agents who do not share our identities, waiting as they weigh our stories against their biased perception of our cultures. As we navigate a world not designed for our success, we are expected to abide unspoken rules not designed for us. 4/?

Rejection is a natural part of querying, but being subtweeted by agents isn't. And if it is, it shouldn't be. We are judged by other querying writers. Hushed by agents and writers alike for using our voice, for sharing our victories and failures. 5/?

We are policed.
We are blocked by gatekeepers.
We are side-eyed.
We are misunderstood.
We are whispered about.
We are used as convenient marketing ploys.

All WE want to do is write and fill the world with our stories like everyone else.

But that's easier said than done. 6/?

It bothers me to see industry professionals, published authors, and querying writers judge people for VAGUE tweets. A"I got a full manuscript request today" tweet shouldn't affect you so adversely. A request might lead to somewhere or nowhere, but it still brought joy. 7/?

We are used to rejection not just by agents, but by the world too. We don't expect much because we don't get much. You'll be surprised how exceedingly low our expectations are because we're fed up. We're sick and tired of being sick and tired. 8/?

We pour our voices into our stories then get told we're too loud or too soft. We use our voices on Twitter and everyone else wants to control the volume. We whisper to each other, but it's hard to whisper when you aching to scream. Stop telling us HOW to use our voice. 9/?

If you don't like it, UNFOLLOW, BLOCK, REJECT OUR QUERIES & MANUSCRIPTS. But don't tell us to be quiet. Don't tell us to be meek. Don't tell us to be humble. Don't tell us to censor ourselves. Don't tell us to hold back. Don't tell us to follow rules not designed for us. 10/?

Unless there is a handbook, your standard isn't the golden standard. And if it is, then ask yourself WHO does it benefit most because it doesn't benefit marginalized authors. Why have some writers taken it upon themselves to be the Query Etiquette Task Force? 11/?

If you've followed the unspoken rules to a T and have decided you're the authority on policing marginalized authors, how's that been working for you? Has these commandments brought ease to your querying journey? If not, why preach it as the gospel? 12/?

In conclusion, if you're a marginalized author, don't ever let ANYONE discourage you from using your voice. I don't care who they are. As long as you're doing you, if they're in their feelings, let them wallow alone. Don't stop your hustle for NOBODY.

PERIODT.

13/13