By Linda Goldfarb @Lindagoldfarb
How to Follow Up with Faith and Professionalism
You prayed. You prepared. You showed up — pitch in hand, heart pounding — and did it. You sat across from editors and agents, shared the work God placed on your heart, and made it through five of the most exhilarating and exhausting days of your writing life.
The conference is over. But your most important work? It’s just beginning.
What you do in the next 7 to 30 days can determine whether those conversations become contracts or simply memories. Here’s how to follow up with the excellence and grace your calling deserves.
Before you do anything else, spend a few quiet minutes with God. Ask Him what He showed you and what He’s calling you to do next. Then gather every business card, notebook, and scribbled note from the week and lay them face up on your bed.
Now is the time to engage deeply with the Holy Spirit. Pick up one piece and recall your conversation with the individual, or your consideration if you didn’t speak directly to them. Ask, “Is this my next best step?” Close your eyes and lean into the Spirit with expectancy. He has your answer. If you sense a resounding yes, keep the item face up and set it aside. If you don’t sense a yes, turn it face down and move to the next piece. Repeat this process until you’ve touched every item.
A word of grace: if you don’t receive a yes, it doesn’t mean never. It may simply mean not now. So don’t discard anything. Organize the face-down items by category — networking, publishing, articles, and so on — and store them somewhere secure for review in a month. Nothing is wasted in God’s economy.
Once you’ve identified your next best steps, create a simple action list: who requested follow-up, what they asked for, and any deadlines they mentioned. This becomes your dashboard for the weeks and months ahead.
Before the momentum fades, send a brief thank-you email to every editor or agent you met, even those who passed. Reference a specific detail from your conversation. Don’t re-pitch. Just be human. In a world of mass submissions and form rejections, genuine warmth stands out.
If an agent or editor asked for your full manuscript, a book proposal, or an article query, treat the request as the open door it is. Re-read their exact words and check their submission guidelines online. Polish your work. Remember, a request is an invitation, not a countdown timer. Then write a personal, professional cover email that references where you met and what they asked to see.
You Survived the Conference. Now What? @Lindagoldfarb on @BRMCWC #Writinglife #Writing #BRMCWC Share on XA submission log is your best friend right now: record the date sent, what you sent, to whom, and any response. It protects you and keeps you organized through what may be a long waiting season.
Pray specifically for the people you met. Follow keynote speakers on social media and engage authentically. Better yet, buy and read a book by someone who poured into you from the stage. And don’t overlook the writers who sat beside you in sessions — peer relationships formed at conferences have launched critique groups, co-authored books, and decades-long friendships.
Rejection is part of the calling. Respond with grace, give yourself a day to feel the sting, then hand it to God and get back to work. Wait at least 6–8 weeks before following up on a submission. In the meantime, keep writing.Active writers are resilient writers.
You were not at that conference by accident. You were called to this work — and the God who gave you the message will make a way for it to reach the people it is meant for.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” — Philippians 1:6
Linda Goldfarb is a bold communicator whose passions include teaching about personalities and helping others live God’s next-best life. She believes in the power of relational transparency—in all walks of life and is quick to share with her readers, audience members, and clients that, transparency transforms!
As an award-winning, multi-book author, international speaker, certified personality consultant, professional actress, board-certified Christian life coach, audiobook narrator, and talk radio veteran, Linda has logged thousands of hours influencing lives, impacting families, and igniting hope around the world. She’s the award-winning host of the Your Best Writing Life podcast, the Staying Real About Faith & Family podcast, a board member of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and co-founder of the LINKED® Personality Assessment.
When Linda is not emceeing, writing, performing, podcasting, or working with clients, you’ll find her sipping frothed coffee on a comfy couch or photographing nature from odd angles while she and her hubby, Sam, play golf and hike their way across the USA. Spending time with her four favorite children, amazing grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and country dogs—check off the boxes that complete her life.
Connect with her at LindaGoldfarb.com and on social media.
