You know what's funny? When I read writer's boards like Verla Kay, and writers say "You know, my unagented manuscript's been with the publisher for 7 months now. I think it's time I sent them a status check postcard to find out what's going on."
I'll tell you what's going on, writers. Your manuscript is sitting in a big pile next to my desk. Probably close to the bottom of the pile. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to get to it yet. Fortunately, it's summer and we're getting an intern and maybe she'll get to it. Hope springs eternal, etc.
But when I get your postcard, asking about the status of your novel, do you really think I am going to go digging to locate yours?
(Answer: I am not.)
The only thing the status postcard accomplishes is that it makes me feel a little guilty. But the giant heaping pile of slush hanging out next to my desk makes me feel guilty all the time anyway, so the extra little bit of guilt isn't going to move mountains or anything.
Sorry. I know it's not what you want to hear. I'm trying, I swear!
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8 comments:
Oh, thank you for posting this. I'm one of those writers who have a solicited full out there at 5 places for months and can't for the life of me figure out why I've had no response, so far.
This helps. I will tack it on my bulletin board!
The unfortunate truth about solicited fulls is that sometimes they languish in MS purgatory for a while.
We are curious about them. We want to read them. We want to give them, and you, our proper time and attention.
But we have so many other things to do with books that already have schedules, that sometimes they languish for a while.
We will get to them! But sometimes it takes more time than we'd like.
(But they don't live in the Big Box O'Slush next to my desk, they live in the Pile O'Papers at the end of my desk.)
THANK YOU again...
I tend to follow the rules.
I didn't want to send any kind of followup (although it's very tempting) and clog it up even more.
If anything, I'm learning patience.
Honestly, I don't know how you writers do it. You are a far more patient lot than I could ever be.
Bravo to you, and good luck!
Hah! We have no choice. Trust me, if we writers could wave a magic wand and get our answers more quickly, we would.
In the meantime, I find working on my next manuscript, interspersed with blogging, interspersed with reading others' blogs, interspersed with Spider Solitaire, interspersed with checking my email every four minutes, helps. (Yes, I need to get away from my computer more.)
But hurrah! I've just discovered your blog ... yet one more way to wile away my waiting hours!
Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I think one of the best parts of the last SCBWI conference I went to was seeing the presenting editor's photo series. She took pics of her entire office, introducing the audience to her bulletin board full of illustrators postcards and sketches and her slush pile spilling over the top of a large rubbermaid container. I'm very visual - this finally made it make sense! The one thing this has changed for me is that NO editor will ever get an exclusive from me again! Sim subs all the way and may the fastest through the slush pile say "I accept!" ;-)
Yes, we've discovered your blog, so get cracking on some new posts! We are hungry for info.
Hi Linda!
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