We had a holiday yesterday - Martin Luther King's birthday...so we knew the mail would be late and a bigger pile today.
At around three o'clock, I sat at the computer chatting with a friend about a book we submitted. From the sounds of her e-mail, neither of us got accepted or we would have heard by now. So I dragged out my submission notebook and I checked the NO column. Then my husband dropped an envelope in my lap. I tore it open to find a check from a publisher I'd sent a story into three weeks ago. Hurray! It's another Monday!
I've learned over the past three years to always expect surprises when I submit. Some stories will find an immediate home, others will have to be sent out a few places before they are adopted. But God knows where each story should end up. I 'm glad He does...it keeps me sane.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Query Monday
A month ago I sent a query out to a major Christian magazine. Today is Monday - now I'm not superstitious by any means - but it seems most publishers and editors time their responses to land in a writer's mailbox on a Monday. It could just be me.
Today I reached in my mailbox and saw my familiar handwriting - my SASE. "Another rejection. Oh well, I expected nothing less," I told my husband as I unsealed the flap and folded open the three page bundle. "Thank you for...blah, blah, blah, I knew that part by heart. Please send us..." My jaw dropped open. They wanted a look-see at my story.
Ok - I tried to play it cool. "Well, I'm successful in that my query was a good one," I said to no one in particular. Within minutes, I sat at my computer and pulled up my article. Doubts the size of the Rocky Mountains loomed in front of me. How will I get it good enough? By the time a half hour passed, I was convinced my writing stunk worse than my garbage left outside in the Florida sun.
But this is my chance! I have to get it right!
Finally, I took my husband's advice. "Do your best work and send it in. That's it - that's all." I think he wanted to watch the news in peace.
Today I reached in my mailbox and saw my familiar handwriting - my SASE. "Another rejection. Oh well, I expected nothing less," I told my husband as I unsealed the flap and folded open the three page bundle. "Thank you for...blah, blah, blah, I knew that part by heart. Please send us..." My jaw dropped open. They wanted a look-see at my story.
Ok - I tried to play it cool. "Well, I'm successful in that my query was a good one," I said to no one in particular. Within minutes, I sat at my computer and pulled up my article. Doubts the size of the Rocky Mountains loomed in front of me. How will I get it good enough? By the time a half hour passed, I was convinced my writing stunk worse than my garbage left outside in the Florida sun.
But this is my chance! I have to get it right!
Finally, I took my husband's advice. "Do your best work and send it in. That's it - that's all." I think he wanted to watch the news in peace.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Clips
My husband walked into my office this afternoon carrying a large manila envelope. "I'm sorry," he said as he held it towards me.
"What are you talking about?" I searched my memory for a reason he was sorry I was getting mail. Nothing came to mind.
"Your book - they sent it back." His lower lip fell in empathy.
I ripped the package open. "I never send my manuscript by mail - I use the Internet." I probably should have played along...a rare form of sympathy for my writing is hard to come by. "It's my copies." A year ago, I'd sent in a story for Sunday school take home papers. Today I got to see the finished product.
Monday's a new week and I look forward to what it will bring. With several dozen stories out there, each day brings new ups and downs. Yes, my manuscript (one of them) is out there and the day will come when I either write another rejection blog or perhaps it will be one of celebration. Either way - God still brings a new day full of blessings.
"What are you talking about?" I searched my memory for a reason he was sorry I was getting mail. Nothing came to mind.
"Your book - they sent it back." His lower lip fell in empathy.
I ripped the package open. "I never send my manuscript by mail - I use the Internet." I probably should have played along...a rare form of sympathy for my writing is hard to come by. "It's my copies." A year ago, I'd sent in a story for Sunday school take home papers. Today I got to see the finished product.
Monday's a new week and I look forward to what it will bring. With several dozen stories out there, each day brings new ups and downs. Yes, my manuscript (one of them) is out there and the day will come when I either write another rejection blog or perhaps it will be one of celebration. Either way - God still brings a new day full of blessings.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Reading My Own Words
Mondays are tough anyways. First, I have to get out of bed without being overwhelmed by my week's list of to-dos. Then I have to get on the scale and try not to moan when I realize the five snacks I ate last night instead of a real dinner do count as calories. But this morning, I asked my husband to bring my laptop to me in bed...better than breakfast...or so I thought.
TWO rejections. From the same editor. I read through the emails twice in case I missed an important word instead of seeing only the 'although' that always starts the second paragraph...after the usual 'thank you.' One book wasn't going to be published. Okay - I could deal with that. My other story made the top 150 but when they cut the remaining 49...they tossed mine.
My husband tried to be supportive. "So maybe you were in the top 150 stories out of 4,322 that were submitted." Maybe. But the editors don't tell you that. Would it have helped anyways?
I thought about the other twenty or so stories I have out there in cyberspace waiting to get the ax - certain today wouldn't end without yet another rejection.
Then I forced myself to reread my words from a few weeks ago. If I'm not getting rejections then I'm not writing and doing what I should be doing. Submitting.
Hmmmm. Maybe I can send my reject stories somewhere else. After all, the top 150 might mean something to another editor.
TWO rejections. From the same editor. I read through the emails twice in case I missed an important word instead of seeing only the 'although' that always starts the second paragraph...after the usual 'thank you.' One book wasn't going to be published. Okay - I could deal with that. My other story made the top 150 but when they cut the remaining 49...they tossed mine.
My husband tried to be supportive. "So maybe you were in the top 150 stories out of 4,322 that were submitted." Maybe. But the editors don't tell you that. Would it have helped anyways?
I thought about the other twenty or so stories I have out there in cyberspace waiting to get the ax - certain today wouldn't end without yet another rejection.
Then I forced myself to reread my words from a few weeks ago. If I'm not getting rejections then I'm not writing and doing what I should be doing. Submitting.
Hmmmm. Maybe I can send my reject stories somewhere else. After all, the top 150 might mean something to another editor.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
A New Year
Happy 2008! I find it hard to believe how quickly this last year passed and how much took place during it. Whew-as usual, I reviewed my goals from last year and set some new ones for this year.
I'm hoping to finish my second book sometime in the next twelve months. I've found that to really enjoy writing it, I need to pace myself and free myself with the process.
I'm starting an editing course and would like to grow professionally in that area this year. I'm really excited to learn the process. I think it will help me grow as a writer.
This year, I want to send out more proposals. After trying a few last year with some success, I want to polish my approach.
Conferences....well, last year I paid for two but attended none due to some unforeseen changes in our lives. Hopefully, I can get to one this year and renew some friendships and makes some new ones.
Finally - I'm excited to see what God brings into my life this year. We had so many ups and downs last year that affect every part of our lives. I'm praying for some mountains this year and maybe not so many valleys...but God is faithful and will carry us through.
I'm hoping to finish my second book sometime in the next twelve months. I've found that to really enjoy writing it, I need to pace myself and free myself with the process.
I'm starting an editing course and would like to grow professionally in that area this year. I'm really excited to learn the process. I think it will help me grow as a writer.
This year, I want to send out more proposals. After trying a few last year with some success, I want to polish my approach.
Conferences....well, last year I paid for two but attended none due to some unforeseen changes in our lives. Hopefully, I can get to one this year and renew some friendships and makes some new ones.
Finally - I'm excited to see what God brings into my life this year. We had so many ups and downs last year that affect every part of our lives. I'm praying for some mountains this year and maybe not so many valleys...but God is faithful and will carry us through.
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