Correspondence

Versus Entitlement.

As I've written before, in my mind there is a fine line between expecting to get a reply when you send an MS to a publishing house or an agent -- and being worth a reply.

I was reading the latest SCBWI bulletin tonight. There was an open letter in it from the President and also from the Executive Director of SCBWI deploring the fact that the houses and agents are gravitating to not sending out replies. That no response constitutes a rejection.

It's a rather rude thing, not to reply to someone's correspondence. The thing here is -- if the correspondence was unsolicited, does that still make it rude? 

In the marketplace, if a company sends you a 'gift' of knives or labels or some such in hopes that you will buy them... the law states you don't have to. They are unsolicited. And therefore, can be deemed gifts. You can keep them if you so desire.

Seems to me to be the same thing with an unsolicited MS. If I've sent one off, and believe me - I HAVE - I really can't expect an answer. I WANT ONE -- but I can't expect one. I am not entitled to have the publishing houses and agents reply.

In today's market, with cost-cutting and staff-cutting, the load is great on these businesses. But that doesn't mean that they have to do the expedient thing. They can hold themselves above that and respond. 

I would.

Blessings for this awesome life.

Another Day....

Another meeting. Things went well Saturday. But sometimes, the 'free' time after the meetings is more fun and productive than the meeting itself. We're going to discuss marketing issues - like the book trailers - at our next meeting. 

I'm following more and more blogs and trying to keep up, at the same time, with writing. I didn't get any done today, but I did get some editing done on Chapter Thirty yesterday.

The weather has been incredible here. We've had no sun for almost the entire summer and now it blazes down. Well, not quite blazes as the temps are falling. But seeing the sun gives me such a sense of well-being. As does a nicely written chapter.

I spent two and half hours, the other night, critiquing an MS for Saturday's meeting. The writer has previously chided me for sending in too many chapters and too many words. I took his admonishment to heart and only send two chapters (around ten to twelve pages, double-spaced).

The one he sent for this month's was only one chapter, but twenty-five single-spaced pages and the word count was over twelve thousand words. I had to giggle. Such is life. I critiqued it anyhow. It was good. He's a darn good sci-fi writer. I got a very nice email back from him thanking me for the thoroughness of it. That was unexpected, but nice. You see, this group has been split into two and so I am not actually in his group. My own group can't seem to get their act together to send in their MS's. I'm not sure why. I send mine the day I'm allowed! *giggles*

Life is interesting!

Book Trailers

I know nothing about them, but that will change. *evil laugh* If you go onto YouTube or some such, you can find book trailers.

I'm wondering if this is a new trend. I've not seen them before but happened upon one by Cinda William Chimas for her latest book, 'The Gray Wolf Throne.' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXksII_uVG8

Not sure who makes them, either.

Her's seem to be done by DisneyHyperion. There are a truckload of them at that site. http://www.youtube.com/user/DisneyHyperion?blend=8&ob=5  Especially the Percy Jackson books.

I get the impression that some authors make their own vids. Interesting.

I'll research this and bring it up with my other writers' groups. Hopefully, we'll get the scoop. I'll get back to you. 

(As if I don't have enough to do what with the story, the map, the synopsis, the cover letter.....)

Life is complicated.

Hard To Write

When the family is all sick. I spent the day making tea and finding kleenex and making soup. 

I had hoped to get to the library and print out the last couple of chapters... from the Midpoint on. But such is life. I will hope the Muse had a pleasant day and will be ready for a lot of work this week-end.

Tomorrow afternoon, I have my writers' sharing meeting. Should be fun. It seems like much more than a month since we've been together. But I'm sure that's because we usually meet 'in-between' meetings. That didn't happen this month. Lots of things to share!

At the meeting last night, one of the members said she had written a chapter of her latest book and then reread it to find a place where she could add zing. 

So today - I'm doing things for the sickies and thinking about the dragon scene in 'Blue,' when I knew that it could be MORE.... So I've decided to have one of the dragonlings be Sir Giddly's. Should add some fun and some pathos to the book.

Life is fun!