Friendses

[mrissa]

A couple of my friendslist people have deleted their livejournals in the last few weeks. Some have since undeleted, and I was glad to see them back. Others have not. So here's the thing: I will miss you if you go disappearing on me. I will not beg you to start your journal again, because keeping a regular journal is work as well as fun, and it's work you don't owe me. I don't like behaving as though I'm entitled to make decisions about your life and time, unless we have some agreement about me sharing a chunk of your time. So if you don't hear me hollering, "Come baaaaack!" after you, it's respect for your choices, not relief that you're gone. Okay? Okay.

I made the mistake of looking at my submissions log this morning. Meep. There are a few markets I think I should just officially give up on. I hate doing that. A few more I should query. I hate writing queries. I especially hate writing queries on stories that have theoretically sold or had revision requests on them. It makes me feel like I'm four years old and tugging on a grown-up's sleeve. "How 'bout now? How 'bout now?" But things happen; stories and books fall between the cracks, and I keep thinking of what my mom always said about my schools: "It's the teacher's job to look after twenty students. It's my job to look after one." And really, two years after a short story has theoretically sold? Not too importunate to ask after its status, I shouldn't think. I hope not, anyway.

Sighsquirm.

Also my mom smelled me correctly yesterday: I have a cold. Just a small one, but I didn't need any size of one, and I will be Vitamin C'ing myself into oblivion today so that the rest of the week can proceed as (minimally) planned.

Comments

[zalena.livejournal.com]

From a publishing viewpoint, definitely query. All it takes is for a changing-of-the-guard and a project can be lost indefinitely. Even if the same editors are in place, many of us have so many projects, that it is really difficult to keep track of things that aren't of most pressing and immediate importance.

[songwind.livejournal.com]

I think your Mom has the right of it. If someone has entered into a contract with you (even if that contract is simply to consider your revisions and get back to you) you're well within your rights to check back with them after reasonable time has passed.

I have noticed a preponderance of one-line posts and points of interest, rather than actual posts about my life, in my journal of late. Looks like it's time to start making a conscious effort until it becomes habit. Again.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Yah, it's not that I think I have no right to query, it's that I angst about how long "reasonable time" actually is.

I wasn't meaning to hint for longer entries, but I'll take 'em.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

And I know that mine will never be of pressing and immediate importance if they fall behind the file cabinet and I keep telling myself, "Editors have a lot to do, and I don't want to bother them." Still. Squirm.

[songwind.livejournal.com]

*laugh* I know you weren't. It's actually something I have already been grousing at myself about for a little while. Your post just brought it directly to mind.

[greatestofnates.livejournal.com]

Keeping an irregular journal is quite easy.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

First time I queried about a lost manuscript, the publisher was apologetic, and paid extra for my inconvenience!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I am not holding my breath waiting for this to happen to me.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

I don't blame you. This particular publisher was looking hard for good writers (at the rates they paid, no wonder!) and wanted to cultivate me.

Just a hello...

[rwarner.livejournal.com]

Speaking of friends lists.....just wanted to drop a note and say hi. I found you thru mnfiddledragon and added you to my friends list. Once upon a time I wanted to be a writer, even wrote some poetry, so reading a few of your posts brought back some memories.

Re: Just a hello...

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Hi, thanks for introducing yourself!