Formatting? Check. Extended blurb? Check. Cover letter? Check.
I duly sent off the ghost story to Cobblestone Press for their halloween anthology, and had an auto response back. This is something I wish more publishers would do. It takes away all that horrible uncertainty about whether your book or story ever turned up, and saves a lot of wasted time of the 'wait six months, query, and find they never got it in the first place' variety. It must save time for overworked editors too, because they don't have to bother with all those endless 'did you ever get my story?' emails. And it's so easy to set up. I managed it in about five minutes flat with Forbidden Fruit and I'm certainly not a tech-head. So why don't more publishers do it? After all, it's the modern email equivalent of including a stamped addressed postcard with your submission so the concept is hardly new. Baffling. I feel a campaign coming on. :)
I've been working on 'Got Ghosts?', one way or another, for so long that now it's done and sent I'm slightly stuck for what to work on next. I could dust off a historical for Lace and Blade, which Erastes mentioned the other day, but to be honest 2c a word on a short story doesn't amount to very much. Or I could go back to the edits on my Irish novel, which I was making quite good progress on, or perhaps the new contemporary set in Birmingham, or a short story I've just discovered in my wip file that I'd forgotten about, or.... Oh dear. I think I'll have to flip a coin.
4 comments:
I kind of agree - under professional rates is really not worth the aggro, unless you already have a story written that would fit or one that you can adapt to fit. Some authors would throw their hands up in horror at my avarice, but I'm trying to be professional - I expect to be paid professional rates.
:)
Same here! I don't mind giving away flash fic as promotion, or (as you say) older stories that just need a tweak or two. But to rewrite or even write from scratch, spend hours on something, and then get $10 for it...
You sound a little like me - files of unfinished work and no certainty on what to start next.
I'm curious to know if other authors have 'issues' moving on from the last finished story. I find it hard to let go of the previous characters and it takes a while for me to bond with new ones.
As for the automated response...yes, I think it's a good way to ease the 'did it arrive safely' worries.
Best Wishes,
Zathyn
Hi Zathyn!
Yes, I nearly always have difficulty moving on from a finished story, especially if it's long or it's gripped me in some way. There's a real sense of leaving a friend behind, until I make friends with the next piece of work.
And don't, don't, *don't* mention the work in progress folder. Sigh. LOL
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