Holy
cow, how did it get to be the middle of May already? Coz where I live, we had
snow on the ground yesterday morning. I bravely tilled my vegetable garden and
dug around in my flower beds, but I just don’t know if that ground is going to be
warm enough for planting by next weekend. The old-timers around here will tell
you not to plant your garden until Memorial Day weekend, but Memorial Day is
later this year, so I want to plant next weekend already. Wish me luck with
that.
I
have however started work on my goal for the month. I have edited through chapter
seven of my novel, “Finding the Way Home”. Right now it has 39 chapters, so
that means I am 17% done. Hmm. That’s not so hot. Oh, I don’t have too much on
the personal agenda for the next two weeks, so I am hopeful I can do this.
The
other thing I really wanted to work on this month was to try to find a home for
“Finding Home”. Either a publisher or an agent. I wish I could fit a writers’
conference into my schedule, but besides the cost, I can’t get much time off
from the day job. I don’t understand why you need to pretty much meet an agent
in person to get them to look at your stuff. It has to be totally impossible
for some people to make it to any writers’ conferences, between cost and
distance. It hardly seems fair. It’s one of those things I’ll never figure out.
Which is why it will probably take a long time to get this novel published. So
I guess I will just keep editing it.
What
about you? Have you met any agents at any writers’ conferences? And have you
heard as well that that is the crucial step to getting an agent?
Another reason to go to writers' conferences - the camaraderie
Love that pic!
ReplyDeleteWe had snow on the ground this morning, which is just not right. :(
I actually hadn't heard that you need to meet an agent in person to get him or her to look at your manuscript. I've heard many stories of writers who have gone the slush pile route and got representation that way. I would never be able to go to a conference due to cost and my day job as well. I get so little vacation time. Plus, I don't drive, so that could be an issue as well.
Maybe it's different for different genres?
17% is actually really good, so don't sell yourself short. Every little bit you do brings you closer to done. :)
Yes, it is still possible to sell your manuscript through the slush pile, but I've heard that meeting an agent in person helps your odds immensely. So I will keep plugging along and starting emailing that manuscript out when it is ready.
DeleteThanks for the support.
We don't usually plant anything until the very end of May or early June. Even then, it's not unheard of for us to have some frost in June. But, there is less of a chance of it.
ReplyDeleteAnd yay for making progress on editing!
Still chill and damp in Colorado too. Where's my sun?
ReplyDeleteI think some of the agent thing depends on the genre, but also timing in general. That said... if you can plan for one conference every few years and build some social connections at it (I think most people, agents and editors as well) would rather work with someone they remember fondly after a year or two of social connection.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried some of the more casual "publishing social nights"? I know that there are a few genres that hold these on Tuesdays and Thursday nights in NYC and Boston... maybe there's something like that near you?
Just a thought.
And a "late" Memorial Day still means a late planting, at least it always did in my grandfather's book. He did pretty well as a farmer. I'd follow the old farmers' advice...