A Mixed Bag

What in the world is a mixed bag? It’s several short things without a singular theme. I thought I’d try it today for a short entry about The Writing Life.

First, I want to make sure you see the World Magazine cover story on Anne Rice from Lynn Vincent. It went online yesterday and is excellent.

Also if you want to do something fun with words, check out this site called The Dialectizer.  It’s been around for years and I don’t believe I’ve pointed it out in a previous entry. If you have a “need” to change your text into a different dialect—say redneck or cockney, use this site to make the transformation. You can convert some text or an entire website. It’s a way to get some attention from your friends—if you need it. Naturally it will probably be negative attention but you can make that choice.

Today I was reminded again of the importance of follow-through with editors about your submissions.  I hope you keep a log of your submissions and the dates you sent something to a publishing house or magazine. Then after a good length of time (usually detailed in the Writer’s Market or the guidelines), you send a note of inquiry about it. The note of inquiry should be brief and to the point. I received one this morning from a writer who submitted her fiction query in late July.  I commend her for following up. Unfortunately she missed my rejection letter of August 15th. I don’t know if she deleted it or if it never arrived or what happened (it could be one of a dozen things). I maintain a log of submissions. I easily searched for her last name and found the entry. I sent her a duplicate rejection letter today along with a bit of explanation on the high volume of submissions that I’ve received this year—for only a few possible books to publish—six to eight novels.  I’m sure on one level, this writer will be glad she followed up. On another level, she will wish she had done it earlier since August 15th was three months ago.  At least I responded—on a Saturday morning of a holiday weekend.

Keep your idea factory in motion and keep a lot of things in the pipeline. For example, I’m working on some magazine work, book proposals and longer projects. It’s the only way to maintain your flow of work in the publishing world.