I can't stress enough about the importance of researching a prospective agent or publisher. I recently shared my aspiring author follies in the post called, Sipping the Wine, and just so you know, I've resubmitted that manuscript elsewhere. I remain on my humbled path to publication.
Because these days are laiden with so many distractions, before and after my day job, I am convinced that investing a block of time to research the best market for each piece of work that I want to submit is the best way to concentrate my efforts. I began writing a decade ago and now I have several manuscripts ready for publication. Can you tell that I prefer the creative process over the business aspect of novel publication? I'm sure that I am not the only one out there. It is, after all - a daunting task.
You know as well as I that we must eventually get down to business; that part where we query, prepare our synopsis, outline and determine where the manuscript should be sent to - that part, that if we never took time to do, well, our work would never be read by anyone, except perhaps on a blog, facebook, or as a tweet.
During a recent research session I've found myself getting derailed by thinking, "Oh, this publisher isn't right for ___(whatever the title may have been), but it would be a good home for ___(another title from my repretoire). See what a time bandit this can be? When you finally get back to considering that alternate work, you have to pour yourself over those same pages and hope to find that opportunity again. It is painstakenly long and tedious to work this way. Trust me, I know.
Having recognized this need too keep focused, I've come upon a system that works for me; perhaps it will work for you, too. Bring your bread crumbs to your work space. No, not Progresso's; what I'm referring to are Post It Notes Flags. You can find them on www.postitnotes.com . They come in variety packs with bright colors also in varying widths. You can even write on them -noting your manuscript title, tagging the margin, referencing the place you want to revisit. I now, tag all possible homes for one submission with one color, and other genres get their own color flag. They're easily removable; or you may want to just leave them there for future reference. Easy right? Piece of cake.
Due to that effort, my Writer's Market now has a rainbow of flags ready for me when I sit down to consider the markets for the next manuscript that I want to concentrate on. Once I send a manuscript out, I log that information on a spreadsheet. Record keeping is another under-talked about subject.
Maybe you already do this or have some other system that suffices like my bread crumb Post It Flags. Whatever works to help make you more effecient in this profession is a good thing. Please feel free to share your ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you.
Because these days are laiden with so many distractions, before and after my day job, I am convinced that investing a block of time to research the best market for each piece of work that I want to submit is the best way to concentrate my efforts. I began writing a decade ago and now I have several manuscripts ready for publication. Can you tell that I prefer the creative process over the business aspect of novel publication? I'm sure that I am not the only one out there. It is, after all - a daunting task.
You know as well as I that we must eventually get down to business; that part where we query, prepare our synopsis, outline and determine where the manuscript should be sent to - that part, that if we never took time to do, well, our work would never be read by anyone, except perhaps on a blog, facebook, or as a tweet.
During a recent research session I've found myself getting derailed by thinking, "Oh, this publisher isn't right for ___(whatever the title may have been), but it would be a good home for ___(another title from my repretoire). See what a time bandit this can be? When you finally get back to considering that alternate work, you have to pour yourself over those same pages and hope to find that opportunity again. It is painstakenly long and tedious to work this way. Trust me, I know.
Having recognized this need too keep focused, I've come upon a system that works for me; perhaps it will work for you, too. Bring your bread crumbs to your work space. No, not Progresso's; what I'm referring to are Post It Notes Flags. You can find them on www.postitnotes.com . They come in variety packs with bright colors also in varying widths. You can even write on them -noting your manuscript title, tagging the margin, referencing the place you want to revisit. I now, tag all possible homes for one submission with one color, and other genres get their own color flag. They're easily removable; or you may want to just leave them there for future reference. Easy right? Piece of cake.
Due to that effort, my Writer's Market now has a rainbow of flags ready for me when I sit down to consider the markets for the next manuscript that I want to concentrate on. Once I send a manuscript out, I log that information on a spreadsheet. Record keeping is another under-talked about subject.
Maybe you already do this or have some other system that suffices like my bread crumb Post It Flags. Whatever works to help make you more effecient in this profession is a good thing. Please feel free to share your ideas with me. I'd love to hear from you.
