Letters home from the querying trenches by a weary writer, describing the travails of flogging a manuscript.
Essays:
Tools in the Trench
A Brief Rant About Editing
Wabbit Hunting
Commercial Enough?
Too Good to be True?
Silent Rejection
A Sharp Left
Did the Rabbit Die?
Sanity Saver?
We Create Our Rejections
Writers and the Bird
Inventing Quicksand
Newest Post
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In the Trenches: Question, Information Overload
I’ve mentioned the mountains of information you run into and create as a writer, well, which I have encountered.
In that light it is no surprise that staying organized is essential. At the moment I still organize myself with analog methods. Yeah, I’m a dinosaur. We’ve already established that point.
At times the system works. At other times I find myself desperately searching for that one piece of paper. You know which one I’m talking about, the one slip of paper that has that brilliant opening sentence scrawled across it. That one. The very same piece of paper that a breeze or a cat has removed and hidden under the fridge.
Don’t worry, you’ll find it. Eventually.
Just guaranteed not to be when you need it.
Hence, I am always keeping one eye on the lookout for new tools to help capture information, keep it organized, and most importantly–findable. It’s no good to keep every piece of flotsam and jetsam if it clogs up the system and makes retrieving the piece you actually need impossible.
So tell me, what is your method for keeping your sanity among all the bits and scraps of information?
Blog Posts
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In the Trenches: Pro-cras-tin-a-tion
In the Trenches: Pro-cras-tin-a-tion
The fine art of laying about as personified by writers and their cats.
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In the Trenches: HOLD ON!
In the Trenches: HOLD ON!
Well, that’s an interesting thought. I’ve just been doing a bit of navel gazing and came up with a surprising thought.
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In the Trenches: A Note on Noting
In the Trenches: A Note on Noting
I have a habit of annotating my manuscripts. Thoroughly. But, just how far is too far?
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In the Trenches: Eye Opener
In the Trenches: Eye Opener
Taking a bit deeper look at the types of inboxes you can find in Query Tracker. Probably working up to an essay here, but unitl then, a few thoughts.
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In the Trenches: Jon Taffer and Organic Chemistry
In the Trenches: Jon Taffer and Organic Chemistry
Some days writing is a breeze. Some days writing is a chore. Anyone who tells you they adore being a writer 24/7 is either lying or they aren’t really a writer.
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In the Trenches: Lost in Limbo
In the Trenches: Lost in Limbo
Yeah the last few days have not been good and that’s an understatement. Between the physical health and the mental health problems it’s not a pretty sight.
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In the Trenches: Take Two!
In the Trenches: Take Two!
I dedicated a year to learning my craft, a process which is in no way finished. Fingers crossed as I try this again.
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In the Trenches: Motivation-less
In the Trenches: Motivation-less
Attempting to herd the pieces of a new essay into line.
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In the Trenches: An Ill Advised Note to Neil Gaiman
In the Trenches: An Ill Advised Note to Neil Gaiman
There is a great image of Neil Gaiman floating about the internet. Hold on. Let me go find it….
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In the Trenches: Friendly Questions
In the Trenches: Friendly Questions
Disappointment properly applied can lead to advancement.
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In the Trenches: Data Head
In the Trenches: Data Head
Data is good. I’ve been data mining into the QueryTracker timeline feature.
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In the Trenches: Forward
In the Trenches: Forward
Finding the right formula for your query can be a frustration, especially when a major step is, wait.
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In the Trenches: Inventing Quicksand
In the Trenches: Inventing Quicksand
The phrase ‘rich world building’, if that isn’t the ultimate invitation to do, and over do.
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In the Trenches: Cutting Bait
In the Trenches: Cutting Bait
Knowing when to cut your losses and watching how others approach the question… “Is it time?”
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In the Trenches: Little Strokes
In the Trenches: Little Strokes
In 6th grade I learned the phrase “Little strokes fell great oaks.” I’ve never found it more applicable than in querying.