tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post3744055273208299241..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: put your contact info on your damn blogJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46455176486367153372016-02-06T23:57:03.170-05:002016-02-06T23:57:03.170-05:00Bass,
My former editor takes a medicine with odd ...Bass,<br /><br />My former editor takes a medicine with odd side effects. We had a Tuesday noon hard deadline at the magazine, so that meant editorial had to be to her by the latest Monday night. I would usually pull an all nighter Sunday night and send stories to her through the night. Then I'd finish up and send the rest to her Monday.<br /><br />She'd often contact me late Monday and ask where the rest of my stories were. I'd say, "You already edited them. I did the corrections and sent them on."<br /><br />This went on for quite a while before she admitted she got up in the middle of the night to check emails, pulled stories, edited them, and mailed them back while she was "asleep". She asked me how the edits were. I said, "They're great. Gloria okayed them, Connie okayed them, and they went to press."<br /><br />Who knows, maybe the pharmaceutical ought to advertise sleep writing as a side effect. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87382398560221724732016-02-06T21:53:29.766-05:002016-02-06T21:53:29.766-05:00As a reader who rarely comments whose irl name is ...As a reader who rarely comments whose irl name is also Bethany, this post made me panic for a minute that I was making brilliant comments on this blog as I sleep. Unlikely, but you never know.basshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07224916720003456481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-91280357328265973112016-02-05T14:37:56.407-05:002016-02-05T14:37:56.407-05:00Julie, you are so right about the formerly employe...Julie, you are so right about the formerly employed person who somehow never found time to write once she was unemployed. I had a friend who worked full time, and somehow kept painting, but when she retired, her art output plummeted. I think some people do better with some external structure, and when they don't have it, their schedule goes to pieces. <br />I do much better when I create a written schedule/framework for my time (and stick to it mostly.)<br /><br />I have a contact me page on my blog, which has one of those forms. It's the best this paranoid panda can do, when it comes to exposing my fluffy pelt to the universe. We are endangered, you know.Panda in Chiefhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160375490647791433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-7689661185792824602016-02-05T14:19:28.936-05:002016-02-05T14:19:28.936-05:00Racherin: You don't need a blog, as such. You ...Racherin: You don't need a blog, as such. You could set up a 'blog' as a static page. Just one page, that points people to ways they can contact you. Maybe that's a form. Maybe that's an e-mail link. <br /><br />Maybe you could use a page on the knitting blog webspace as a static page for your contact information?<br /><br />As a way to make it clear your blog's death is intentional, you could simply have a big heading that says 'Archived' across the top. :)<br /><br />As for Janet saying having an email address for nothing but writing: That's always a good idea. I created mine long before I started querying. I use it when I want to get on a writing-related newsletter, or get information from others regarding writing. <br /><br />I first used it when I joined online forums for critiquing purposes. For the longest time, I rarely got any mail at all there. Now it's full of good information, writers group work, and other writing-related items.<br /><br />It separates your work habits from your personal ones, and can actually make you feel like you're a real writer (you are, of course. If you write, you're a writer. But this gives you more... strength behind it.)<br /><br />It's cheap and easy to set up e-mail addresses at places like Gmail and Yahoo. It's also possible to set up e-mail addresses to forward mail to another address. That way, people would only have the first address, not the second. <br /><br />I've also found that it helps to only have an e-mail link - that is, a link to your e-mail, without actually having your e-mail on the page.BJ Muntainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12977414826388000094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-62855699848513568262016-02-05T09:07:18.063-05:002016-02-05T09:07:18.063-05:00Racherin,
And on the email, I thought I understoo...Racherin,<br /><br />And on the email, I thought I understood Janet to say at other times, that you should have an email address you use for nothing other than writing/querying work. Did I wildly misunderstand?<br /><br />Yes, she did and for the reason I explained among others. There's far less chance of being hacked if you use it for nothing but business. The trick is to use a professional sounding email like the one you referenced.<br /><br />Set up a writer email with your name. Use it just for writer stuff, not shopping and sharing cute cat pictures with your friends.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-43633038721916733852016-02-05T09:03:24.544-05:002016-02-05T09:03:24.544-05:00John,
Since the good doctor is a Confederate spy ...John,<br /><br />Since the good doctor is a Confederate spy in Baltimore in a time when habeas corpus has been suspended and people can be tossed in prison and held indefinitely on mere suspicion, and spies are hanged, malpractice insurance may be the least of his worries.<br /><br />I guess being sort of good to him is relative in this case.<br /><br />Sorry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-17680459896726535812016-02-05T06:25:58.507-05:002016-02-05T06:25:58.507-05:00John Frain love your 11:46 comment. My rocker is r...John Frain love your 11:46 comment. My rocker is rockin' too.Carolynnwith2Nshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18394998702410764388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-86243524296908680562016-02-05T06:23:58.604-05:002016-02-05T06:23:58.604-05:00Just to respond, once again because I'm sure t...Just to respond, once again because I'm sure there's someone else with my question - I love Twitter, visit Facebook mostly for a writer support group, and I've even entered a few writing contests here. I continue get more involved with writers as the writing continues. I'm not worried because I don't know how to have a presence, I just have strong ideas about where and how I'll put my contact info out there, and I've avoided generic profiles for security reasons.<br /><br />Please believe I cannot maintain a blog right now. I know this has come up before, and some suggested everyone can find the time if the really want to, but what I really want to do is finish my book, and then write the next one. words matter to me-some weeks that's all I get. I'm not worried someone will find my knitting blog, although the writing is only so-so. It's just not active or particularly good for contacting me. I only knit for networking purposes now. <br /><br />I'm encouraged to know so many people have not had issues with spam - and I don't mind ordinary spam, it's stalker spam that creeps me out. I think I'll resurrect the knitting email (it's a variation of my name) point it somewhere useful, and reorganize the knitting website to make it clear the death of the blog was intentional, and generalize the site content a bit. <br /><br />And on the email, I thought I understood Janet to say at other times, that you should have an email address you use for nothing other than writing/querying work. Did I wildly misunderstand? <br /><br />Thanks for your patience - I love seeing all your solutions. RachelErinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09510327163701754950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-72894028641128156672016-02-05T02:11:19.214-05:002016-02-05T02:11:19.214-05:00Julie,
The kindest thing you could do is make sur...Julie,<br /><br />The kindest thing you could do is make sure you have the good doctor's malpractice insurance paid before that upcoming scene where he amputates the wrong body part.<br /><br /><i>Ouch!</i><br /><br />By the way, under the Things That Are Hard To Explain To Others category: Why I get such a kick from using italics here!John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-3871249877284770212016-02-05T01:51:53.617-05:002016-02-05T01:51:53.617-05:00Road Kill and Racherin,
A good way to avoid spam ...Road Kill and Racherin,<br /><br />A good way to avoid spam when you list your email is to make a graphic instead of linking text. To explain, write your contact email in excel or word and save it as a gif. Then insert this gif. into your blog or web page.<br /><br />This will cut your spam BUT it may also annoy a busy agent who reads blogs on her phone. A simple click leads directly to you. <br /><br />If an agent wants to contact you and has to type in your email, after reading one of your blog posts while she's riding the train, she might get distracted when her stop is announced. She flips closed her phone. On the way to the office she waits in line to buy frothy cupcakes. She opens her phone. Does she find your link or does she have to remember to type in that squirrelly email address she forgot?angie Brooksby-Arcangiolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08000615140577512304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87594723787894740722016-02-05T00:26:14.515-05:002016-02-05T00:26:14.515-05:00Sorry, John. I couldn't stand the typos. Do ov...Sorry, John. I couldn't stand the typos. Do over! Do over!<br /> <br />Repost John replied to:<br /><br />Racherin<br /><br /><a href="http://julieweathers.com/" rel="nofollow">Here is my site.</a> Go across the top bar to "contact Julie". That will bring up a form that sends me an email. It doesn't put my email directly out there so I am flooded with spam. It's a bit round about, but the lady who built my site says it's a secure approach. So far it's worked.<br /><br />Forgive me for linking to my site, y'all.<br /><br />I had the blog before I was querying. Then Deleyna insisted I needed a site and built me one, complete with old lady background. *Fans self and drinks sweet tea.*<br /><br />It isn't about querying. It's about:<br /><br />Become familiar with the medium. The time to learn to ride is not the week before the Kentucky Derby. Establish a presence now. Have fun with it.<br /><br />Colin pretty much hit the high spots. He's the consummate professional as usual.<br /><br />Don't let the idea that you need some kind of presence scare you. You might start with twitter. Set up a Facebook account. I recently started a new one for my author presence. I'll start transferring all my writer buddies over to it soon and be all professional and stuff, kind of. Who am I kidding? I'll still have stupid animal videos all over it.<br /><br />You definitely want a name like firstname.lastname@somethingmail. You also it to be a dedicated email for professional purposes. Otherwise, while you're using that email to shop at great deals r us and your account gets hacked you may be getting emails from agents gently reminding you that you've been hacked. Luckily, some of those agents are understanding and will be nice. Others may just block you.<br /><br />One thing people don't mention about these steps is the mental aspect.<br /><br />When you go to a rodeo school the students put on their gear, their chaps, vests, spurs, etc even when they're standing around listening to lectures. They get used to <i>being</i> a rider. The equipment becomes part of them. They get in the zone mentally.<br /><br />You can't wait until you're ready to query a book to decide you're a writer. You need to get in that zone now. Whatever it takes get your mind right.<br /><br />At Surrey, one of the keynote speakers advised the writers to take their name tags and write "writer" under their names and not forget who they are.<br /><br />John, I owe you one. I'll be sort of kind to Dr. Frain in Rain Crow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-19394677501644475472016-02-04T23:46:02.520-05:002016-02-04T23:46:02.520-05:00Another night sittin' on the front porch in th...Another night sittin' on the front porch in this lil' neighborhood. Leaning back in my chair, just listening to the neighbors chatting. Somebody tosses out a question, one of the new folks just moved in up the street. <br /><br />Without even knowing Julie Weathers just sauntered over, I can tell the answer by the voice. Now I don't remember the exact question as I was watching a black pickup truck turning around in the driveway next door, wondering what that driver was up to. But the question was something about starting a blog.<br /><br />Somehow the answer, yet again, involves a rodeo and the way a fella wears his chaps and a couple of show horses thrown in for good measure, but everybody on the porch is nodding their head in unison when the story's wrapping up.<br /><br />"Yup, she's exactly right."<br />"Julie's got a story that fits every question."<br />"Listen to the block captain, her answer's always spinning in the middle of her story."<br /><br />I just shake my head and smile. Watching that pickup pull away. Guy probably wishing the house next door was for sale.John Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01702305890462479118noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46724258637383697452016-02-04T22:21:25.139-05:002016-02-04T22:21:25.139-05:00racherin said...
I'm so far from querying it s...racherin said...<br /><i>I'm so far from querying it seems absurd to set up a little page with a contact me page saying I write fiction.</i><br /><br />I'm in your exact situation, and that is literally what I did :) Right down to the website with nothing more than a contact form and a page saying I write fiction. It took no more than a couple hours, and that only because I was so proud I needed to have a domain of my own.RKeelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16761835094251669865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-52882396469446456782016-02-04T22:17:54.120-05:002016-02-04T22:17:54.120-05:00racherin: Do you mind if I throw some thoughts you...racherin: Do you mind if I throw some thoughts your way re. writers and social media? I'm sure Janet's answers will be more valuable, but for what they're worth...<br /><br />* You don't need social media to write a novel. I know, obvious, but just to get that out there. Your ability to write a book is not dependent on social media.<br /><br />* When you start querying, agents might like to get to know you. If they're torn between yours and some other good queries, they might want to see how consistently good your writing is, or get an idea of the kind of client you might be (what other interests you have, what scary ideologies you espouse, are you pleasant, or are you pugnacious...). In that way, even a blog about knitting is useful for an agent.<br /><br />* When you get that publishing contract, it's good if you already have a way of letting people know about it. Some kind of online presence can be useful like that. But it takes time to build a readership, so the earlier you start, the better.<br /><br />* Writers like to connect with other writers (see the List of Blog Readers and Their Blogs on the top right). Your online presence will help to build relationships with others who share your passion for writing, and could help you progress in your writing career.<br /><br />* When Janet talks about a "dedicated email address" I believe she means your writer email should sound professional--not bunny.frufru@thegreenforest.com. Using your name is perfectly acceptable.<br /><br />That's my understanding, anyway. Hope that helps.Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14513172279302566472016-02-04T21:29:23.959-05:002016-02-04T21:29:23.959-05:00I totally lost an earlier comment, and now it'...I totally lost an earlier comment, and now it's bedtime, but I really have a question that bothers me every time the Be Reachable rule comes up. <br /><br />Can someone link to a website with contact info that's a) not a blog, b) by someone who is still writing their first WIP and is months away from querying, c) is secure or private enough that there's no fear of being overwhelmed by inappropriately suggestive emails from strangers? <br /><br />Blogger profiles don't inspire confidence for c, I don't want to start a blog or link to my old one about knitting (plus I don't check the email associated with that anyway), and I'm so far from querying it seems absurd to set up a little page with a contact me page saying I write fiction. I plan to do that between query-perfecting sessions once the book is done. <br /><br />What am I missing? En-wisen me, please! And, while you're at it and I'm asking silly questions, why do I need a dedicated email? What's wrong with my firstname.lastname@gmail.com? RachelErinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09510327163701754950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12396261278278867772016-02-04T19:51:43.353-05:002016-02-04T19:51:43.353-05:00New Reiders!!! Welcome, Bethany, wordwacker, word...New Reiders!!! Welcome, Bethany, wordwacker, wordsofrablack, and...anyone else I miss? <br /><br />I don't have anything to add. Just wanted to say "hi!" to the fresh meat - oh, maybe not a good choice of words considering it's like chum, and that's the Shark's FAVORITE SNACK - well - that and author asshats and people trying to scam writers, ya know?<br /><br />I'm glad ya'll are here!Donnaevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09026536210749494257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-33145487719772709952016-02-04T19:48:46.248-05:002016-02-04T19:48:46.248-05:00roadkills-r-us, Thank you! It's been a good we...roadkills-r-us, Thank you! It's been a good week at work for him, that's for sure. I just hope the rest of the season goes well.<br /><br />Welcome to all the new Reiders! Don't be afraid. There's nothing to worry about here. Except exile, Carkoon, kale...teeth...<br /><br />Ahem...you're gonna love it here :)nightsmusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05984119792540771870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-50883820290565869202016-02-04T19:31:55.783-05:002016-02-04T19:31:55.783-05:00Timothy,
I remember the good old days well.Timothy,<br /><br /><a href="https://clairehuston.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/cartoon-snoopy-peanuts-author-writing-problems.jpg?w=640&h=271" rel="nofollow">I remember the good old days well.</a> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-56580985973594707822016-02-04T18:57:24.810-05:002016-02-04T18:57:24.810-05:00I honestly don't know what people did before a...I honestly don't know what people did before all the blogs, and the emailing, and the 'interweb'. Oh, yeah. They stuffed envelopes and put them in a metal box. Then, a few weeks later, they had a little slip of paper that told them nothing. No wonder I chose now to be a writer.Timothy Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07514224628760035696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-86940180835731761132016-02-04T18:07:23.951-05:002016-02-04T18:07:23.951-05:00Whoa! I had turned off displaying my email address...Whoa! I had turned off displaying my email address on my older blogs when I was fighting spam on an address I personally managed. I never fixed that after switching exclusively to gmail addresses.<br />Until now. Thanks, QS.<br /><br />Nightsmusic, congrats on your hubby's Daytona motor win!roadkills-r-ushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14029861300358380117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12565551496365078272016-02-04T18:06:57.255-05:002016-02-04T18:06:57.255-05:00*hastily updates blog profile and website informat...*hastily updates blog profile and website information*Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31649568923317127942016-02-04T17:33:22.010-05:002016-02-04T17:33:22.010-05:00Welcome new Reiders! Always lovely to have new mem...Welcome new Reiders! Always lovely to have new members of the community speak up. I've felt a bit out of things lately because the time difference has been killing me - used to be I could see the new post before I went to bed at night but now by the time I get up in the morning everyone has already finished commenting and I've missed the fun. Ah well, I'm still lurking about here reading your wisdom after you've all moved on! :)<br /><br />Lovely to see a note about fantasy, too. My genre as well, and it sure is a tricky one to query in a paragraph or two. I think what Julie said is right - finding a balance between the different elements. Sometimes the worldbuilding - the big 'what if' of your world - is something that really captures the imagination and wonder side and needs to be woven in. I just read a few reviews of Fran Wilde's Updraft and it's clear from all the reviewers that the inventive, unique world is a big drawcard. This is from a review in Strange Horizons, before the first character is even mentioned:<br /><br />It’s a world of towers made of live, growing bone, occupied by people who have mechanically mastered the art of flight. The towers grow up from the earth like endless spines, and the populace makes their homes in the hollow vertebrae, swooping from tower to tower to trade their few, precious commodities. But only the bravest and best fliers make these journeys because of the skymouths: invisible maws that open in the sky and swallow humans whole.<br /><br />Obviously this isn't for the purposes of a query. But it's an example of how important the worldbuilding can be to the story. Finding a balance between an intriguing set up and fascinating characters is the key! Sam Hawkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549251130820223139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-16846085963151267352016-02-04T17:22:03.018-05:002016-02-04T17:22:03.018-05:00Colin: No, he's not a published author. And he...Colin: No, he's not a published author. And he wants to write non fiction. On a subject in which he has no credentials that I know of. I'm intensely curious to know how (or if!) he plans to make money. Alas, I don't know him well enough to just ask.<br /><br />Julie.M.Weathers: Maybe I'm weird, but I feel like I have discipline in spades. I never worry about that that. It's the talent part that turns me into a woodland creature :)<br /><br />Lennon and Lisa: I'm very risk averse. It's hard to imagine ever making enough money writing that I'd be comfortable quitting my job. So I (mostly) focus on the next step, which right now is getting my WIP to the stage where I can show it to my wife.RKeelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16761835094251669865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8799939939952682682016-02-04T16:53:06.914-05:002016-02-04T16:53:06.914-05:00Welcome to all the new Reiders =)
I have now trip...Welcome to all the new Reiders =)<br /><br />I have now triple checked my contact details. Email on blogger profile... check. Contact me on blog.... check. *wipes brow* For now I will escape any sharks swimming in southern waters. Must remember to have contact details when I set up my webpage, which I am starting to think about after reading JRs recent posts.<br /><br />Her Grace, you can send the warm weather here! Canberra only gets a 6 weeks of hot and we've missed most of it. I'm cold-blooded and need those weeks of heat to survive winter!AJ Blythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04529233142099749005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-29407612005502991862016-02-04T16:42:14.807-05:002016-02-04T16:42:14.807-05:00Good job, Bethany. Congrats on surviving the chast...Good job, Bethany. Congrats on surviving the chastisement "for being brilliant and insightful." *snort* Care to share the name of your preferred brand of shark repellent?<br /><br />Welcome, wordwacker/Celia and wordsofrablack/Rose/RABlack! Always nice to have new vict-- um, chum over here.<br /><br />I've said it before but maybe if I keep saying it, the universe will cooperate . . . on the list of Rules for Writers over in the right sidebar, I've always read "Be Reachable" as "Be Reacher-able." And I am. So very Reacher-able. Waiting patiently . . . <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com