tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post4722917899506406442..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Querying while life loomsJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-66985101268025637602019-01-27T10:39:52.117-05:002019-01-27T10:39:52.117-05:00OP here again! I just wanted to drop a note for an...OP here again! I just wanted to drop a note for anyone still reading comments on this post that I've signed with Caryn Wiseman of Andrea Brown Lit and am SO thrilled to be working with her! I'm not sure I would have gone ahead with querying when I did if not for the advice on this blog, so thank you, thank you, thank you Janet and all!Mary Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11451842218256268642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-51027185211360709472018-12-05T21:20:51.466-05:002018-12-05T21:20:51.466-05:00Mary Kate!!! When it rains it pours :-) So excitin...<b>Mary Kate</b>!!! When it rains it pours :-) So exciting on so many fronts. Congrats, and please keep all of us reef-dwellers posted on everything!Claire Bobrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15666082441972111293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-54366250400233691152018-11-28T09:57:50.430-05:002018-11-28T09:57:50.430-05:00OP here. Super belated thank you on all your comme...OP here. Super belated thank you on all your comments -- I didn't comment at the time because my pregnancy was not public knowledge yet. I went ahead with all your advice and started querying about a month ago. And just yesterday I got an email from an agent I SUPER want to work with saying she loved my story and wants to talk on the phone today!!!<br /><br />... and today is also my due date :D Why did I just KNOW it would happen this way?!?!<br /><br />Since I'm not in labor YET I'm going to take the call and hope for the best. Thanks again for all your words of wisdom!Mary Katehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11451842218256268642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-56664606824826076202018-05-05T09:12:26.673-04:002018-05-05T09:12:26.673-04:00Yes!! I will DM you on Facebook about this!Yes!! I will DM you on Facebook about this!Karen McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02640324898284007337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-12103118124766415432018-05-05T06:17:35.599-04:002018-05-05T06:17:35.599-04:00@SteveStubbs - "Most newborns spend all their...@SteveStubbs - "Most newborns spend all their time sleeping."<br /><br />OP I'm going to give you a hollow laugh and a warning to never listen to anyone who tells you 'most babies/newborns/children/X year olds' do ANYTHING. Kids are all different, families are all different, you'll figure out how it works for you and what works for you. Be kind to yourself and don't go in with big expectations about any part of parenthood. You'll be great. Sam Hawkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05549251130820223139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57883113529120661942018-05-04T19:57:32.264-04:002018-05-04T19:57:32.264-04:00OP,
Congratulations! I don't have much wisdom...OP,<br /><br />Congratulations! I don't have much wisdom to add. I affirm that you shouldn't feel guilty about whether you end up focusing on your writing significantly, not at all, or somewhere in-between. But there's no sense in ruling it out entirely now with so many variables at play. <br /><br />I also will NOT tell you that you should enjoy having a baby because it goes so fast. I only had two, and it seemed like an ETERNITY until they started school. Now that they're 12 and 14 it's gone fast, but it didn't back then. The time passed positively glacially. This is not to discourage you, but to encourage you if it doesn't feel like puppies and rainbows all the time. Being a parent is hard, and it's also the best. <br /><br />Gypmarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10023108950501721303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-2494734961770438802018-05-04T17:27:54.896-04:002018-05-04T17:27:54.896-04:00Here's my take on the overall issue:
Unsucces...Here's my take on the overall issue:<br /><br />Unsuccessful people: I don't know if I can do it. I better not try.<br />Successful people: I don't know if I can do it. I better give it a try.<br /><br />After failure:<br /><br />Unsuccessful people: That didn't work. I should stick to things I know I can do.<br />Successful people: That didn't work. I should figure out what I can change to make it work this next time. (Repeat as necessary.)Elissa Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10727748060605823895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-2944975180295381072018-05-04T17:01:01.586-04:002018-05-04T17:01:01.586-04:00Congrats to you too, Donna - lovely song. Such a f...Congrats to you too, <b>Donna</b> - lovely song. Such a fitting honor!Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-64033096794681596772018-05-04T16:25:13.303-04:002018-05-04T16:25:13.303-04:00I could add an anecdote about the writer who did i...I could add an anecdote about the writer who did it all (sadly it's not me), but there are more than enough such tales here already. <br /><br />I'd say Query on. Somehow life works out.<br /><br />I'm so proud of <b>Donna Everhart</b>. Knowing Pam Tillis read my novel would excite me to no end. Having her write and perform a beautiful song about it would make my day, month, year, maybe longer.Joseph S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07437663031050410028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28126940571313208552018-05-04T16:04:15.174-04:002018-05-04T16:04:15.174-04:00Most newborns spend all their time sleeping. Your ...Most newborns spend all their time sleeping. Your baby will start speaking to you when s/he wakes up and wants to be fed or changed.<br /><br />Every woman I have spoken to was simply astounded at how much she liked being a mother. They don't find that out until the baby is born. Writing may be an occasional refuge, but it won't be your #1 interest anymore.<br /><br />One thing I would urge you to do: keep a diary every day. Write down everything. If you don't have a cell phone, get one and take lots of pictures and lots of movies. You won't regret it if you do. You will regret it if you don't.<br /><br />I have not seen it, but Netflix has a DVD called SAY IT WITH A SIGN. Apparently babies can communicate with sign language long before they can talk. People are social from the moment they are born. Have a chat with your tot.<br />Steve Stubbshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13421775912951050610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55638601419714215372018-05-04T15:55:07.965-04:002018-05-04T15:55:07.965-04:00May the forth be with you all.May the forth be with you all.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-67550156804999156212018-05-04T15:52:12.574-04:002018-05-04T15:52:12.574-04:00OP, how awesome! No need to feel bad about contin...OP, how awesome! No need to feel bad about continuing things other than kiddo. On the contrary, writing may keep you grounded and even more ready to be a good parent. Just don't feel GUILTY if you can't/ don't want to write for a while.<br /><br />Very happy for you, whoever you are. Those little time suckers are pretty stellar. Lennon Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03570629350169504234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-32379864275914957592018-05-04T14:58:15.725-04:002018-05-04T14:58:15.725-04:00Opie: As a mother of four, I will give it to you s...Opie: As a mother of four, I will give it to you straight: <br /><br />"There are no straight answers." <br />Sorry. <br /><br />I stole moments here and there to write, but I can tell you right now that I never had time to write a novel- a story, yes, but a novel, no- until the last one was in kindergarten. Then I could write in chunks. BUT, this is how I write. Some authors are fine with five minutes a day. I need five hours. <br />Everyone has their own method and their own pace, so only you can answer the question on whether you can raise a newborn and a readership following at the same time. I second Colin's sentiment: ONLY YOU CAN DO YOU.<br /><br />My advice: Enjoy your baby and your writing. Everything will work out, when it is supposed to, in the end. Congratulations. <br />C. D. Monsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00741893996193747853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-55073977793893704712018-05-04T14:47:14.903-04:002018-05-04T14:47:14.903-04:00You can do it. Just take it easy on yourself. Ba...You can do it. Just take it easy on yourself. Babies are far more exhausting than anyone ever tells you, and if you don't get time to write for a few weeks or months, or just don't feel like it, don't beat yourself up about it. Things do get easier, especially if you can get your baby into a regular routine. I failed at that with my first kid, but with my second, I managed to squeeze a good 60 - 90 minutes of writing time in almost every day during naps and feeding times.Kate Larkindalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06202347563426692610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8073363548367437682018-05-04T13:18:25.925-04:002018-05-04T13:18:25.925-04:00Opie: A really important point I hope you're h...<b>Opie</b>: A really important point I hope you're hearing in these comments is: YOU DO YOU. Don't think you're not a writer if you put taking care of your newborn above writing for a few weeks. Or you don't get to write every day because the child was up all night and you need to sleep. Don't be tyrannized by other people's standards. Writers come in all shapes, sizes, and life situations. Do what works for you. Experiment with the suggestions given here. But ultimately, you are your own writer, and the writing method/schedule you employ is the one that ends up with words on a page.<br /><br />If you need some support for what I'm saying, grab a copy of WRITING WITHOUT RULES by Jeff Somers. :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-21480732699956431442018-05-04T13:09:47.598-04:002018-05-04T13:09:47.598-04:00Congratulations, OP!
Two things helped me to wri...Congratulations, OP! <br /><br />Two things helped me to write with infants: <br />1) Mini clipboards w/ notebooks-- I hung them on wall hooks EVERYWHERE (kitchen, bathroom, nursery, etc.). Sleep deprivation leads to short-term memory loss-- write it down as soon as it pops in your head!<br />2) Rock-n-Play rockers. You can rock the baby with your foot while you write. <br /><br />Oh, and please be gentle with yourself about . . . everything. You can write when the baby naps, or nap yourself, or eat pop-tarts out of the box while playing nyan cat on your phone if that's what you can handle at the moment. You can do it, OP. MelSavranskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03917897217765196343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-24259591623735335702018-05-04T13:00:16.285-04:002018-05-04T13:00:16.285-04:00And the winner for Understatement of the Year goes...And the winner for Understatement of the Year goes to ...<br /><br />*rips open envelope*<br />*stares for a moment, then turns card right-side up*<br /><br />... Opie, for <i>"I've heard babies can be somewhat time-consuming."</i><br /><br />Don't berate yourself on things you don't finish. Enjoy everything you do. Congratulations!John Davis Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020019400599228492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-10991684580450012462018-05-04T12:57:23.082-04:002018-05-04T12:57:23.082-04:00Congrats OP. I don't have much to add... excel...Congrats OP. I don't have much to add... excellent input from everyone. Especially our Shark. <br /><br />Onward!<br /><br /><br /> Melanie Sue Bowleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11820711791019410116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-59721016602428288692018-05-04T12:30:02.953-04:002018-05-04T12:30:02.953-04:00Congrats Donna!
Congrats OP!
You may find your wri...Congrats Donna!<br />Congrats OP!<br />You may find your writing improves with parenthood. I certainly did. I was hiding in my room one night, doing much needed edits, when a teenaged stormed into my room to grandiosely inform me that I was interfering in his life and I needed to get a hobby or something. I refrained from pointing out the irony. Instead, the next line that I wrote was:<br /><br />Jess didn’t leave home. Home left Jess.<br /><br />Instant catharsis, plus a new character and a plot line I didn’t know was there. BTW the only thing that Jess and my son have in common is that both of their mothers have considered selling the house and moving away from them. Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08941043145591116608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-17060230296482697212018-05-04T12:06:00.568-04:002018-05-04T12:06:00.568-04:00I agree with Sam Mills. It will be a hard transiti...I agree with Sam Mills. It will be a hard transition. But there's hope in that you will make it through to the other side, guaranteed.<br /><br />For me with each of my kids, the first month was SO HARD. I felt human again, like I could finally breathe, around the two month mark. It felt like my new normal (as in, I couldn't recall what my life used to be like without the baby) around four months. I got really good at typing one-handed at a decent speed, with either hand, during nursing.<br /><br />I'd write while the baby nursed, sometimes while they slept (other times I'd sleep too). I'd stay up late to write when their nighttime wake-ups became predictable and I could judge how much much sleep (or rather, how little) I could run on the next day. My house was disgusting and we were always dressing ourselves out of the dryer, but my babies and my writing mattered to me more than my housekeeping.<br /><br />In spite of all that, I still couldn't commit to much until my youngest was in preschool once a week. That's when I started getting my momentum back. I wish I had committed to once a week 4-5 hours of "me alone" time sooner, even if it meant paying a babysitter.<br /><br />To everything there is a season. Give yourself lots of grace in this one and you'll be fine. You'll find your new normal.<br /><br />If you can't write, read (I finally gave in to ebook readers when my hands were too busy to flip pages during nursing). Study the craft, read lots of good books—for fun AND to see how they do it—and be proud of any writing you CAN manage, even if it's only a sentence a day.<br /><br />The best part of motherhood is that it made me much more efficient with my time! I can get 5x more accomplished in the same amount of time before I had kids.April Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12946968627887624127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-46123735754038364522018-05-04T11:50:12.860-04:002018-05-04T11:50:12.860-04:00
Reid is a really nice name, envious even.
Congra...<br />Reid is a really nice name, envious even.<br /><br />Congrats donna.french sojournhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14262858704848580714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-82944558896162434522018-05-04T11:11:40.965-04:002018-05-04T11:11:40.965-04:00Congratulations! I have two wonderful daughters my...Congratulations! I have two wonderful daughters myself, and while having a baby may cost you some sleep...having new life and new experiences in your life should only make you a more interesting writer. Win-win. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020098449673207930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-31018676587493642632018-05-04T10:32:15.687-04:002018-05-04T10:32:15.687-04:00And congrats to Donnaeve, I enjoyed it and know it...And congrats to <b>Donnaeve</b>, I enjoyed it and know it is exciting to you. Maybe tomorrow I will also be there.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-522136322868823352018-05-04T10:30:42.318-04:002018-05-04T10:30:42.318-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Cecilia Ortiz Lunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336485056322219624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6454906516067979802018-05-04T10:30:29.256-04:002018-05-04T10:30:29.256-04:00OP: Congrats, but do not make it an excuse to bury...<b>OP</b>: Congrats, but do not make it an excuse to bury your other dreams. The opposite of that is the people who told me they were going to wait until they could afford children. They never did because you can never completely afford children.<br /><br />Children should complement your dreams, because they are that in themselves. Make the room, it is worth it.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.com