Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I am closing to queries from 8/1/2010 to 8/31/2010

This is an experiment to see if I can get get current with my requested full manuscript backlog.

Queries are closed from 8/1/2010 to 8/31/2010.

I will send replies to people who query telling them the query won't be considered.

If I can get caught up, there are going to be some mighty happy folks, particularly the ones who have been waiting since...January. I hang my head in shame at the SEVEN MONTHS I've had their work.









19 comments:

Katt said...

So sharks are human too! Good for you. (I grin as I rec'd your rejection letter only this week - because I queried in spite of believing it wasn't up your alley... just in case!) enjoy the vacation from queries while up to your neck in cool possibilities.
cheers
KathyB/mysteryhorse

Lucas Darr said...

Good for you!

On one hand, I could see an agent sitting there wondering "am I going to miss something?"

On the other, how much material could one person handle before going crazy?

suzie townsend said...

I want that polar bear!

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Ms. Trite says,
The woodsman, surrounded by a forest of trees he was about to cut, damned his dull saw. His efforts produced a paltry pile of logs.
My saw is dull he told the other wood cutters as he continued to struggle, cursing the blade.
“Stop,” some said, “and sharpen your blade.”
“I cannot,” he answered, “I have too many trees to cut.”
“Work harder then,” others yelled. He worked from dawn to dusk. The small pile was shameful.

Finally, with an aching back and arms burning from exertion, the woodsman stopped. In the shade of one of the trees he sat and sharpened his saw.
Some of the wood cutters laughed, it is a waste of time, they said. Some envied his bravery in the face of doubt , and others thought that to stop while the forest was lush was a sign of madness.

As the woodsman sat and sharpened his saw, the blade gleamed and his muscles relaxed. With renewed spirit and a sharp blade the woodman went to work, the forest fell, and the pile of logs he created was the greatest anyone had ever seen.

Moral of the story: When they ask, paper or plastic, bring your own, cutting trees is a bitch of a job.

Janet, may your blade be always sharp.

Fanfreakingtastic Flower said...

Yay! I'm glad you're doing this! I think this is a good trend to help set.

MAGolla said...

Wish I was one of the requested, but alas, no. Enjoy your query break!
The baby polar bear is vera, vera cute!

Susan M. Boyer said...

Love the sheep game! It confirmed what I already knew--I need more coffee.

I'd say enjoy the break, but scrambling to get caught up really doesn't constitute a break, does it?

All this time I thought you were some super-human species who never tired. :) You make your job look easy, but I honestly don't know when you sleep. I hope you get caught up and can relax a bit and enjoy some of the remaining summer.

Joseph L. Selby said...

My full is at 7 1/2 months with another agent. I think if he posted a sad polar bear, it would make everything all right. :)

Sandra Cormier said...

Put down the super glue and enjoy your reading!

Taymalin said...

From the talks that have been going on at agent blogs, it seems like it would be a good idea for all agencies to close to queries a few months every year.

It would be good for writers too--keeps us from hitting that send button before we're ready. Think of the extra time we'd have to agonize over whether or not that semicolon is appropriate or if we should just cave in and make two sentences ;)

B

Wendy Delfosse said...

Out of curiosity, does this apply to Query Shark too? Enjoy a break from it!

Dana King said...

Excellent idea. I'm still in query mode, but I believe those of whom full manuscripts have been requested should get priority to cold queries. They're already paid some dues and reached the next level, and you should have a better likelihood of finding someone to represent, as they've already made one cut. To be honest, I don't know why all agents don't black out some months from new queries to leave time to catch up and recharge; it makes good sense.

Sue Repko said...

If that's "shame" -- aww, we should all be so lucky. Have a great month!

JD Horn said...

Great--I'm just a bobbing bobcat.
Darn fast sheep!

Robin Lemke said...

Oh, you look so cute when you're feeling shameful!

nightsmusic said...

Your shame is adorable! Not that I'm trying to encourage you to keep yourself in a position that requires it...

Josin L. McQuein said...

Make sure you set your filter to let the requested MS through. One agent who did this last year requested something from me and it kept bouncing back because she was closed to queries and it was kicking my MS out as a query (even though it said "requested" in the subject line)

Heidi Willis said...

That may be far too much cuteness for this blog. There should be a warning or something before it fully loads.

Have fun reading.

The Kranky Crow said...

Drat! Seeing the query response update in the top corner, I now know that what I submitted before your query lockdown got lost somewhere in the cyber soup.

Oh well, I'll look forward to taking my "Mulligan" in September.

Enjoy your query-free waters :)