Funky Names

Are you looking for an unusual name for a character in one of your stories? Check out some of these real life examples in this article I read today. YIKES!

A Word Cloud and an SQ Update

Check out this Word Cloud I made from one of my PB manuscripts. This is very fun.

Thanks for all the great comments on the status query post. I'm not sure where most manuscripts go, Ryan. I imagine most get lost once they reach the publisher. I've never seen a slush pile, but I've heard they are big and scary.

I did find out what happened to one of my manuscripts, though. A PB I sent to an editor at Sterling was lost in the shuffle when she left the company. This was a big bummer for me. She had requested a revision, I sent the revision and then found out yesterday she left the company. Thank goodness I sent that status query!

Just a typical let-down for the aspiring children's writer. The editor that is reading the afore mentioned editor's mail was complimentary and did ask me to send more manuscripts her way, which is a good thing. So, I'll keep looking on the bright side of life with my fingers crossed.

How about thank-you cards? Have you ever sent one to an editor? I was thinking of sending one to my new contact at Sterling, thanking her for reading my manuscript and sending the personal letter. Any thoughts?

Status Query

A couple of weeks ago, I sent out my first status queries. I was a little unsure if I should send them, but ultimately I decided it was important to find out what was going on with my work.

Since I had never sent a SQ before, I wasn’t sure how it was done. I took a few tips from the Verla Kay Message Board, and crafted a cover letter That looked something like this:

Dear Editor,

On (date) I sent you a _____ manuscript titled ______. Could you please let me know the status of this manuscript?
_____ Under Consideration
_____ Not Yet Read
_____ Not received. Please Resend.
_____ Rejected on ___________
_____ Other: ___________________________________________
___________________________________________

Thank you very much for letting me know what is happening with _______.

I included an SASE. This can also be put on a SAS postcard, but I didn't have any postcards or postcard stamps in the house.

My SQ’s came back within 10 days! Both were marked “Not received. Please resend”. A bit of a bummer, but the manuscripts are back out there, hoping land on an editor’s desk soon.