Ah today… it was odd. First of all my AOL started acting all funny. Tech Support walked me through some fixes but to no avail. Finally I was told to completely remove AOL from my computer, pick up one of the disks that can be found in any store, and reload it. So I deleted AOL. Sent hubby searching for one of the disks that can be found in any store and… he returned home empty handed. Go figure. He couldn’t find the infernal disks anywhere! So I launched IE, went to AOL.com and downloaded the program. It didn’t work. I removed it. And reloaded it. And removed it. And reloaded it. Now it is after midnight and I still don’t have AOL. *growls* I’m not happy.
Earlier today I went to the mailbox and discovered a publisher’s solicitation for one of my stories. I should have been thrilled after last week’s sad handling of my “Manuscript of Many Warm Rejections”, but I have my reservations. My experience with this particular publisher has been (insert lukewarm adjective here) and I’ve not yet been impressed with their business practices. Frankly I appreciate it when the people I send my mss to respond with common courtesy, regardless of their acceptance or rejection. I appreciate it when publishers and agents respect that an author is presenting something of great personal worth, whether or not the editor or agent agrees. Instead I feel almost as if this publisher feels that I should be honored to submit to them and that in my humbled state I should ignore what I perceive to be their rudeness. I cannot go into detail since this is a public forum of my thoughts and can be read by anyone, but trust me when I say that I am not speaking out of vanity or a self-inflated belief in my own talent. Common courtesy and professionalism is all I ask.
That being said I pulled up the solicited story and I’m going over it. Sometimes I forget my firm belief that everything happens for a reason and things usually work out as they are supposed to in the end.
Now trying to apply that reasoning to my AOL problem is another story….
I truly believe everything happens for a reason.
by Sasha July 28th, 2004 at 7:40 amI concur. However, AOL is in itself a microcosm, so I don’t think you can use "reason" and "AOL" in the same sentence
As regards the Saul Bellow quote, I’d partially agree - if nothing else it strengthens personal resolve.
by peterg22 July 28th, 2004 at 12:27 pmI too believe that everything happens for a reason. So polish it up, and sent it out. Who knows, another door might be opened in the process.
by Sidonie July 28th, 2004 at 2:32 pmOh, I’m with you on the common courtesy and rudeness thing! Good luck with the story!
by Larissa July 29th, 2004 at 6:32 amAol :crazy:
Rude agents and editors :crazy:
I believe they should be held to the same professional standard as the rest of us.
So there!
Are you Q’ing agents w/that same mss?
by cece August 2nd, 2004 at 4:51 pm