Waiting. Waiting. And Waiting some more ...

News around here is that publishing is operating at a s-l-o-w-e-r than its usual s-l-o-w pace now for a few weeks. I'm trying to take advantage of this by catching up on submission reading. And I'm getting there, though still working every day to move projects along as well. And I'm also breaking into sudden fits of cleaning out closets, drawers, bookshelves, cupboards. 

I was thinking today how hard it is to wait on others to make decisions that will impact your immediate, and possibly long-term future. When I worked as a freelancer I constantly queried editors, sent articles out on spec, responded to editing suggestions, and then waited on others to tell me what my next step might be regarding an assignment. While I liked having multiple projects going because it represented income and productivity, truth be told, I preferred the finished project - and not just for the paycheck, but because I simply like having things settled. Put away.

I'm a very organized person by nature. Not as in all-my-pencils-lined-up-in-a-row and all-my-spices- alphabetized organized, but I like to know where my stuff is. Don't like an excess of it to distract me or waste my time, and I LOATHE looking for things. I like things in their places. Like my Monopoly pieces lined up straight and my money tucked in a neat stack, ready for quick access in case an opportunity arises to buy St. James, another Railroad, or YES!, Boardwalk!

In my role as an agent, I have finally come to a sort of tacit understanding with the reality that I will now always have open loops hanging over my head; I will always have projects in indifferent stages, sometimes out at multiple places, and often completely out of my hands in regard to the final decision.

And I have had to make peace with knowing that I'll constantly in a state of waiting to hear back on behalf of a whole host of projects that will impact a number of individuals. And families, actually. I don't take that lightly. I know it's HARD to always wonder what the status of your project is. Thinking about it can be draining and downright stressful. And feel fairly random sometimes. But it's not all that random, actually. Not really. Waiting is part of the publishing process for all of us.

Something I've done to help me make order out of what often feels like a messy, random process is to make myself a project board. It's a very elementary school looking piece of work  hanging on the wall of my office (seriously, it's made with poster board, sticky notes, and string) but it works to help me track the status of the multiple projects I'm working on at any given moment. And it reminds me what the next step is for each one. Of course the ultimate "step" is to get each project (represented by a color coded sticky note) to the "SOLD" column, and fortunately this column is looking fairly respectable for this time of year. 

But I will admit that it's  heavier than I'd like in the "READ/DECIDE" and "OUT" (meaning sent to publishers and needs follow up) columns. And that adds up to a lot of waiting all the way around, I know. 

And, like you, I hate waiting. Whether you're a first time writer hoping for a positive response to your first query, a published author looking for that next contract, or an agent trying to learn when the next pub meetings (and hopefully decisions) will take place, waiting is just part of gig and something we all must do.

Sigh.

Hey, need any help with that hall closet?

Comments

[Nicole Unice]

Wow. What a "timely" article. I really do have a thing for bad metaphors, Sandra. Thanks for this great reminder, needed it today. :)

[Julie Garmon]

Love that you have an actual board. I am surrounded by notes, pictures, charts all over my desk. Total visual learner.

[Jan Cline]

It's nice to hear you empathsize with us waiters out here. I know your job is very difficult, and most of us appreciate that. And great idea on the alphabetizing my spices. I'm going to do that while I wait. :)
Thanks

[Theresa Lode]

I so get this. We have a piece of white showerboard from Lowes that we hang on a wall to brainstorm, plot and WAIT. (We use different colored dry erase markets.)

Thanks for sharing, Sandra.

[Stephanie Shott]

Hi Sandra,

You're so right. I can't really think of a waiting room experience that's ever been fun. But wait, we must.

Now, about that closet...my hall closet is good, but my clothes closet is a mess! :-)

[emily wierenga]

so encouraging. i hate waiting too. but i think you know that already :) "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord. Be strong, take heart, and wait for the Lord." (Ps. 27:13-14)

[Julie Surface Johnson]

Okay, I'm inspired. This, plus Rachelle Gardner wrote today about keeping track of details (style sheet). I have got to get better organized.

[Sandy Nadeau]

Funny to see my days frustration written in someone else's hand. The waiting is so hard but then when the norm is that most don't give any response at all when the answer is no, it makes it even harder. I get they are busy, but it doesn't make it easier.
Guess I'll try another query and wait some more!

[Laura Droege]

I could use some help with my hall closet, but you'll have to be awfully persuasive to get my daughters to give up even some of their games and puzzles!

If the waiting gets too horrible to bear, you can always run a Meier-Briggs personality test on your blog, just for fun. I found one online (through a link on the Shrinking Violets Promotions blog) and found out that my blog is an INFP (introverted, intuitive, feeling, perceiving) and the analysis was uncannily accurate. Just in case you finish your hall closet...

[Stevie Rey]

It's just part a life, Sandy...erm, Waitin' not closets. I reckon that's why faith is so important to God. Without faith (trust) that ever'thang is gonna work out, we'll be miserable all the time and never have no peace. Our wunnerful, tender-hearted God don't want us to live like that :-)

Peace and Cornbread,
Stevie

[hillary manton lodge]

Got a meeting a Harvest House soon? Because my closets (hall included) are just a baby jaunt away...

Really. My closets will ALWAYS be there for you.

[Teri Dawn Smith]

Nice to hear how much agents really are on our side! Thanks for giving your perspective!

[N. J. Lindquist]

I totally relate. I like knowing exactly what my responsibilities and deadlines are, and I hate it that so often I have to wait for other people to decide or get back to me. Not fun!

[Katie Ganshert]

I hear ya! I've been waiting for several weeks now for my book to go to Pub Board, but the timing hasn't been right yet. Being a writer (or an agent, I'm sure) is filled with these intense, short spurts of excitment, followed by loooooong lulls of nothing.

[Monika]

Great post....I hate waiting as well. But I also get nervous saying something is "finished" because what if it could still be a little better? ;)

I was wondering...how does one go about finding a job as an agent or agent's assistant? Just the thought of getting to read through queries and slushpiles is actually very exciting. (Hmm, possibly it's exciting because I haven't done it yet!)