Yes, I owe you all a few more posts on cloning on genetics. It's coming, promise.
Today though we have a real life lesson on why authors must be ORGANIZED.
See me cringe.
I'm really not as organized as I need to be. And, I'll be the first to admit, I'm really a slacker when it comes to short story submissions and paying attention to where I send them.
Yes, for an anthology I pay attention. But for magazines and journals that take almost a year to respond? I send the submission and forget. It saves my nails.
So, long story short, I received an e-mail to day asking my short story The Falcon was still available for consideration.
It is. I'd pretty much forgotten it existed in fact.
But the e-mail didn't have the magazine or journal listed and I didn't recognize the e-mail!
Eeek!
I trawled through my list of places I'd sent submissions only to see I hadn't updates the list since, um, February? Shameful isn't it?
After that the only solution was to cross-check every possible magazine, check the submission guidelines, and see if I could find an e-mail match.
Lesson learned: When submitting a short story or query write down all the information on where you submit.
*giggles* Lei that is baaadd! My wips are where area I'm half organised.
ReplyDeleteAh, grasshopper, you are amusing indeed :P
ReplyDeleteGlad you tracked it down eventually.
And, *snort*, I'm still amused they called it a poem o.O :D hehe.
I have an Excel spreadsheet where I list the info, but I don't send out that much so it's easier to keep track. In your case, you probably have a lot of balls in the air.
ReplyDeleteI use Excel as well. I fill it out right before sending the email. I also use Duotrope's Digest, which is a great source for markets, and has a tracker.
ReplyDeleteGood advice! I can totally see myself doing the same thing... except my nails would still be gone.
ReplyDeleteQuerytracker is what keeps me organized. And since it's online, I can't misplace it!
ReplyDeleteOh, ouch! Yes, I'm not organized, but I do keep a Submissin Journal, an excel file. Two actually. One for short stories, and one for agents whom I've queiered. Boy, have I been glad to have a record of hat.
ReplyDelete