The Inbox
One of the reasons I write and submit is to verify that I'm alive. Before e-mail submissions and queries, I'd check the mailbox every day for replies from editors. Of course, I wanted a positive letter of acceptance confirming my obvious writing talent and offering me loads of money. But even a rejection letter proved I existed and that someone had at least read my cover letter. Now I obsessively (yes, that's an adverb) check my inbox many (I don't even want to count how many) times a day to see if one of the agents or editors I've submitted to has acknowledged… (Sorry, had to check my inbox) I exist by sending me a reply.
June 15th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
I think that this is a direct result of having children. I always seem to talk to them but I rarely get the desired result. Mostly they just ignore me and then I too ask the same question that you do, "Am I really here at all? Do I really exist? Does anyone care even a little about what I have to say or think?" Then I remind myself that SOMEDAY they will hear me and actually listen. I'm sure that someday your agent will too–probably sooner than my kids! –Jul
July 1st, 2010 at 4:54 pm
You're right about the kids thing. Although, now that my oldest is almost sixteen, we have some great discussions.
August 31st, 2010 at 6:52 pm
GUILTY!! I do the same thing. Some days it seems like I do nothing but bop between email accounts, hoping for some word from an editor/agent/anyone in response to my query. Is it any surprise that 'writing' and 'waiting' are only one letter different? [sigh]