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Looking For Advice
Feb. 9th, 2011 03:47 pmThe Scheherazade's Facade saga continues, though it does so with a complete lack of news at the moment. I know this is as frustrating to the contributors as it is to me, and I wish I had something to say. As it is, I'm reaching out to my friends and their infinite store of knowledge, to get advice on what I should do regarding one aspect of the problem.
Back in October, I queried two mid-level publishers, asking if this project is something they'd want to look at, and explaining why this isn't your usual random proposal. (i.e. "I have a full anthology with stories already in hand and you've probably heard of my contributors, let's talk.") I've sent regular followup queries ever since. One publisher has maintained complete radio silence. The other responded only to tell me to read their submissions guidelines (rather curtly, I felt) in a way that suggested they didn't get what I was after. (Why waste time submitting the full thing if I can figure out ahead of time if the publisher's even receptive/has the budget/handles this sort of thing/is interested?) (And when I replied to explain why I'd queried like I had - their own guidelines say to query with questions - that was the last I heard from them.)
So four months later, here I am, wondering what to do about these two. Do I:
A) Send them one last query with a specific deadline for response, and write them off if I never hear back?
B)Throw caution to the wind and send the whole manuscript via whatever channels they allow?
C)Say 'screw it' and write them off without bothering them anymore?
D)Find a specific person to contact and try to establish a personal rapport?
E)Get drunk and swear off editing projects until I'm famous and/or wearing a Mike Resnick mask?
F)Other alternative to be explained below.
Every other publisher I've tried so far has responded in a relatively reasonable amount of time, so I'm not sure what sort of timeframe is logical/polite/feasible anymore. If they're going to tell me 'no' I'd really like to know sooner rather than later, after all.
Thanks, folks. Back to your regularly scheduled afternoon programming.
Back in October, I queried two mid-level publishers, asking if this project is something they'd want to look at, and explaining why this isn't your usual random proposal. (i.e. "I have a full anthology with stories already in hand and you've probably heard of my contributors, let's talk.") I've sent regular followup queries ever since. One publisher has maintained complete radio silence. The other responded only to tell me to read their submissions guidelines (rather curtly, I felt) in a way that suggested they didn't get what I was after. (Why waste time submitting the full thing if I can figure out ahead of time if the publisher's even receptive/has the budget/handles this sort of thing/is interested?) (And when I replied to explain why I'd queried like I had - their own guidelines say to query with questions - that was the last I heard from them.)
So four months later, here I am, wondering what to do about these two. Do I:
A) Send them one last query with a specific deadline for response, and write them off if I never hear back?
B)Throw caution to the wind and send the whole manuscript via whatever channels they allow?
C)Say 'screw it' and write them off without bothering them anymore?
D)Find a specific person to contact and try to establish a personal rapport?
E)Get drunk and swear off editing projects until I'm famous and/or wearing a Mike Resnick mask?
F)Other alternative to be explained below.
Every other publisher I've tried so far has responded in a relatively reasonable amount of time, so I'm not sure what sort of timeframe is logical/polite/feasible anymore. If they're going to tell me 'no' I'd really like to know sooner rather than later, after all.
Thanks, folks. Back to your regularly scheduled afternoon programming.
