I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Oh great internet brain… Submission software

Any recommendations for submission software, websites, do it yourself paper versions. I'm getting close to submitting to agents and would like to do this a little more methodically that I've done before. If all else fails I might create a spreadsheet for it. So, duotrope, submissmash, story tracker, any experience with these?

Right now I think I just need to complete the query letter and compose a 1-2 page synopsis (that seems to be the majority of submission guidelines). How hard could it be?

5 comments:

vince said...

How hard could it be?

You know that's just asking the universe for trouble, don't you? :-)

Mer said...

I tried using Sonar submission software, but honestly, a spreadsheet was the way to go on this one for me. Agent querying isn't a simple binary, with the differing requirements (sample pages for this one, not for that) and partials and fulls and exclusives that nothing quite did it the way I wanted.

Plus, my rejection-triggered cascade plan needed a flow chart. And no one does submissions flow charts.

Anonymous said...

Steve:

I would recommend spending $20 and joining Query tracker.net. You can join for free, but it's a really valuable service.

I've been using it for 4 years, and keep up my subscription because I will return to the agent search anon.

Cath

Dr. Phil (Physics) said...

I use a Word document. Unlike a spreadsheet, you can freeform notes on subs if you don't have time. This includes separate sections for subs by Commercial Market and another by story title (Invenstory). That way I can double-check to see if story #75 has gone to market X, or what stories market X has gotten. Prevents duplicates.

All subs get a WordPad document for the cover letter. And I copy/paste all email rejections and transcribe the written ones into a Latest Rejections WordPad file.

Dr. Phil

Steve Buchheit said...

Thanks, everybody.


And yeah, Vince, I was poking my finger in the eye of the Universe with that one.