03 Jun I’m So Organized
So someone emailed me and told me how fast I am at responding to my queries, just like it says on my blog.
That doesn’t really have anything to do with this story, I just thought I’d share the compliment since you guys have been a little slow on the giving me compliments side lately.
Anyway, I started emailing back about how unfortunately, the rest of my submissions saga is true too, and I can sometimes be slow to read but that’s why it’s good for you to give me helpful reminders every once in a while etc. And then I went on about how one day I was going to be so organized and I’d have a system etc. etc.
And then it happened.
I decided that today should be that day!
Instead of yet another email describing this incredible system that I was going to implement, I decided to just do it.
As an aside, that would be such an awesome slogan for my blog. Do you think anyone else uses that one?
OK, back to The System.
I think part of the problem is that for years I have been envisioning this System where I would just think about a manuscript–you know, that one about that thing that sounded pretty good–and it would immediately get called up to the top of the lineup on my kindle and then I would read however many pages until I decided that I wasn’t interested (wait, I requested this??), The System would just immediately know to email the author with a kind, gracious, it’s a business of opinions and mine is just one kind of email but even more personal and better.
But today, I don’t know what it was, but I realized, this System is never coming.
(Wait, other agents, if you have a System like this, can you let me know?? Thx.)
So I just made my own system (read: list).
Check back next blog post to see if I’m actually using this. And what happened to all the submissions I had pre-list. Yeah, probably not pretty.
OMG, I just came up with a name for this system. Wait for it…
THE SLYSTEM!!!
Wait, maybe the sLYSTem?
Do you think if I title my file the Slystem I’ll never find it again?
Ok, to win a bonus pack of books or ARCs or something to be determined by me, at some point, guess how many manuscripts/books I currently have on my kindle in a disorganized mess. My kindle is probably 6 months old. Maybe 9 months? Closest guess wins.
But you also need to tell me how great you think my slystem is.
Oh wait! How many manuscripts/books, and 2nd guess: How long do you think it will take before you think my slystem breaks down? GO!
Kaniesha
Posted at 18:42h, 03 JuneI really love reading your posts. Seriously.
Okay, um. I don’t know anything about how author/editor/agent things work or how many manuscripts you guys regularly get.. I could probably google and find out but I’m not going to. That would potentially ruin the fun.. and probably sidetrack me and I’d forget what I was doing in the first place.
Alright, so I did google but only for about five minutes and didn’t find anything useful so I’m back here to guessing. I guess that you have eight manuscripts on your kindle. Is that a bad guess?
I feel like it’s bad luck to guess that your slystem is going to break.. but.. hm, maybe three months if it doesn’t work out. Three months is good to decide these sorts of things.
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 19:42h, 03 JuneSo I totally want to reward you, Kaneisha, for being first to comment and some nice compliments in there (even though you think my slystem is doomed to fail in 3 short months), but I should tell you I could probably load 8 manuscripts on my kindle in 1 15-minute query reading session if I were in some kind of crazy, wacky, happy mood.
Ok, maybe not 8. But could request 4. Although then I’d probably freak out and think I’m in too good a mood for query reading.
Kaniesha
Posted at 17:51h, 23 JuneIt’s been a few weeks since my first comment but after reading everyone else’s guesses… and plus you said no one is even close, does that mean we’re all under guessing (I certainly was) or that we’re not near the actual number? I’m going to guess 504 queries and 245 manuscripts. IS that too many? I really need to know now! Have you told everyone yet? This is so important.
Rena (@Renathewriter)
Posted at 20:18h, 03 JuneHow many manuscripts on your kindle of nine months? 97. Also, I think that your Slystem won’t break. like all things, part of it will be deemed unusable, so you’ll drop it. Then you’ll add something. This drop a part/add a part will last for about three years when the system that knows your preferences (or maybe just keeps a meta data file with notes like “read when sad” or “read at park” or “read over bourbon”) will take over.
CSTryon
Posted at 20:38h, 03 JuneI’m going to guess that you have 52. I know mine is NOT on your list because I took your advice and self-published it. 25 of my closest friends now own it and a half dozen women on the support group fan page that I frequent on facebook have it too.
If your slystem is anything like mine, you probably won’t be able to find anything. I prefer my organize piles. As far as emails are concerned, I put a star next to the important ones and I read them probably as often as you do yours.
Eileen Cook (@Eileenwriter)
Posted at 20:48h, 03 JuneI’m going with 95
Erin H.
Posted at 20:50h, 03 JuneYou really are fast! I am going to take a guess at 62, maybe 63 now that you have mine 😉
And I say 3 months, not until your Sylstem breaks, but 3 months until you upgrade your system. Isn’t that how all technology works?
Celia Lewis
Posted at 22:00h, 03 JuneI’m thinking that you have at least 184 MSs on your Kindle… and your Slystem is already breaking down – dead before midnight tomorrow.
christine danek
Posted at 08:16h, 04 JuneOkay. I think you probably have 200 MSs /books on your Kindle and the sLYSTem will take about 2-3 months to break down. I like the idea. 🙂
Jessa
Posted at 12:51h, 04 JuneUm… I’m going to guess 75 manuscripts/books. If you’re anything like me, the Slystem would be dead in about two weeks, but I have a feeling you’re not like me and thus it’ll take at least two months for the Slystem to fall.
Katharine
Posted at 12:56h, 04 JuneDo you put partials on your kindle too? If so, it is probably a very large number.
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 13:20h, 04 JuneI do put partials on as well as books I buy.
Abigail Johnson
Posted at 13:53h, 04 JuneI’m going to aim high and guess you have 137 ms/books on your kindle right now. And as for the Slystem, I’d give it two weeks. I’d love to hear more about this list, though. Is it just titles or do you have keywords or something to help you differentiate one from another? Cause I’m thinking even us non-agents could benefit from a Slystem
Kevin A. Lewis
Posted at 14:58h, 04 JuneKnowing how overloaded most agency systems (slystems??) are, I always confine my queries to a simple page describing my entree-like Bobby Flay, if I’m on my game the aroma should be enough for a full-course tryout and if not, I’ve saved my reader a lot of Kindle clutter and unnecessary brain strain; very few books pan out in the first five pages, and if the writer can’t write a compelling query, they’ll never be much of a fly fisherman either from where I’m sitting. (Although to be honest, I can’t tie a salmon fly to save my life)…………….
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 16:03h, 04 JuneEveryone has way underguessed so far, and if this were a contest guessing how many queries (with the 5 pages in the body of the email that I request on my submissions page) I have in my inbox, these guesses would be completely ridiculous.
The contest is for the number of manuscripts/books, I have found interesting enough to think I wanted to read more than 5 pages.
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 16:04h, 04 JuneNo one is even close.
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 16:05h, 04 JuneAlso, my sLYSTem has made it to day 2! Celia, it’s not looking good for you.
Wolfson Literary
Posted at 16:05h, 04 JuneHow many comments do you think I can put on my own post?
Wait, should that be another contest?? Nah.
Gloria Mendez
Posted at 17:54h, 04 JuneHow many manuscripts currently in your Kindle in the 6-9 months you’ve had it? Hmmm…. I’m going to say about 575 – 700, including partials.
The Slystem’s lifespan? That’s trickier… I give it at least a month… But by then, it will be summer and you will have come up with an even better system (Slystem 2.0, maybe?)
How many comments you can put on your own post? Oh, anywhere between 3 and 10, I’m gonna guess… (Do get brownie points for that?)
Katharine
Posted at 11:53h, 05 June624. Final answer.
I know one is mine… If you really do have 624, please take your time in getting to mine. I’m in no hurry.
JRJohansson
Posted at 07:44h, 06 JuneI think you have 802 and that the slystem shall (after a few initial hiccups)bow to your will, live on forever, and eventually become the industry standard in all agencies.
As all things should be that start with a name as genius as sLYSTem. 🙂
Kevin A. Lewis
Posted at 17:12h, 06 JuneSince I commented without venturing a guess, I’ll shoot for 949, a number based on blind whim like a lot of decisions in the publishing industry. By the way, I’m assuming that you wear your kindle around your neck with a cord attached so some 5-year-old doesn’t find it in Starbucks and use it to be proclaimed the latest YA produgy….
Lee Kilraine
Posted at 13:12h, 08 JuneMy guess is you have 1,347 manuscripts/books on your kindle. I’ll be optimistic and predict your new “sLYSTem” won’t break down, and by September you will make adjustments to it until it becomes so efficient that your “sLystem” will be a trending # on Twitter.
Catherine at Critique My Novel
Posted at 03:00h, 09 JuneI will guess, in 9 months with full and partial manuscripts, that you have 2,154.
And The slystem sounds great. I will remain optimistic for you and say that this will be the best thing you ever came up with.
ashley
Posted at 01:40h, 18 June2987 and if your slystem works like mine it will go well for a month and then die in month two. EVERYTIME. WITHOUT FAIL. I have better hopes and dreams for you
Team W ARC-pack | Wolfson Literary Agency
Posted at 16:23h, 23 June[…] must be given on the I’m So Organized post. But feel free to mention here how excited you are for these […]
Kate Larkindale
Posted at 14:17h, 24 JuneI’m guessing you have about 252 full MSs on your Kindle right now. Your slystem will work for a while, just as long as you’re finding it fun and shiny. Then, once it becomes too hard, it’ll fall by the wayside.