Friday, August 31, 2007

Acceptance!

I got an e-mail from Torquere -- they want my story! I just about died of happy when I read it! :D

I wrote back to say the terms sounded fine and I'd be happy to see a contract. [understatment of the century]

This is so incredibly wonderful I can't even express how delighted I am. I've wanted to be a published writer since I was a teenager and having it finally happen has just blown me away. I called my mom and e-mailed my husband (who's out of town) and a couple of friends.

It's not quite a done deal yet -- I suppose rocks could still fall and kill me or something -- but close enough. And of course I now have all these questions bubbling up....

For example, I know that most writers on the print side of the neighborhood tend to stick with one publisher once they've sold something to them. If that publisher declines a later manuscript then the writer can shop it around, but for the most part writers tend to stay with one publisher unless there's some kind of a problem, or if they write something in a different genre which their current publisher doesn't carry. Is that true of electronic publishers? And does it make a difference that this is just a short story, even though it'll be marketed as a stand-alone? I'm working on stories for a couple of open anthologies with a different publisher -- would this be considered uncool now? Would it make a difference if it were a stand-alone story, like a novel, I'd planned to submit to a different publisher?

I know any formal option requirement will be in the contract, if there are any, so I can wait to see about that, but I'm thinking etiquette here rather than a contractual thing. Does anyone know? Or am I overthinking this...? [wry smile]

At any rate, whee! I'll be over here in the corner bouncing around hugging everyone. :)

Angie

6 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Hi Angie. Major congratulations! I remember that wonderful feeling so very well. If only we could capture it and bottle it.

As for "staying with a publisher," yeah, you're overthinking it. Book publishers often sign writers to 2 or 3 book contracts but I've never heard of that happening for short stories, and most of the time it doesn't happen for novels either. You should feel absolutely free to submit other stories to other anthologies. Of course you want to try to stay in good with the current publisher, but they aren't going to be upset with you if you submit a story to an open anthology somewhere.

Thanks also for visiting my blog. And congrats again.

Angie said...

Charles -- thanks! :D This is so cool, I just feel like bouncing on everyone, LOL! And yes, anyone who figures out how to bottle this feeling will be set for life, and their family for a dozen generations.

Thanks too for the info. I was afraid of tripping over one of those unwritten things that everyone knows except me. [wry smile] It's good to know I can still be at least somewhat promiscuous in my submissions. :)

Angie

Travis Erwin said...

Congrats!

It does feel good doesn't it.

I don't think people who are nto writers fully graps that feeling of acceptance, or how hard it is to come by.

Angie said...

Travis -- it feels wonderful. :D

And I think you're right. [nod] Someone who's not a writer can't really get just what it's like sending stories out and getting rejection slips, getting all excited about the "good" rejection slips that are still rejections, keeping going and finally getting that acceptance.

Thanks!

Angie

writtenwyrdd said...

congrats to you!

Angie said...

WW -- thanks! :D The glow is starting to fade finally, but only a little. [grin]

Angie