Comments on: Publishing houses and the mysterious month of December… http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/ Make yourself at home, this should be fun. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:51:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Sarah McCarty http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3993 Sarah McCarty Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:04:13 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3993 Thanks Cynthia. I was a little nervous about it selling. I knew my editor at Berkley was intrigued by the concept, but until I got time to sketch out a rough proposal there was no knowing. Finally found time to do that and the news was good! As far as rejections go, I remember back in the day when the months everyone hated to visit the mailbox (told you it was back in the day) were end of September and Mid December because masses of rejections always went out then. September likely because that's when houses do their budgets and redefine their plans and December because, well, heck, would you want to come back after vacation to a backlog of work? At least, that was always my assumption of the process and probably indicative of nothing. Thanks Cynthia. I was a little nervous about it selling. I knew my editor at Berkley was intrigued by the concept, but until I got time to sketch out a rough proposal there was no knowing. Finally found time to do that and the news was good!

As far as rejections go, I remember back in the day when the months everyone hated to visit the mailbox (told you it was back in the day) were end of September and Mid December because masses of rejections always went out then.

September likely because that’s when houses do their budgets and redefine their plans and December because, well, heck, would you want to come back after vacation to a backlog of work?

At least, that was always my assumption of the process and probably indicative of nothing.

]]> By: Cynthia Eden http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3991 Cynthia Eden Fri, 21 Dec 2007 04:35:18 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3991 Laura, the same thing is happening at my husband's office. I think between say Dec. 20 and Jan. 3--that seems to be pretty dead. Laura, the same thing is happening at my husband’s office. I think between say Dec. 20 and Jan. 3–that seems to be pretty dead.

]]> By: Laura J. http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3990 Laura J. Fri, 21 Dec 2007 02:03:07 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3990 I think skelton staff is rampant in all businesses at this time of year. My husband place of business will pretty much be vacant next week. He was suppose to be off on vacation, but now he has to go in. He doesn't mind too much because it will be quiet and he can get stuff done without much interuption. I don't know much about the publishing world, but this was a really interesting topic. I know as a reader looking for new stuff coming out there isn't much out there. But January is looking good! I think skelton staff is rampant in all businesses at this time of year. My husband place of business will pretty much be vacant next week. He was suppose to be off on vacation, but now he has to go in. He doesn’t mind too much because it will be quiet and he can get stuff done without much interuption.

I don’t know much about the publishing world, but this was a really interesting topic. I know as a reader looking for new stuff coming out there isn’t much out there. But January is looking good!

]]> By: Cynthia Eden http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3988 Cynthia Eden Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:02:04 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3988 Sarah, I think you're onto something with the "skeletal" staff idea. Sounds very reasonable to me. And congrats on closing on your Reapers Series! Marissa--I'd forgotten about the after summer vacation/conference cleaning! Thanks for bringing that up! Hi, Denise! So sorry to hear about the rejections (those suck so much), but, yep, I've gotten those at all points in the year, too! Hi, Lauren!! I'm thrilled for you! :-) And you deserve all the success you have. Happy Holidays!! Sarah, I think you’re onto something with the “skeletal” staff idea. Sounds very reasonable to me. And congrats on closing on your Reapers Series!

Marissa–I’d forgotten about the after summer vacation/conference cleaning! Thanks for bringing that up!

Hi, Denise! So sorry to hear about the rejections (those suck so much), but, yep, I’ve gotten those at all points in the year, too!

Hi, Lauren!! I’m thrilled for you! :-) And you deserve all the success you have.

Happy Holidays!!

]]> By: Lauren http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3986 Lauren Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:23:18 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3986 Wheee! Thank you for mentioning the deal. I just love to see that. It makes me happy, LOL. I'm just thrilled and thankful so I'm happy to celebrate it any old time. I think things do slow down though at certain cycles. For me, I've made all my NY sales but one in November and December so it's not that they stop altogether but certainly it seems harder to get hold of people in December and also around Nationals and at the end of summer too. Wheee! Thank you for mentioning the deal. I just love to see that. It makes me happy, LOL. I’m just thrilled and thankful so I’m happy to celebrate it any old time.

I think things do slow down though at certain cycles. For me, I’ve made all my NY sales but one in November and December so it’s not that they stop altogether but certainly it seems harder to get hold of people in December and also around Nationals and at the end of summer too.

]]> By: Denise A. Agnew http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3984 Denise A. Agnew Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:52:46 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3984 :twisted: Well, I just got two rejections in the last month, one from a NY publisher and one from an epublisher. :) :wink: But I think it can be hard to sell any time of the year. :) Denise A. Agnew :twisted: Well, I just got two rejections in the last month, one from a NY publisher and one from an epublisher. :) :wink: But I think it can be hard to sell any time of the year. :)

Denise A. Agnew

]]> By: Marissa Scott http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3982 Marissa Scott Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:17:07 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3982 I believe they also do massive desk cleaning after summer vacation to make room for all those manuscripts they've acquired at the conferences over the summer. :shock: :evil: There are certain times of the year when making a sale is harder. I truly believe that. Good post, Cynthia. I believe they also do massive desk cleaning after summer vacation to make room for all those manuscripts they’ve acquired at the conferences over the summer. :shock: :evil: There are certain times of the year when making a sale is harder. I truly believe that. Good post, Cynthia.

]]> By: Sarah McCarty http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3979 Sarah McCarty Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:28:30 +0000 http://www.thebradfordbunch.com/cynthia/publishing-houses-and-the-mysterious-month-of-december/#comment-3979 Hmm, I don't know. I know we closed my latest (Reapers Series) a couple weeks ago. There was a sense of urgency to decide on dates because agent and editor wanted to get contracts in process before the house closed down for the holiday. Closed down is a metaphorical term I think. Likely houses don't officially close, but are running on skeletal staff due to vacations. Seriously, I'm so busy this time a year even if I sold I'd have to schedule the time to be excited about it in January. :roll: I tend to extrapolate that same sense of real life on hold to others so I'm inclined to believe editors and agents don't do a lot of business from the week before Xmas through the new year. Hmm, I don’t know. I know we closed my latest (Reapers Series) a couple weeks ago. There was a sense of urgency to decide on dates because agent and editor wanted to get contracts in process before the house closed down for the holiday. Closed down is a metaphorical term I think. Likely houses don’t officially close, but are running on skeletal staff due to vacations.

Seriously, I’m so busy this time a year even if I sold I’d have to schedule the time to be excited about it in January. :roll: I tend to extrapolate that same sense of real life on hold to others so I’m inclined to believe editors and agents don’t do a lot of business from the week before Xmas through the new year.

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