This is why I haven't given up all hope on humanity

Because occasionally, people completely justify our continued survival as a species by doing things like what Chris Pesto, a junior at Syracuse University did in responding to a woman and her father who (though they aren't students there) like to walk around the campus holding signs saying "Homosexuality is a sin".

Though a slight boo to Syracuse University for having let the anti-gay protesters walk around campus several times previous without putting a stop to it.

Still, the response that Chris Pesto's protest drew makes my heart happy. And I'm in full agreement - that skirt really is an abomination. If not in God's sight, then definitely in mine.

Querying Writers: You need to read this!

I came across this post, entitled "Agent Query Policies: Stop the Griping" by Rachelle Gardner this morning while making my way around the usual places on the internet.

It's a good post. It's healthy for writers dealing with the inevitable frustration and teeth grinding anxiety that comes with submitting to remember that agents are busy, busy people. Long response times (or no response) is not a deliberate slight on their part. They're dealing with a day that only has 24 hours in it, and well, there's just only so much any human can do - and I do not think there is a single agent who deliberately keeps a longer response time than necessary or who withholds a response just to spite a writer. Non-response and long response times are the nature of the beast.

Remembering that agents are not trying to be rude can help with the frustration.

There is also a very important warning in that post, if you scroll down in comments. Agent Colleen Lindsay says, in this comment on the post,

I rejected a manuscript that I had been seriously considering last week because upon a cursory online search, I found a LiveJournal post by the author badmouthing me and several of my colleagues for what she thought were excessive response times. Well, that blog post cost her representation from at least one agent. (OH, and it was a LOCKED LibeJournal post. You do know that Google Reader doesn't respect locked posts, right? Well, you do now.)

This an extremely good warning to writers, and to all LiveJournal folk.

a) Google Reader does not respect locked posts at all. So what you think is private may not be private at all

and

b) Agents are reading your blog, they are paying attention, and they are Googling you. Be careful what you say on the internet, even when you think it's private.

That comment has scared the crap out of me. I don't think I've ever said anything that can be construed as badmouthing any particular agents, it definitely gave me pause. I wonder if my strong opinions have cost me representation. Have any agents looked at my blog and said, "Wow, this woman is mouthy and obnoxious. Reject!"

Some things I wouldn't mind getting rejected over. If an agent is so opposed to the idea that I fully and vocally support same-sex marriage rights, for example, its best we never work together.

Other things are not so simple. I was very outspoken about criticizing the proposed "new adult" category from St. Martin's, including being very critical of posts made about it. BTW, S. Jae-Jones earned a lot of respect from me for her response to my posts. I was probably far too harsh in some respects, but she handled it with considerable grace.

If an agent read those posts would they believe I'm difficult to work with?

If you are one of the agents who has or ever will have something by me under consideration, I'd like to say: I'm actually easy to work with. I take editorial direction well, I don't expect you to return calls or emails instantly, I understand that you're busy, I'm open to having anything I write torn apart for the sake of a better story, and I do try to conduct myself as a professional.

In the future, I'm definitely going to be twice as mindful of what I say online, even when I think it's private. Also, I'm possibly going to lodge a complaint with Google Reader for not respecting locked posts.

If you're also a writer querying about? I'd recommend the same.

Want. Want now.

N.K. Jemisin has posted the first of three sample chapters of her forthcoming 2010 release, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms on her website.

My only complaint? Is that there isn't more of this book for me to read right now. Because this looks like one of those things that I would absolutely eat up in one setting if I had it in my hands.

Another droplet of awesome in your day

I think agent Rachelle Gardner wins the internets for this post here, which was a follow up to yesterday's rather contentious post which got a lot of comments both positive and negative concerning writers who complain.

I have to commend her for really listening, even when it had to be really wince inducing to do so. I'd love to see more of this kind of thing from agents.

Also? I would love it if every agent set up an autoresponse system for queries. I don't mind a "no response equal rejection" policy if I have a way of knowing the email got there. A simple, "Your query has been received, if you don't get a response in [insert time frame], we aren't interested" would go a long, long way.