Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Still breathing...

Someone asked for my work to do list. I was hesitant to do that, because it'd just be a repeat of this post, or else it'll be like Cheryl Klein's post here, where the comments upset me. I don't mean to whine, because it's not productive, but I hate feeling like I can't ever get caught up, and I hate feeling like I'm not responding to people quickly enough, or leaving emails go unanswered for weeks.

But...well, since you asked, let me show you this, my schedule from two Thursday's ago:

And then the next day I was out of the office for the SCBWI Intensive Writer's Workshop which I wrote about here. And missing those two days of emails put me so behind in my responses that my inbox got so clogged up that I could barely send an email without getting more email telling me that my inbox was over my memory limit, and to please delete mail, so I try to clean out my email inbox just enough so that I can actually send email. And then last week I was busy putting together two proposals for our acquisition meeting this week, and also found myself in the middle of a big auction for a big book that I want very badly. So I was up to my ears in P&Ls and comparable titles and writing my pitches. And then a minor celebrity was pitching a book and wanted a meeting, so I that took time to prepare for, and then there's the three Spring 2008 picture book manuscripts that I need to edit that should have been transmitted to copyediting last August, and the Spring 2008 novels that also need editing, and the Fall 2007 catalog pages that are circulating, and first-pass and second-pass pages for my Fall 2007 novels, and the proof for my Fall 2007 picture books, and sketches for a Spring 2007 picture book, and final art for another Spring 2007 picture book, and then more emails and emails and emails. And then needing time to read manuscripts for other editors for editorial meeting, and trying to read my own submissions, and then more emails, and phone calls, and meetings meetings meetings. And second-pass pages for a 200+ nonfiction book just landed on my desk today to review. And having to figure out costing issues for same book. And of course every day I have meetings meetings meetings.

Okay, I'll stop now. Seriously, I apologize, I'm feeling much better today after a packed yet relaxing three-day weekend, and I was also finally able to clean my room which has been a disaster zone for weeks. Of course I meant to do a lot of reading over the holidays, but instead only read 3/4 of a novel submission. But I've been reading manuscripts tonight and enjoying it. Oh, to be able to have time to read again. I just booked a week-long vacation to San Francisco for April, and aside from looking forward to seeing all my friends and relatives there, I'm also looking forward to a week of sitting in cafes and just reading for pleasure.

Anyway, so that's what I've been up to. Now back to my reading.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow...I gotta stop sending my editor superflous emails. Thanks for the glimpse into your day.
Greg

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain. I don't know if it is just this season but things seem to be coming at me from all sides. A lot of stuff to do and not enough time in the day to get it all done. I am hoping things will have calmed down by the time we move, or maybe a little bit after that. But seriously...I hope it is by the time we move.

Anonymous said...

San Francisco? San Francisco in April? Reading in cafes? Hmmmm. Check this out: http://www.baybread.com/cole.php

A very fine place to read...

Katherine

Anonymous said...

Here Alvina, I've brought you a whole plate of cupcakes I just made. You deserve them!! :) Hang in there.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Alvina. If you want, you can temporarily set me up as comment moderator so that I can zap any nasty comments. It's my fault, not Alvina's; I'm the one who asked.

Something's got to give. So how will you deal with the insanity? Will a project be pushed back a season? Will you be excused from some meetings? Will you not edit as thoroughly as you might like? Will you pass on new projects that you might otherwise be inclined to accept? Or will it all get done somehow?

Do you worry?

I hope you're running, or getting some physical activity. Stay healthy.

alvinaling said...

Hi Jennifer,

No problem. Do I worry? A little. I get anxious. I dream about work.

Do I worry that I may not be as careful in my editing and reviewing of materials as I might be if I had more time? Yes. But I hope that my natural inclination to be careful balances that out. The main result is that I take longer to respond to people, to emails, to submissions, that sometimes you have to bug me twice or three times before I respond. And I think I'm perhaps more curt in my responses, and may have more typos in emails. That I work longer hours (am still at work now). I think I've also become less inclined to do revisions with promising novels before acquisition, although I still of course am doing this.

And yes, I'm still exercising. Went running this morning. And I'm keeping busy socially, too. I need that balance.

Thanks, everyone, for your sympathy! I'll survive, the books will be published. We will all survive.

Disco Mermaids said...

Wow, I'm exhausted just reading that. And I thought I had it bad just getting my little boy to preschool on time...

Go for a run!!

:-) Robin

Eveline said...

oh god. this brought the memories back. stress sucks. i keep telling people that the whole 5 months i was bumming around china unemployed, i didn't get sick once. coincidence? i think not. & then my first month on the new job i totally got this sore throat/runny nose cold dealio.