Purgatory's Pit of Doom

((((mario))) may today be better

I know so many schools depend on volunteers now, but you can never hit just the right balance. I'm glad after this year our volunteer hours will be cut way back-we've given our time, and once the kiddos hit 7th grade, there is no way I'm volunteering to chaperone school dances or go on field trips with teens.

Mr. Amarie spent three hours in heavy rain on Saturday morning mulching the school grounds with the same other three parents who show up to do these jobs. he's ready for a break as well.

Oh, I get why they do it, Fourlittle. The more parents are involved, the better for the school and kids. But I'm annoyed that I got stuck doing stuff I don't like.

ETA: I'm volunteering now because I can. Later I might not be able to, and it means a lot to kids and I do like knowing the teacher and children well. They're cute. But as Amarie says, volunteers who are most reliable are the ones who end up shoveling ... mulch.

LOL Amarie. S1ssy was MORTIFIED that I volunteered in her class last month. I finally had the time with getting laid off.

Mornin', Pit

{{{Mario}}}

{{{Kell}}}

I said it more excitedly up top where the sun shines, but here, Cricket I say: Moderately Happy Natal Day

Hey, Pit. ((Mario & Kellion))

Boy Wonder's back in school after his tonsillectomy last week. I almost don't know what to do with myself with only the baby underfoot. Two writers I know are having agent issues, both amount to deciding what hoops to jump through/tiring of jumping through hoops. They're frustrated. I don't mind being a listening ear for them, just wish there was something else I could do to help them through.

((Mario))

((Ink))

Kellion that sucks. Can you mention your thoughts to the teacher? I think you should be rewarded with a fun trip not punished for helping them out with the boring stuff!

And hellz yeah I'd love to read Red's memoirs!

*kicks tax season on its way out the door*

Cricket, get to feeling better and try to enjoy some pleasant, non-feverish activities for your Uterine Expulsion Anniversary.

\m/ WHOOT Cricket! Will you be taking any vacation? You earned it!

(((Kellion))) Grr... that seems awfully unfair.

(((Mario))) Hope today is better.

(((Cricket))) for not feeling well, but yay for tax season being over, and have a Moderately Pleasant Natal Day.

I'm dealing with lovely allergies today and working on three hours of sleep. If I don't crash and burn by 2pm, I'll consider it a miracle.

MrsBrommers said:

Hey, Pit. ((Mario & Kellion))

Boy Wonder's back in school after his tonsillectomy last week. I almost don't know what to do with myself with only the baby underfoot. Two writers I know are having agent issues, both amount to deciding what hoops to jump through/tiring of jumping through hoops. They're frustrated. I don't mind being a listening ear for them, just wish there was something else I could do to help them through.

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What hoops do they have to jump through with their agents? Just curious...

{{mario}} I had a hellish job in my Santa Cruz days, having to wake up at 4:30 to work in a coffee bar, dealing with schizophrenics and eccentric nutjobs in general. I used to come home and take it all out on my bf. I'd regret that now if he hadn't turned out to be a loser.

{{kelli}} I volunteer in my son's 4th grade class for reading groups. The trouble is the kids who I'm not reading with at the moment become loud, disruptive and rowdy. (Yes, the boys) Discipline is not my forte to begin with, much less disciplining other people's kids? I leave there wanting a shot of whiskey every time.

Amarie--don't they have gardeners to mulch?

{{Snapps}} I hear allergies are esp. heinous this year.

Cricket--may you have a low blood pressure, low fever, low stress day, filled with dreams of margaritas on a sunny beach! Happy Happy!

(((snappy))) sympathies on the allergies.

Catwoman said:

What hoops do they have to jump through with their agents? Just curious...


Amarie--don't they have gardeners to mulch?

!

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no, where we are, landscape workers/gardeners are in short supply and expensive, so the school hires out the mowing, but gets parents to do the rest of it.

ah, hoop-jumping, something no one tells you about in advance, but hard to avoid until you have some clout.

((Snappy))

Cat - I'm guessing they mean doing what their agents say - even if it doesn't ring true for them (for ex: being told 'write in this genre' even if their heart isn't 100% in it). Either that or lose the agent. Also having to bite their tongue on things like who the ms gets subbed to, how fast, edits etc. Not sure just listing a few hoops I had to jump through with my ex.

Also ((Cat)) I did discipline when I worked in the school system, but I never liked it.

Catwoman said:

What hoops do they have to jump through with their agents? Just curious...

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Very complicated. It amounts to being strung along and definitely gives merit to the adage, "No agent is better than a bad agent."

MrsBrommers said:

It amounts to being strung along and definitely gives merit to the adage, "No agent is better than a bad agent."

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T.H.I.S. I never really understood this until I was agented and dumped. But yes. This so hard.

(((Snappy)))

Mrs.B, ugh. Such a frustrating place to be stuck.

My agent call about R is supposed to be in 45 minutes, and my head is so far from that story that it might as well be in another WIP. Uh, which it is. *cries* I don't know how to make myself switch focus!

{{{DVI}}} The Force will be with you, always.

Amarie said:

ah, hoop-jumping, something no one tells you about in advance, but hard to avoid until you have some clout.

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Aint that the truth. It's ultimately the power of the purse. You start making people some money and they start jumping through hoops for you.

ink wench said:

(((Snappy)))

Mrs.B, ugh. Such a frustrating place to be stuck.

My agent call about R is supposed to be in 45 minutes, and my head is so far from that story that it might as well be in another WIP. Uh, which it is. *cries* I don't know how to make myself switch focus!

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Could you go back and read some of the book in question? Just to refresh your brain? Or is that too awful to consider? (Because I know that feeling.)

That's my plan. Along with a strong caffeine infusion. Alas, being at work, I'm only catching snippets here and there. I was supposed to think to be pondering changes, but my pondering place appears broken.

I was about to post something about an hour ago, but didn't. (It did occur to me that each time I see the word "agent" and don't have a rant, I should get points for restraint)

But you all said what I was going to say. (My guess was it was the usual: Wait, tinker with this, fix that, "no we're not ready to go on sub yet," or "no we are not going to submit to that house," yadda yadda)

I would venture to guess that there are power dynamics in every single relationship.

Part of the gaining of power is convincing the other person that they are helpless and dependent. Having watched the industry change over the past 20 years, I think the Internet has succeeded in creating a sense among agents that writers are entirely fungible because they have unlimited access to aspiring writers. Even when I had a contract on the table from a decent publishing house, I was still "fungible" to my agent because all he had to do was snap his fingers and fifty new writers with manuscripts just as good would line up.

ETA: at the risk of giving Steve the opportunity to imply I'm a commie, one solution would be for all writers to UNITE (ain't gonna happen, but I can dream.)

Teriann said:

I was about to post something about an hour ago, but didn't. (It did occur to me that each time I see the word "agent" and don't have a rant, I should get points for restraint)

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BWHAHAHA!! True Teri, very true.

Teriann said:

I was about to post something about an hour ago, but didn't. (It did occur to me that each time I see the word "agent" and don't have a rant, I should get points for restraint)

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*passes maggotini*

Agent call accomplished, my head is *slightly* more into the story now. The pittish spin on this (there's alway a pittish spin) is that she thinks the overall arc just isn't clear enough as. So I'm back to the plotting board, literally gonna have to write out what happens in each scene and why, and try rearranging the pieces again. This story is the jigsaw plot. Blerg.

Before Teri's head explodes, I see her points. The plot is ridiculously convoluted and complicated. Just shoot me before I ever again try writing a story that can't be told in chronological order.

Count me in the bad car karma. I just got pulled over for expired emissions inspection and had my car impounded on the way to picking up my daughter from school. I was in West Philly and they look for reasons to pull you over.

Unfortunately, my husband's car has been in the shop getting a dent repaired (which is partly why I didn't put my car in earlier even though I knew it had expired March 31). Fortunately, my sister only works a quarter mile away and was able to pick me up.

So if you've ever watched Parking Wars about the Philly impound lot, I'll be heading there later today or tomorrow -- with a tow truck, because they won't release an uninspected car otherwise.

I know. It's my fault. *cry* It's hard to be a grownup.

(((Ink))) I've yet to attempt the non-chronological order story. It terrifies me.

Since I'm feeling all kinds of miserable, I treated myself to a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. It didn't help, but tasted dang good.

(((Kellion))) Ridiculous. Impounded? Why not just a ticket? Geez.

(((Kellion))) That sucks. Shouldn't Philly cops be doing something more important? Not like it's a quiet, low crime kind of town.

kellion92 said:

I know. It's my fault. *cry* It's hard to be a grownup.

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Being a grownup fucking sucks. Sooo good your sister was handy.