There’s a couple of exciting things going on right now (more details to follow soonish), but I find myself in the unenviable position of waiting on all sorts of things. Response, phone calls, answers, etc. I’m going through queries in an effort to get caught up, but also to help relieve other people’s anxiety about waiting.
You could say we’re all in this together, and you wouldn’t be wrong.
So — what do you do while you’re waiting? When you have a set time to wait (like, you know you’ll have an answer tomorrow, if you can just get there), or when you’re just hoping, someday soon, someone will tell you what you’ve longed to hear? How do you occupy your time?
Give me your tips!
Image from Flickr user Sindri Svan’s photostream.
Filed Under: Slushpile
Tags: waiting
August 26th, 2009 at 6:42 am
The next project and copious amounts of refreshing my inbox.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:02 am
When Gwen said. With worrying thrown in for good measure.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Erm, I mean WHAT Gwen said.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:07 am
I totally agree with Gwen and Trish. I also try hard not to "write fiction" about all the terrible reasons why I haven't heard anything yet. Keeping my head on straight is probably the toughest part.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:12 am
Obsess, obsess, obsess. Eat cheese. Get distracted by distracting day job. Pet cats and dog. Obsess.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Oh, dear. I'm currently going through this right now. I have two queries out that are a bit overdue. Um. Hit the in-box. Then Blogspot. Then Twitter.
Got bonus. Check Amazon to see where my package is. Check AT&T to make sure my phone payment went through.
Process three RFI's (work).
Check in-box. Then Blogspot. Then Twitter. Then Amazon.
(work…for a little longer)
I've been doing this all day. AND to make matters worse, I'm telling myself that the waiting doesn't matter! What a dolt! I've gotten NOTHING done today.
August 26th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Walk the dogs.
Or maybe that's my suggestion.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:03 am
http://omgpop.com
I'm sorry I showed this to you… it's more addicting than an MMO–you've been warned.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:06 am
*sigh* Just made the rounds…again. Nothing much has changed. Some Twitterings.
Need to get two more budgets done. GADS!
Jamie, I couldn't figure out the game. Does it require sound?
August 26th, 2009 at 8:10 am
Second-guess my chances and attempt to rewrite the project from scratch. Duh.
August 26th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Once I kick a project out the door, I settle into my favorite pastime: Tequila. Lots and lots of tequila. Once the hangover passes, I get to work on the next project.
Wait, isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result? Hmmm. I should crack open another bottle and think about that. Then, back to work!
August 26th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Do all those chores I put off before the intense waiting… and try to ignore the computer – which is nearly impossible. Seriously considering FREEDOM – which is a program for the mac that will turn off internet access for a specified period of time. I so need it!
August 26th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Great question! If I've exhausted all my procrastination/obsessive behavior options (twitter, facebook, reading blogs) I'll usually leave my house and try to get some errands done. This is why I love my blackberry so much, because it gives me the freedom to do other things while I wait for emails and phone calls!
Then again, I haven't started querying agents yet. I'm sure I'll develop completely new habits for that kind of waiting (I vote for shoe and purse shopping).
August 26th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Julia, I got FREEDOM and it is SO GOOD but then when your time is up you are even MORE insane.
August 26th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I sing the Jeopardy theme song. This isn't so bad when I'm waiting for the popcorn in the microwave, but it gets really annoying after about three days or so.
Actually, I read. A lot. But the first answer is funnier.
August 26th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
I watch TV. Lots and lots of TV. Newest obsession: Warehouse 13 on the ScyFy channel. Amazing.
August 26th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
I work on the next project or try to find things that take me away from the house so I'm not checking my inbox every five minutes. I'm actually getting ready to submit again next month (ish) and I'm tempted to wait until NaNoWriMo so I really WON'T have time to think about it.
August 27th, 2009 at 7:36 am
I only let myself check my e-mail once (or maybe twice) a day. Of course, that's only if I get to check my e-mail at all – a two-year-old and a two-month-old have a way of eating up all your spare time:)
August 28th, 2009 at 2:01 am
It's this great little invention called TV. Get's your mind off everything. Monk, Psych, NCIS, and Royal Pains are pretty good shows.
Or, if you're one of those productive people, unlike me, you could work on something else or go for a jog or something.
September 1st, 2009 at 2:09 am
Have a garage sale. It'll take you a month to purge your house of everything you don't need, one weekend to sell it all, and about 5 minutes to spend the $20 you made.