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Blogs by Gill James
I have a slush pile too
6/23/2006 2:02:26 AM
I can understand how publisher's regard their slush pile.
I have a slush pile too
I regularly find myself thinking “that can go on the slush pile”. At the moment, it is about two foot high. It contains:
• Post that does not need an urgent reply but is worth thinking about
• Notes form courses, conferences etc. which are worth going through again.
• Books I have read that I want to write a review about or include a statement about them in the critical part of my PhD thesis.
• Interesting web sites, or bits of information I want to file away from magazines I have read.
• Sometimes just things that need to be put away somewhere else, but I didn’t have time when I first picked them up.
• “Closing” down a file about a one-to-one student or a school visit – keeping what is useful, evaluating what I have done, making a note of contact details and putting the “client” on a list of people I contact when I have new ideas, books signings / readings etc.
The beautiful irony is that, amongst all those papers, folders and books are one or two rejections slips to which I need to give some thought, perhaps, even if it’s only to fill in my “submissions” table with the word “r” and the date … but then of course to send that particular manuscript or proposal out on its way again.
It’s often boring work, so I confine myself to about one hour a day, but make an effort once a month to catch up.
There’s another pile, too – the pending pile –perhaps news of a conference, but I can’t afford it at the moment. The money might turn up before it’s too late. Something I’m waiting for a reply on, and must periodically chase. I try to tackle that once a week and clear once a month.
Occasionally, jut occasionally, like in that great slush pile at the publisher’s, I discover a gem. Like the other day when I found a cheque for £40.00 in what I thought was just an insurance quote.
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