I wish they'd said it in fewer words, but they're good points.

Especially the part about it being just writing. If you're not saving lives or teaching kids or putting out fires, you really need to have some perspective.

dumb question for a cover letter - when it comes to listing previous publications, do you list only publications in the genre that you're submitting for consideration? What if a pub is so old that the moldy cheeses point and laugh at it?

eta: also, I'm a little nervous about sending this query out.

I think it depends. Do you have a few pubs in the genre you're submitting? You might just say, if so, "...as well as other pieces in TYPE OF publications."

Most recent is probably best, but you could also leave out dates.

Do you have a few pubs in the genre you're submitting

nuh and uh. newp. nada.

Thus, the nerves.

"Didn’t you hear me? We’re all crazy. Don’t hang out in little writer tribes."

Ahahahaha. Yeah.

My short story has been submitted. Now to wait... for a long time.

Yay Gud!! acceptance~ma!

Thanks! Now to send off the query letter for the novel. I think I'm going to change to a different editor at the agency though, I think it'll be a better fit. It means I'll need to adjust by letter a bit.

Editor? Do you mean another agent? (Meaning, get the title right! It does make a difference.)

Also, I'd like to apologize in advance for the wait. I know I used to stare at my submission pile, some of which had been there for almost nine months, and cringe with guilt. In my defense, though, I had no assistant!

Agent, yes, different agent at the same agency. The short story people I submitted to were editors. The novel query is going to an agent. The word editor never appears in the query letter :).