Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Labor Day weekend feels like an oxymoron to me. I know the idea behind the holiday is to give us laborers rest, but does it really translate that way for most of us?
In recent years, I’ve viewed the weekend as a chance to work really hard to catch up on all I intended to do during the summer. For those of us who work in publishing, that urgency seems very real since August is a more laid back month. Not that snoozing is ever an option, but August means summer hours at publishing houses, with some closing on Fridays. And it means publishing employees taking summer vacations so publishing decisions are generally delayed if not postponed until…after Labor Day.
Once September hits, publishing moves into major motion. Everyone returns to the office and realizes all that must be put into place before the holidays. Round about Thanksgiving the year seems to crash around publishing’s head, and people stand around the proverbial water cooler discussing who is taking off which days and just how the office will celebrate Christmas.
All that brings me back to my Labor Day this year, which has the added oddity of trying to figure out how to work in my re-entry to publishing after taking off a few bereavement weeks. My strategy is to slip in gradually and quietly, with a small blog today, a few calls during the week, finalizing a few deals, and sending out a proposal here and there. But to accomplish that, this weekend I’m definitely landing on the “labor” vs.”rest” side of the scale. My list includes: finalizing an e-newsletter announcing some new projects our agency has to show editors, which will be sent out right after Labor Day; working on our agency’s retreat schedule; preparing proposals to send out; and pondering how to respond to a couple of new potential clients.
What are you laboring at this weekend? Or are you resting before the breakneck pace of all hits hard?
I’m hunkered down, writing, with an Oct 1 deadline and a jam-packed September/October. Gotta get back to work!
Your agent approves of your Labor Day labors!
Good mornig Janet. First and foremost, my deepest condolences on your loss. I’ve been praying for you and your family.
Rest this weekend! For lo, and nigh upon the land cometh school and hockey/soccer/swimming and a schedule so tight my freckles squeak.
I started a friend’s book at 11pm Saturday night and actually pondered taking it to church to red during the sermon, but I didn’t.
I MADE myself sit outside and read yesteday. You get that, don’t you? A mom forcing herself to do NOTHING.
Today, I’m going blackberry picking at my friend’s farm. They have alpacas, geese, horses, cats, dogs, alpacas, horses, alpacas and some alpacas. And cats.
And enough blackberries for me, and ALL their friends, to make jam and pie. The canes are loaded near the alpaca fence. I hope alpacas like redheads and little boys. It’s okay though, I speak a little Spanish 🙂
Have you seen the Staples commercial? Where the parents are dancing down the aisles and “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” is playing?
It’s based on real life.
Jennifer, I haven’t seen that commercial. I’ll have to hunt it down. And now I have that song in my head! But that’s okay. I like that song. 🙂
🙂
There’s an alpaca farm about a mile from my house! Such soft fur on such mean animals.
Jennifer, I’m so glad you forced yourself to do nothing. 🙂
Jennifer, I think that’s my favorite commercial. I certainly started doing a similar dance last week when the girls went back to school. 🙂
My theme song for the start of school was the Hallelujah Chorus. But “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” is also SOOO fitting!! : )
Glad I’m not the only one with a song in her heart for school days!
I am working! Yay! I’ve already written almost 1K on my wip this morning, and have another hour to go before it’s officially time to start my day.
We have a church retreat each weekend before Labor Day where a majority of our church goes away to a camp for the weekend. We have the entire grounds to ourselves so we let the kids stay up late, fish, and sit around and talk. So for us Labor Day tends to be laundry and unpacking and recovering day. 🙂 But the weekend was worth it.
Galleys arrived last week, and an other-wise lazy holiday weekend has been the perfect time to do the read-through and add the tweaks my editor and I brainstormed. Getting them done and ready to mail back on Tuesday has the added benefit of jumpstarting my work week with a major plus on the side of progress. Also, because I’m currently working on the second book in this series, these galleys have reminded me of a whole bunch of little details about my hero (a secondary character in book 1) that I plan to go back in and add to my manuscript.
However, I’m also stopping work midday to spend time with friends. So, I’ll say I’m mostly laboring with a side of fun. How’s that?
Sounds like a perfect Labor Day, Kathleen.
It was. I hope yours was too.
At the beach + hubby’s home to wrangle kiddos = I’m taking advantage of it all and writing. Quiet concentration is otherwise non-existent in our household of 10.
I haven’t had the privilege of meeting you, Janet, but I have been praying for you these past weeks.
~Kendra
Thanks, Kendra and everyone for your prayers. They have been a sustaining force for me.
A household of 10!? Take advantage of every moment of quiet you can muster!
A question: Does this “post-Labor Day busyness” make September a worse time to submit proposals? Is October better?
Thanks!
I’m sure that varies from agent-to-agent, but our agency still is making its way through proposals we’ve requested.
If you send directly to publishing houses, I’d think mid-September might be a good time.
I’ve often said the only thing worse than too much to do is not enough. Glad you’re coming back to work gently. I’m betting it actually feels pretty good.
I was thinking today about the difference between working because you have to and working because you want to. For me, Labor Day is a day to choose the work I want. Writing, a trip to the dog park, writing, cooking and maybe some writing. Is it work if you’re having a good time? Is the floor dirty if you spill laundry detergent?
I love working on holidays because I can focus on projects that require longer stretches in which to concentrate. Plus I take time out, like you, to walk the dog or create a savory meal. Somehow not having to work set hours is freeing. I love your question about the dirty floor, by the way.
I’m taking the day off work to write on something screaming at me, but that I don’t plan to finish any time soon. Because it’s fun.
Janet, it’s so wonderful to have you back! I’m praying God’s continued watchcare over you as your heart heals.
Today is 1/2 of each: family time & revisions.
Thanks, Cynthia.
I feel for you, Janet. I usually have a hard time getting back to work after time off for grieving. Because after someone dies the things that used to feel important are somehow not important anymore. At least that’s how it always feels to me for a while.
As for me…I’m just home from a five-day conference (Christian Communicators, with Vonda Skelton. Such a good conference), so I’m tired and doing very little beyond working through email and trying to wrap my head around where God might be sending me.
Then you really are laboring today.
Yes, grief is a strange animal. I think it’s fine if the world wants to go on as if my husband hasn’t died, but I’d like permission to step aside from daily activities for a lot longer than society dictates. On one hand, it’s good to be back in the land of the living.
Agreed–on both hands.
Janet, for a quick post you sure included a lot of useful information.
I’ll be doing some work on a ms and maybe even submit something I worked on a while back if it still seems ready after the time away from it. Thanks to the internet that can be done any day or time.
Yes, the Internet is good news/bad news. Everyone is accessible 24/7, but so are we…
Hi Janet,
You have been in my prayers – so glad you have such a wonderful support team in your partners at Books & Such.
Sounds like a plan – gradually and quietly.
Blessings and welcome back,
Becky
Becky, I am so thankful for the support the Books & Such agents and my assistant have provided for me. It’s made a world of difference to know I could step aside and attend to my family’s immediate needs. I know this comes at a sacrifice to each of the Books & Such staff because their plates already were full. But they’ve been gracious and kind and given me the space I needed. Oh, the joys of being part of a team!
My sincerest condolences, Janet. I think life would lose its bliss if I lost my Sweet Baboo.
My father used to always say, “It’s called Labor Day for a reason. Now start laboring!” I took Friday off from my day job to submit queries to agents. Saturday was spent picking blackberries and peaches, followed by making about 30 pints of jam (my hands are still purple). Sunday was church, choir, and dinner for 20 people at my house (all relatives who kindly helped with the cooking and clean-up). Today is yard work, picking and canning tomatoes, and changing a scene my potential publisher asked me to revisit.
I look forward to going to work tomorrow. It’ll be nice to have a break from hard labor!
Ann, what’s your blackberry jam’s sugar to berry ratio??
“Welcome to Books and Such, where you can read the blog, comment or find a good jam recipe”
😉
But your Labor Day work is very different from your day job, I suspect, and that change in rhythm is important for creative types.
I’ve been praying for you, Janet, and will continue to. I understand what you mean about the strange feeling of the rest of the world going on despite the fact that someone you love with all your heart has died. Although I haven’t lost a spouse, I have lost both of my parents. My dad was the first, and after being up most of the night with my family, I had to go to work the next day. Thankfully, my boss kindly sent me home and told me not to come back for a week. Of course the grief doesn’t go away in a week, but it really does help to get back around people who are doing normal things. Somehow that normal routine is comforting. Just be kind to yourself and know that you are embraced in prayer.
In regards to Labor Day, in my life I have worked in retail and as a nurse. In both occupations, I worked on Labor Day (and most other holidays, including Thanksgiving and New Years). Now that I’m a teacher, I am technically off on Labor Day, but teachers are rarely actually off during the school year. I spent a good part of the day working on syllabii and lesson plans. The other part of my day was doing fun work–writing posts for my two blogs. Now, it’s time to relax. Yay!
Take care. Blessings to everyone! 🙂
Thanks for your kind remarks. And enjoy the rest of your Labor Day labor-free!
Welcome back, Janet. I’m glad to see you slowly moving back into your schedule. My prayers for you and your family continue.
This weekend was definitely a work weekend. I’m copyediting a manuscript for a client. Hope to be done mid-week so I can do some writing for myself.
Many blessings,
Cheryl
Janet, may your work be a familiar comfort, your security blanket of blessing.
I watched more than helped as Habitat for Humanity volunteers, including my husband, moved donations to the Habitat ReStore. It was their Labor Day labor of love.
But you were there, being supportive of their labor,right?
Labor Day was catching up on writing blog posts for September and October and saying good bye to the last of our Weekend/summer company. That means washing sheets, restocking the kitchens in 3 houses and serving left overs for meals!! Thank you for a fun-to-think-about post, Janet. Blessings as you move into September busy-ness.
I labored. I optimistically had a to do list with about a dozen items — and finished one!