Anyone have this problem?

sissybaby · Jan 21, 2013

I have a huge mess and I don't know what to do.

I can't locate one of my documents. I keep separate Word documents for all my queries. One for each manuscript. My brother said I should keep them in spreadsheets, but I'm more familiar with documents, and I tend to keep things as simple as possible.

Well, I have a PB manuscript I don't think I've queried for a couple of years now. I thought I had moved the document from our old PC over to my laptop, but I can't find it anywhere. Even in the trash bin.

Our PC crashed some time back, and we got a new one, so of course the document isn't on the new one.

My husband did take my laptop in the other day to have some memory added, but I can't imagine anyone wanting to erase that document, if it was even on there.

I don't know what to do. I know I didn't query it very much because it wasn't getting much feedback, so I was revising and trying to make it more marketable. But I know I did query it some.

Should I go ahead and send it out and hope I don't send it to anyone I've previously sent to? There aren't that many agents accepting PBs. I just don't want to offend anyone in case they were one of the few who I sent it to a couple of years back.

Anyone been here? Any advice? I'd really appreciate it.

Britwriter · Jan 21, 2013

Can you search your email folders? You could just search keyword query, if you're not sure what you'd have put in the subject line, or, if you recall the title, search for that? If you can search the title, you'll get a list of the emails you sent out.

If not, are you keeping the old title or changing it? If it's been a couple of years, and you've revised the manuscript and changed the title, I'd think you could go ahead and query it anyway, even if there is a chance you might be requerying one or two agents.

DavidBrett · Jan 21, 2013

You could always do something similar with the laptop itself and search the entire thing for the file if you know the entire name, or at least enough keywords to get to it. I've had files jump ship before, so hopefully it's still there.

Dave

benbradley · Jan 21, 2013

For what it's worth, this looks like a thread for Tech Help.

sissybaby said:
I have a huge mess and I don't know what to do.

I can't locate one of my documents. I keep separate Word documents for all my queries. One for each manuscript. My brother said I should keep them in spreadsheets, but I'm more familiar with documents, and I tend to keep things as simple as possible.

Well, I have a PB manuscript I don't think I've queried for a couple of years now. I thought I had moved the document from our old PC over to my laptop, but I can't find it anywhere. Even in the trash bin.

Our PC crashed some time back, and we got a new one, so of course the document isn't on the new one.

Do you still have the old computer or the hard disk drive from it? It doesn't have to "work" as far as being bootable, but if it's operational at all, you can get a separate cable/power supply (called something like a "USB hard drive interface cable") and look at the drive from your new computer and copy files over and stuff.

DavidBrett said:
You could always do something similar with the laptop itself and search the entire thing for the file if you know the entire name, or at least enough keywords to get to it. I've had files jump ship before, so hopefully it's still there.

Dave

Just search for .doc and it will show every Word document file on the computer. That may be a lot to look through, though.

MJWare · Jan 21, 2013

I may be in the minority here, but I say, just re-query. I bet no agent will remember, and if they do then they'll think you spent 2 years re-writing it. And if they get upset, then I bet they aren't the type of agent you want anyway.

Good luck with it, though!

Amarie · Jan 22, 2013

I'd say requery too. Two years is a long time. Plus, types of stories agents and editors are looking for change over time, so even if someone read it back hen and it wasn't what they were looking for, it might be now.

sissybaby · Jan 22, 2013

Thanks everyone. I didn't event think to put it in tech help.

My brother is helping me via phone. He told me to search my hard drive, but late last night he said I had to type it just as it was saved, and I don't think I did it quite right. He also reminded me to backup with the stick drive, which I (cough) don't do.

I'm still looking.

MJWare · Jan 22, 2013

sissybaby said:
Thanks everyone. I didn't event think to put it in tech help.

My brother is helping me via phone. He told me to search my hard drive, but late last night he said I had to type it just as it was saved, and I don't think I did it quite right. He also reminded me to backup with the stick drive, which I (cough) don't do.

I'm still looking.

If you know the beginning of the filename, then you can re-search for it using the "*", for a wildcard search like this:
Myquery*.doc
or
My*.doc
etc.

Best of luck!

jvc · Jan 22, 2013

I would say re-query away, the chance they will remember are slim. And after a few years it won't make a difference.

Oh, I can move this thread over to Tech Help, if you want to. Just let me know.

Smish · Jan 22, 2013

I also think it's safe to requery.

And I would suggest posting a thread in the tech help room, too. Jed or I can move this thread for you, if you like, but it's okay if you want to create a new post in that room, specifically focusing on how to fix the tech issue.

:Hug2:

Debbie V · Jan 28, 2013

I've heard agents say not to re-query unless the changes are significant, but I always feel there must be a time when it is okay. I'm not sure two years is long enough. I was thinking more like ten. Perhaps post that question in "ask the agents".

That said, double check that you aren't missing any other old files. If you're going to try to recover them, might as well be sure it's all of them.

I keep my queries in Word, note expected response times in LOTUS, maintain an Excel document to track, print rejections, and note subs on a list of info about editors and agents. Perhaps this is a little too redundant, but I thought you could pick one or two as a preventive back up system for the future.

You've also just given me my second reminder in two days that I should throw a disk in and back up everything. I lost it all due to lightning once, but my husband froze the hard drive and recovered everything. Terrifying. Ever grateful that that is his business.

Good luck getting answers and files.

Anyone have this problem?

sissybaby

Britwriter

DavidBrett

Alas, poor Yorick, he fed me 'nanas

benbradley

It's a doggy dog world

MJWare

Kidlit gang, Junior member.

Amarie

carpe libri

sissybaby

MJWare

Kidlit gang, Junior member.

jvc

Fearsome Dragon Mod

Smish

Reads more than she writes.

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others