Middling It

[SmallThing]

Originally Posted by alexshvartsman

No big deal, but it does support my policy of querying as soon as the market allows: this is the third time in the last several months that I one of my submissions had gone missing.

Alex, have missing subs been an issue for you at markets with submission managers of some sort? I've got something that's been out for a long time at a place that responds fairly quickly. Haven't quite reached the query after date yet, but submishmash still lists it in progress.

Waiting on a missing sub is one of my writerly anxieties. I'm sorry you've been running into it lately.

[alexshvartsman]

@Michael: I'll probably be sending the rewrite your way for a second opinion when it done

@KitKat: If it was more or less a form second round bump-up, a response from you is not expected/necessary. GL with those subs!

@SmallThing: For me all 3 were normal, e-mail subs. And it wasn't an email issue - in each case they found the submission after I queried.

I'm also worried about my Abyss & Apex sub (out since Nov 1, not a word) - but their query time is 60 days, so I won;t be able to check up on it till 2012.

[mhaynes]

Originally Posted by alexshvartsman

@Michael: I'll probably be sending the rewrite your way for a second opinion when it done

Feel free. I'll looking forward to reading it!

[pangalactic]

I'm sitting on a 17-story pile of crickets at the moment, and have been for a couple of weeks apart from an R from Apex. I guess I'm middling it.

[SmallThing]

Originally Posted by alexshvartsman

@SmallThing: For me all 3 were normal, e-mail subs. And it wasn't an email issue - in each case they found the submission after I queried.

I'm also worried about my Abyss & Apex sub (out since Nov 1, not a word) - but their query time is 60 days, so I won;t be able to check up on it till 2012.

At least your subs reached their destination, I suppose. Still frustrating to be waiting on something when no one realizes you're waiting.

Were I to guess at A&A's approach to slush, I'd say they have some kind of preliminary sort, with things that aren't right for them being rejected during the reading period, and things that need a closer look being held until the end. So, I think not having heard is more likely a good sign, then a missing story.

[Project Deadlight]

Originally Posted by alexshvartsman

Two "middling it" updates for me today. First, a rewrite request from "One Buck Horror" was waiting for me this morning. They read the story when it was in top 10 of Cafe Doom horro

That's a market I really want to crack. Good luck!

[Project Deadlight]

Oh god... so I had this story out at a market for nearly 110 days. Eventually they responded to my second query saying they hadn't got it. They encouraged me to send it again with another story I wanted to send. So I sent it. They have now had it another 40 days and aren't responding to my query.

This market has essentially had my story since it was written in June and it is one of my favourites. I wouldn't mind if it weren't for their absolutely archaic submission policy which is done entirely by post and SAE and you have to wait for either a rejection, or if it goes missing you have to wait until you can't any longer then submit elsewhere because YOU probably didn't put enough stamps on your SAE. Agghhh!

[mhaynes]

Middling It, but not in a bad way... Received an email today that one of my submissions moved on to a second round of consideration. Now, to go back to waiting.

(Not expecting many crickets this week, though... LOTS of stories likely to get replied to this week per average RTs.)

[Lillie]

Originally Posted by Project Deadlight

Oh god... so I had this story out at a market for nearly 110 days. Eventually they responded to my second query saying they hadn't got it. They encouraged me to send it again with another story I wanted to send. So I sent it. They have now had it another 40 days and aren't responding to my query.

This market has essentially had my story since it was written in June and it is one of my favourites. I wouldn't mind if it weren't for their absolutely archaic submission policy which is done entirely by post and SAE and you have to wait for either a rejection, or if it goes missing you have to wait until you can't any longer then submit elsewhere because YOU probably didn't put enough stamps on your SAE. Agghhh!

Hmmm. Can you send it recorded? If it's in this country? It's only a quid. They have to sign for it. I do that for any official or government body, even when they send you a prepaid reply envelope.
If it's got that sticker on it, the post office take care of it more, and they can't say they didn't get it.

As for weird submission processes, I have one at a place where if they don't send rejections. You just have to wait 90 days, and if you haven't heard, they don't want it.
Mine is at 73 days. Clearly they don't want it, but I'll let it do it's time. It's not like I can think of anywhere else to send it.

Meh, some places are just strange.

[Sai]

I have a story under review at Asimov's. I know that's just the usual procedure, but I still can't help but hope. I really think this story is a good fit for the magazine so I'm eager to see what they think. Argh, must stop checking e-mails, must focus on work...

[Project Deadlight]

Originally Posted by Lillie

Hmmm. Can you send it recorded?
Meh, some places are just strange.

Good plan - only issue is this place ALSO don't accept recorded deliveries. My subscription is up for renewal soon...

[victoriajakes]

For some reason, the wait at Apex feels longer than all my other waits. It's only been 8 days at Apex, compared to some of my other pieces that have been out now for 47, 84, and 94 days, but these 8 days at Apex feel like forever. It must be the tiny amount of daylight we're getting now. Just sitting around forever in the dark, waiting to hear from Apex...
...I need another hobby.

[faerydancer]

Originally Posted by Sai

I have a story under review at Asimov's. I know that's just the usual procedure, but I still can't help but hope. I really think this story is a good fit for the magazine so I'm eager to see what they think. Argh, must stop checking e-mails, must focus on work...

I'm under review there, too. How long has it been for you? Mine's been since Sunday, I think. This makes me anxious! lol

[Sai]

I think it's been under review since Saturday, but it might have been Sunday as well. I almost wish I didn't know, just so I could focus on other things more easily.

[alexshvartsman]

Just sent my first-ever submission withdrawal e-mail. Reclaimed a story from Result Jelly after over two months wait. They initially claim to have lost my sub and put it "at the top of the list" a month ago. Nothing since then, and no response to a query sent a week ago.

I wouldn't have been so impatient normally, but they also haven't updated their Twitter or Blog in weeks and there are no responses recorded on Duotrope.

On to the next market in the morning.

[Sai]

I finished a 12k story today that I'm hoping to submit to Writers of the Future. It's a weird story, but I feel perversely proud of it, like a mother with an ugly baby. I just want to bask in the glow of finishing it for a little bit before my beta readers send back their crits .

[KitCat]

Good job and Good luck Sai!

[alexshvartsman]

Got a note from a podcast 'zine editor saying that he received my story and is forwarding it to his P.A.

Question is, what in the world does P.A. stand for in this context? Is it a Production Assistant? Publishing Assistant? If he forwarded it to a Physician's Assistant (which is the only P.A. abbreviation I'm familiar with) then I should be worried.

[Project Deadlight]

Originally Posted by alexshvartsman

Got a note from a podcast 'zine editor saying that he received my story and is forwarding it to his P.A.

Question is, what in the world does P.A. stand for

Private Audition?

[Tienci]

Hmmm...Subtropics, who usually responds within 1-3 weeks, has had a story of mine for 35 days now.

[alexshvartsman]

Originally Posted by Project Deadlight

Private Audition?

I like that, but the editor was definitely referring to a person.

[victoriajakes]

Woke up this morning to two e-mails from Apex. First was standard "We just read this, rejection or passing it on e-mail soon." Then, very shortly after that one, another saying just "Your story is under review by one of our editors." Which, to me, is clearly not a passing it on message. What does it mean??

After hearing you all talk about Apex insta-rejections, I've got my tiny hopes up. We'll see if I get anything else from them today or tomorrow. I think maybe it's just because their submissions system is changing.

[KitCat]

*crosses fingers for you* I'd say something hopeful but i don't want to jinx it for you lol

[victoriajakes]

Thanks, kitcat!

Has anybody ever gotten sent up at Apex? Do you know the process? I can't help but freak out a little. I'm about to go drive a bus all afternoon too, and I know I won't be able to stop thinking about it haha. :P

[Project Deadlight]

Originally Posted by victoriajakes

Thanks, kitcat!

Has anybody ever gotten sent up at Apex? Do you know the process? I can't help but freak out a little. I'm about to go drive a bus all afternoon too, and I know I won't be able to stop thinking about it haha. :P

I'm no expert but my first ever story I submitted was sent to the next level in this way. I believe it means it has passed through slush and is awaiting a viewing from the editor. In my case, Cathrynne stopped editing in the middle of my wait and my submission got one of of the mass emails everyone got in July/August after a near 100 day wait.