Despite not writing much new material lately, I have been putting some of my finished work out there. And I must say, this writing business is tough for an impatient sort of guy, eh? I would generally rather do something myself than wait for someone else to do it, but you just can't do that in writing unless you go the print-on-demand route. I'd rather not do that, of course. Not at this point, anyway.
So I impatiently wait...and wait, and then wait some more.
I've submitted a few pieces now. I've submitted to horror and mainstream and fantasy and science fiction publications, even tossed some poetry out there. I've gotten quick responses from many of them. But not all. Two of my horror tales are still floating around in some literary equivalent of a black hole, and they've been there for many period cycles, like nine. Nine months! Really? Should that ever happen? But what can I do? I can wait. That's it. Oh, I can withdraw the story, but then I'll have wasted nine months. It wouldn't be so bad, the waiting, if there usually wasn't this cute little rule that states NO SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS! Big bold letters, all in don't-fuck-with-us caps. Too bad there also seems to be some invisible fine print that adds AND WE WILL HOLD YOUR STORY HOSTAGE FOR UP TO A YEAR OR MORE! BETTER WRITE SOMETHING NEW, SUCKA! I realize there is a lot involved in the business of putting out a publication, but some of these cats need to get a bit more professional when it comes to authors' submissions. I've sent status queries for my stories, and they have fallen on deaf ears or unmanned e-mail inboxes. What gives?
I submitted a story to Sword & Sorceress 24 on May 2, and I got a response from Elisabeth Waters on May 3. I didn't even have time to prepare myself (for rejection)—usually armed with a box of tissues and a Burt Reynolds blow-up doll. She was ninja quick, though, which is awesome. She said, "...the story doesn't quite have the feel I want for Sword & Sorceress." Did she like it otherwise? Did she hate it? Does it suck? Need work? Who knows! But it's mine again, and I can submit it elsewhere.
Should every publication be this fast? Absolutely not. It would be impossible. At Shock Totem, we were nailing 30-day (or less) responses. Then things changed. We got a little burnt out, I think. Couple that with everything we're doing for our launch and some issues in the personal lives of a few staff members and all of a sudden we were pushing 60 days per response, our max. And, unfortunately, we busted that response time on a few of them. But that's still reasonable, especially considering we get about 100 submissions per week. I personally think publications that receive a lot of submissions need to put together a relatively big team of dedicated slush readers and not leave it up to just a few people, unless those few people can respond within an acceptable amount of time. But who am I? If you answered "some no-name turd," then you'd be correct. But I'm right.
I think.
I'm not even sure what I'm ranting about here. (Attempting to coherently blog from work when it's busy is kind of stupid.) To sum it up: my writing is simmering on the back burner, rejections stink (even fast ones), and some publications deserve a round of Tabasco colonics.
Right?
5 comments:
I'd write to them and say "Dude, where's your response?" The least an editor owes you is a form rejection. I know there are places where no response means no, which is ridiculous. Anyway, they may never have gotten your sub or they might have forgotten to let you know it was published (that happened to me once). I'm fine with poking an editor, especially AS an editor.
TC lets people know if a sub has been rejected or is still in consideration within a month. It's not until the end of our reading period that we notify of publication or pass for the ones that make first cut.
Also after NINE MONTHS, I'd say you could sub it elsewhere. If they accept it (after what, 10 months? 11 months? a year?), just say that in the X# of months they sat on it, you assumed they'd passed and sent it to a place that responds. If they hear from enough irate and disrespected writers, they might change how they treat submissisons.
Nope. They both got my submission. I got a "Got it!" reply from both of them.
It's unfortunate because these are two of the biggest horror publications out there. To have sat here waiting for so long is just irritating, but more disappointing. Worse, I'm not the only one waiting.
You guys over at TC rule, by the way. =)
Is this where I bring up my 237 day, "You made it to the final round, but no," rejection?
Yes. Yes, it is.
It's an awful feeling, knowing that your stuff is floating around in limbo. It's hard not to take it personally. Hey, this is my blood, sweat, and tears, and you can't even take the time to look at it? But that's where lots of Coke Zero comes in. And I won't even ask about your Burt blow-up doll. Is he wearing socks?
And though I think your writing is fantastic, I'm willing to bet their "final round" doesn't exist until they hold a story hostage for too long. Having to wait 237 days is a joke.
One publication has had a 560-word story of mine for 231 days. Nearly a year to read 560 words. That's two minutes of someone's time.
I shake my head...
I so feel your pain when it comes to publications that hold hostages, all the while Simon Says No Sims Subs. One held a story of mine captive for nine months...or was it ten? I forget. I finally called them to ask WTH, and was told my story was still with an editor, and I would have a response in two weeks. All right, I waited four. Still nothing. I called again, and it was still "with an editor". I finally got a response back from the editor themself a few days later saying, "Yeah, sorry about that. We're all volunteers here. o ya, btw, REJEKSHUN lol."
I was annoyed as hell, but the final kick in the crotch was when they told me that they'd send me a critique with the official letter. I figured I'd at least get some worthwhile criticism for all the time. When the critique finally showed up, it wasn't so much a critique as it was a handwritten sentence on the corner of the form rejection letter. I ran the sentence past a few of my writer and editor people who had actually read this particular story, and they all confirmed, as I had thought, that the "critique" made no sense. So yeah. That was a year of totally wasted time.
And there is my tale of woe. What that all boiled down to is, I hear you. :P
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