Storitus Interruptus

The woes of a writer.

I'm contemplating withdrawing a story. Problem is, it's with a magazine that I dig. Worse, they short-listed the story back in September and said I'd hear back in four to five weeks. I gave them nearly three months before querying—twice.

Unfortunately, I heard nothing back. So I contacted someone by other means who said I'd hear back last week. I didn't. Now I'm torn. Do I continue to wait, or pull it and move along?

Recently, I withdrew another story from a market which had had my story for six months. I think that's too long to wait. (It took them a year the first time I submitted.) If F&SF can respond in eleven days—by mail!—then surely any other publication can respond within six months. Of course, there are few "big" markets out there, really, so I guess they can get away with it. But for me, that's just too long to hold someone's story, even if the publication allows simultaneous submissions. Most don't, which sort of renders that allowance worthless.

So while I think six months is long enough to wait, I'm not sure about three.

Another concern is this particular publication's future, which is showing telltale signs no writer likes to see. The magazine was heading skyward, but has since stalled on the tracks. No updates since September. Bummer. So I don't know what to do. Thus, I rant. Weakly.