1. OscarW

    OscarW New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2010
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    3

    Time After Submission

    Discussion in 'Traditional Publishing' started by OscarW, Mar 24, 2010.

    What is everyone's feelings about the amount of time after submitting that you get a response for a short story? Is it better when the editor responds quickly or takes their time? I understand many publications provide a window of time in which they say they will respond, if at all. Also, it would seem that the longer it takes the more likely you made a first or second cut.

    In my own experience, which is relatively little, I have received quick and slow responses of acceptance as well as for rejections. I thought it would be great to get a general consenus on everyone's behalf.

    Also, please include whether or not most of the responses are form rejections or personal rejections.

    Thanks in advance for your responses.
     
  2. SeattleWriter

    SeattleWriter New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2010
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Seattle
    I haven't started my quarry letters yet but I have started researching agents and the general information that I have found from most agencies is that it can take between 4-6 weeks to hear back from them in both cases of positive or negative. Granted this is for a full length novel not short stories so I don't know if there is a difference. Hope that helps a little.
     
  3. Banzai

    Banzai One-time Mod, but on the road to recovery Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2007
    Messages:
    12,834
    Likes Received:
    151
    Location:
    Reading, UK
    It depends on where you submit to. Some magazines (Black Static, for example) reply in pretty much a round month. Others can take a matter of days (Lightspeed), and some a couple of months (ASIM, though they have a staged system, and the first stage usually takes less than a week).

    Most of the rejections I've received have been form, but I have had a share of personal ones, which are usually very encouraging, and very useful.
     
  4. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    there really can't be any 'general consensus'... because the reality is too far-ranging [from never, to days or months], for either acceptances, or rejections...

    you have to go only by what each venue says in its submission guidelines... and then add a month to that, before wondering if you should check back with them to see if they got it...
     
  5. Afterburner

    Afterburner Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2008
    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Carolina
    I've only ever submitted a few things. I submitted some poems to a magazine a while ago, and they took 107 days to respond. Currently, I'm waiting to hear back on some poems and a short story. I sent the poems out 62 days ago, and the short story 48 days ago. I'm hoping I'll get a response soon.
     
  6. MsMyth71

    MsMyth71 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2010
    Messages:
    113
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    Fort Collins, CO
    I can only speak about lit-mags. Some are very quick (2 weeks). Others (cough: McSweeney's) are much slower. Most, from what I have read, like to have responses within 6 weeks.

    The last story I sent out in December. All but McS's have replied.

    As for rejections, it (again) depends on the mag. You can get what they call a "rejection plus" where it's not the usual "thank you for submitting," bot-form. Some give hand-written responses (if they do things through snail-mail), others will give critique and feedback and encourage you to resubmit.

    Working at a lit-mag, we had 4 levels. Levels 2-4 were bot-type rejections:

    2. We really liked this, but it's just not for us. We're interested in seeing more work.
    3. We're not interested, but thank you for submitting.
    4. No thank you.

    If we rejected something with a 1 - we had to write a personal note.

    Smaller lit-mags might offer more personable responses. Larger ones will tend to go with the form-rejections unless it's really good, but just barely missing the mark.

    I can't speak for the magazine market (i.e. Life, Time, etc).
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice