Etiquette for querying lost(?) submission?

jesstherobot · Feb 15, 2010

Hi all,

I have just recently started shopping short stories around to various publications, and I'm having a bit of a dilemma. About three months ago, I submitted a short story to Random Publication X, got an acknowledgment of receipt, and then settled back to wait. Eventually, the pub's suggested don't-query-before 60-day mark passed, so after a few days grace period I sent in an inquiry. The pub didn't note a separate address for inquiries so I just sent it to the submissions address. Another month has gone by and I still haven't heard anything, so now I'm wondering what to do next. I've been checking my spam filter regularly and it hasn't caught anything. The email address of the editors are all on the pub's website; would it be okay to email one of them directly? (Head editor? One of the submissions editors? Someone else?) Just not sure what the proper etiquette is in this situation. Thanks in advance for your help!

cscarlet · Feb 15, 2010

"No response" is just another form of rejection. I'm not sure about short stories, but I know when this situation arises with queries for novels: the best course of action is to smile, take a deep breath, and move on to greener pastures.

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong though (regarding differences between queries for novels vs. short stories, that is).

Good luck!

Polenth · Feb 15, 2010

In most cases, I've had responses to queries within a week or so (with the title clearly reading 'Query: My Story Name' so they know it's not a submission).

The only time I didn't get a quick reply, I waited on it as it was obvious from Duotrope that they were behind. That one took around seven months to get back to me.

It's unlikely that both your submission and query didn't make it to them. Hassling won't help anything. You have the choice of waiting or withdrawing the story. Personally, I'd wait, unless it was clear the market was dying. Slowness is common in short story markets.

cscarlet said:
"No response" is just another form of rejection. I'm not sure about short stories, but I know when this situation arises with queries for novels: the best course of action is to smile, take a deep breath, and move on to greener pastures.

Someone may correct me if I'm wrong though (regarding differences between queries for novels vs. short stories, that is).

It's not the same. Unless a market says otherwise, no response should not be taken as a short story rejection. Most short story markets ask that you don't send it anywhere else while they're looking at it, so you need to officially withdraw the story before sending it elsewhere.

Maryn · Feb 15, 2010

In my experience, the response times are often wishful thinking. When twice the stated response time has passed, that's when I decide between further waiting or withdrawing the submission.

Also in my experience, a failure to reply in any way, despite SASE, is "the new 'no.'" I'd much rather have an actual rejection so I at least know.

Maryn, sometimes disgruntled

Stijn Hommes · Feb 15, 2010

If publications list a time after which you can query about your submission, they usually have the intend to send proper rejections rather than simply ignoring a polite query. I'd wait a couple of more months and then send a query to one of the editors personally in the politest possible manner explaining how the regular address doesn't give the expected response. Ask them to check on your story and update their response times if they are slow. If that still doesn't get a response or one that is too slow for your taste, withdraw the story and try somewhere else.

jesstherobot · Feb 15, 2010

Thanks for the advice, everyone -- as per your excellent suggestions I think I'll sit on it awhile longer before fretting too much. Polenth, I think you're right -- I should have mentioned, their Duotrope page does lead me to think they're a little behind... even though they say to query after 60 days, their average response time for an acceptance is closer to 70. (Not that I'm expecting to get an acceptance. Just, you know, data point.

) If I still haven't heard back in another 60 days or so, I think I'll ping them again in the manner Stijn suggested, but until then I'll try not to worry. Thanks again everyone!

Etiquette for querying lost(?) submission?

jesstherobot

so a robot walks into a bar...

cscarlet

AW = Procrastination.

Polenth

Mushroom

Maryn

Not Any More

Stijn Hommes

Know what you write...

jesstherobot

so a robot walks into a bar...