Pedestal mag submission

mirandamiranda · Oct 26, 2010

I recently submitted a story to Pedestal Magazine. They have a reading period for each issue; the period I submitted within is now over and the issue released (needless to say, without my story in it...).

However, I have heard nothing from them. Should I just assume that my story was not accepted? Or would they have explicitly let me know if this was the case? The issue actually contained mostly poetry in the end so I don't know if they might have kept some stories to think about for future issues.

Any experience in this type of submission structure would be helpful...

Thanks.

johnnysannie · Oct 26, 2010

In my experience, you should hear one way or another after the open submissions period ends.

NicoleMD · Oct 26, 2010

I've always gotten responses from them, so you might want to send them a note just to check.

Nicole

Izz · Oct 26, 2010

mirandamiranda said:
I recently submitted a story to Pedestal Magazine. They have a reading period for each issue; the period I submitted within is now over and the issue released (needless to say, without my story in it...).

How long ago did you submit? All of my rejections have taken between 30 and 52 days, with the majority over 40.

However, I have heard nothing from them. Should I just assume that my story was not accepted? Or would they have explicitly let me know if this was the case? The issue actually contained mostly poetry in the end so I don't know if they might have kept some stories to think about for future issues.

Any experience in this type of submission structure would be helpful...

Thanks.

Like Nicole and johnnysannie, i've always received responses from them. My advice would be to wait until the story's been there longer than 8 weeks (that's the top end of their response time according to their sub guidelines), then send a brief query note.

mirandamiranda · Oct 27, 2010

Thanks for the tips everyone. I will leave it longer as you suggest. The old waiting game...

Polenth · Oct 27, 2010

I've often received rejections long after the period is over and the issue out. This includes guest edited ones. I think sometimes, left-over slush gets pushed to the next period.

MumblingSage · Oct 28, 2010

Polenth said:
I've often received rejections long after the period is over and the issue out. This includes guest edited ones. I think sometimes, left-over slush gets pushed to the next period.

I have to, although sometimes these were open submisson periods not aimed at a specific issue (not for Pedestal). I'd check the Duotrope stats, and if you're not outside them, wait a little longer before querying.

Manuel Royal · Oct 28, 2010

Pedestal rejected me in 34 days. You can make yourself anxious, or concentrate on a new writing project. (That's my advice; sometimes I even take it.)

mirandamiranda · Oct 28, 2010

Polenth and Mumbling sage- this was what I was wondering, thank you.

And Manuel Royal - I find I can multi-task new projects and making myself anxious about old ones without too much trouble!

alexshvartsman · Oct 28, 2010

On a similar note, what do you folks feel is a reasonable amount of time to wait after sending a query?

I have a story that's been held a bit longer than the period of time that particular magazine (not Pedestal) says they would take. They say to query after that time period. I did, and haven't heard back in a few days. Wondering what is considered the "acceptable" time to respond to a query.

Alex

NicoleMD · Oct 28, 2010

alexshvartsman said:
On a similar note, what do you folks feel is a reasonable amount of time to wait after sending a query?

I have a story that's been held a bit longer than the period of time that particular magazine (not Pedestal) says they would take. They say to query after that time period. I did, and haven't heard back in a few days. Wondering what is considered the "acceptable" time to respond to a query.

Alex

I'd give a couple weeks at least (maybe a month depending if there's a long wait to begin with) then send a withdrawal letter.

Nicole

Henri Bauholz · Oct 28, 2010

I'm submitted in the past and always received a rejection letter.

jbpark · Oct 31, 2010

I usually submit to them right as their 'reading period' for that particular issue opens up. Done it twice now, always got rejections about a month after the issue I sent the story for came out. My guess is that leftover stuff just gets pushed back after they finish editing the issue.

stormie · Oct 31, 2010

Like others here, Pedestal has responded to my work in the past. And they were rejections.

Miranda, yours could have gotten lost somehow.

Eliza C · Feb 22, 2011

Just wondering what happened since your post. I find myself in the same position and was glad to find this thread. I subbed 3 weeks before the end of the reading period. I don't know if they hold subs over or, since the Feb. issue just came out, if not getting in the issue guarantees a rejection?

Polenth · Feb 22, 2011

Eliza C said:
Just wondering what happened since your post. I find myself in the same position and was glad to find this thread. I subbed 3 weeks before the end of the reading period. I don't know if they hold subs over or, since the Feb. issue just came out, if not getting in the issue guarantees a rejection?

I've had other rejections from them since the thread was started and the same thing applied... they often come after the issue has been released. They don't guarantee that they'll get through your submission in that reading period.

MatthewWuertz · Feb 25, 2011

Eliza C,

I have yet to hear back from them on a submission I sent on January 2, but I'm not that concerned. My past submissions over the years usually take around 37 days for a response. Given that their average response time according to Duotrope is 39 days, I'd probably give them at least a couple of months from your submission date before querying them about it. I've never had a submission to them disappear, so I'm guessing they're still working through submissions (including ours).

Damian_Rucci · Mar 9, 2011

I submitted to them over the summer and still haven't heard anything back actually.

pdr · Mar 9, 2011

Pedestal...

having always responded to my subs. Sometimes it's taken a couple of months.

MatthewWuertz · Mar 12, 2011

Damian_Rucci said:
I submitted to them over the summer and still haven't heard anything back actually.

I've already heard back from my submission. You might check with them to make sure it was received. You might also check any spam filters or spam folders on your end to see if their response to you was blocked.

Pedestal mag submission

mirandamiranda

johnnysannie

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

Izz

Doing the Space Operatic

mirandamiranda

Polenth

Mushroom

MumblingSage

Inarticulate Herb

Manuel Royal

mirandamiranda

alexshvartsman

NicoleMD

Onomatopotamus

Henri Bauholz

jbpark

stormie

storm central

Eliza C

We’ll see what happens from here…

Polenth

Mushroom

MatthewWuertz

shadow magic, FTW

Damian_Rucci

pdr

MatthewWuertz

shadow magic, FTW