Question about Short Story Publication

Pro-rate magazines have a very long lag time between acquisition and publication. Three years seems long, however, so a polite email enquiring about its status to make sure they haven't forgotten about it seems in order. If you don't get a response, I'd simply be glad you got paid.

Have you looked over your contract recently?

Many publications put expected publication time frames in their contracts, somewhere near the clause about reversion. As in, if we don't publish it within twelve months of purchasing the rights, they revert to you.

I'd check to see if there's anything like that in there first. Because, if there is, and they've gone over the stipulated time limit, you might own the rights again. Which means they can't publish your story, not unless you sign a new contract (and if you're getting really technical, not unless they pay you again).

But, in the end, contact them to see what's going on.

The wait can be a long one, and often depends on the length and/or theme of your story. Magazines go together like jigsaw puzzles, and sometimes an editor will buy a piece that takes a long time to fit into the picture a given issue is supposed to portray.

I've never had to wait three years, but I have had to wait two, and I've known writers who had to wait even longer.

It never hurts to drop the editor a line asking if he knows when your story will be published, it might spur him to work harder on fitting it in, but they bought the story, you've spent the money, so most often they can wait as long as they like.

Do send the editor a line asking if he knows, but other than this, it's best to simply forget about it. Keep working hard writing and submitting other stories. The best way to stop thinking about one story is to write and submit fifty more.

Wow, interested to see what their response will be!

I've waited two years, but during that time an editor passed away.

Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances.

Given the amount of time that's passed, I don't think it'd be unreasonable to enquire.

I would lose my mind waiting three years. Good luck with the mag and let us know how it goes.

That's torture.

I'm curious to hear the response.

Ah, good for you. Glad everything resolved ok.