Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine

[MumblingSage]

Their submission guidelines (http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/subtracking.htm) say they're backed up with the slushpile, but do they still reply within one week with a submission number? Or is that also backed up? Because I haven't heard from them in about a week, but I don't know if that's because they're backed up or because my submission never arrived. Anybody heard from them in the past few weeks? How long ago did you submit a story?

[Gray Rose]

This is normal for ASIM at that stage. It takes them now about 3 weeks to input incoming stories into the database. I wouldn't query (or worry) yet.

[Saanen]

Well hell. I wish I'd known. On April 27 I sent a story, didn't get an acknowledgement so I resent it after a week, and never got an acknowledgement for that one either. I assumed that my emails weren't going through so I've subbed that story elsewhere. Do you suppose they actually did get it and they're just being super slow inputting it? Because almost two months seems excessive.

ETA: Er, I can't count, apparently--not two months but certainly more than one.

[Adam Israel]

I have a story that's been sitting there for 51 days without an acknowledgment. From what I can tell (talking to others who've submitted, editors blogs, etc), they have the stories, but they're not sending out submission numbers until they are put into the database for the readers.

[MumblingSage]

Oh boy. Glad I asked.

Saanen--I'm in a similar boat. I seem to have subbed the same story twice, and was about to send it a third time...I have high hopes for the thing, but I don't think anybody woudl want to read it three times ^^. At least we know now.

[Gray Rose]

They've been slow lately. I hear this from a lot of people. In the beginning of March it took them 2.5 weeks to input my story. This time has been getting progressively longer. There seems to be a backlog, I am not sure what is causing it, and they are not so good about answering queries lately. But I had a fabulous experience with ASIM - the feedback I received from them on my story was awesome (it got rejected from round 2). Definitely worth the wait.

[zarabee]

Hi folks,

Zara Baxter, Andromeda Spaceways Slushmistress here.

We don't have an automated tracking number allocation -- instead, I have to manually add submissions to the database.

Unfortunately, my job has recently required a lot of overseas travel, and I haven't been able to update regularly -- there's a big backlog right now, and I'm working my way through it. It should be cleared by the end of June.

If you've submitted a story, you will get a tracking number eventually -- if you've submitted elsewhere, just drop a note to the subs address to let me know.

I'm trying to find a better way to let you know we have your story without harrassing my poor slushreaders with "thanks for your email" replies; if only gmail had a better auto-response system!

Sorry for the delays, and thanks for your patience!

[Adam Israel]

Originally Posted by zarabee

Hi folks,

Zara Baxter, Andromeda Spaceways Slushmistress here.

We don't have an automated tracking number allocation -- instead, I have to manually add submissions to the database.

Unfortunately, my job has recently required a lot of overseas travel, and I haven't been able to update regularly -- there's a big backlog right now, and I'm working my way through it. It should be cleared by the end of June.

If you've submitted a story, you will get a tracking number eventually -- if you've submitted elsewhere, just drop a note to the subs address to let me know.

I'm trying to find a better way to let you know we have your story without harrassing my poor slushreaders with "thanks for your email" replies; if only gmail had a better auto-response system!

Sorry for the delays, and thanks for your patience!

Thank you so much for the update! Best of luck clearing the backlog (and safe travels)!

[spacejock2]

Simon here, also from Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine (what, another hat?)

Just wanted to let people know that the queue status page shows a bit of info about what's happening right now (although thanks to Zara's post above, that's pretty clear!)

http://www.andromedaspaceways.com/subtracking.htm

[beezle]

Thanks for the updates folks, I think your mag is a blast. I even sent you a story once, say, oh... three or more years back? 'bout a bomb and a teddy bear. Made it past two rounds of slush before it was knocked back, but hey, I didn't have a clue what I was doing back then, and it didn't servive to be published *grin*. Maybe it's time to send in another one.

Keep up the good work.

[Adam Israel]

Yay, the Slushmistress has been busy.

For those keeping track, it looks like they're up to April 12 or thereabouts. I received my confirmation today.

As always, practice patience, keep writing and remember to hug an editor/slusher when you see them. They catch a lot of undeserved grief.

[yanallefish]

Hi zarabee, thanks for letting us know about your thoughts -- you too Simon I'm waiting patiently as I can but it's always good to hear why stuff's slow.

Personally I like the sub tracker; most magazines just say "ok we got your thing" and then I don't hear from them for a while. So to me it's good!

[MumblingSage]

Thanks a lot, Baxter and Simon! I shall wait patiently. Safe travels, thanks for you time, and all that.

[defyalllogic]

with the new ASIM tracking system and efficiency... has anyone been in their "potential pool"?

Any new info about working with them?

[RainyDayNinja]

My story with them was short-listed after two weeks (which was faster than they said it would take), and then I just got an acceptance after another week and a half.

[Polenth]

Originally Posted by defyalllogic

with the new ASIM tracking system and efficiency... has anyone been in their "potential pool"?

Any new info about working with them?

Recently, the stories have been getting numbers assigned quickly. You get emails if you progress through the rounds, so you'll know it's going ahead. I've generally found their rejection comments to be on the harsh side (compared to other places I've submitted), but that'll likely vary based on your writing style.

[hillaryjacques]

The one story I submitted made it to the short list, and the rejection comments were fairly complimentary. They indicated that it wasn't fitting into the themes of their upcoming issues (would have been perfect for the one that came out a few weeks after I submited - sigh for timing) and didn't want to hold onto it indefinitely.

Maybe I just had a different rejector.

[dgrintalis]

I submitted a story on October 9th, received a tracking number on the 12th, received a notice that my story had progressed through the initial read on the 15th, and received an acceptance on the 20th. I've already received an email from the editor who picked my story, which will appear in the magazine early next year. They have been great to work with. I've nothing but good things to say.

[Polenth]

Originally Posted by hillaryjacques

The one story I submitted made it to the short list, and the rejection comments were fairly complimentary. They indicated that it wasn't fitting into the themes of their upcoming issues (would have been perfect for the one that came out a few weeks after I submited - sigh for timing) and didn't want to hold onto it indefinitely.

Maybe I just had a different rejector.

To be clear, I'm not saying the rejections were harsh because they didn't like my stories. I acknowledge that I probably write in a way that's too weird for the magazine.

But one rejection made direct comments about me, as well as criticising the other slush readers for putting the story through. It made it personal in a way it shouldn't be. That's what I consider harsh, as I think rejections should be about the story. It hasn't happened to me at any other market.

Overall I like ASIM, and I have submitted again after that rejection, but I don't think it hurts for people to know they could get a rejection like that.

[hillaryjacques]

That's unfortunate, Polenth. Also, honestly, I think it a bit unprofessional to reveal criticisms of their own people.

I once had an editor say that he didn't trust me. Me, the author, not the unreliable narrator. I thought that was unneccesary.

[defyalllogic]

that is good to know. and actually really scary.

for the explanation of their slush process it sounded to me like they have slush readers who i kind of understand to be like a street team, they get free reads and crit the stories.