The Gnawing of the Guts

[jazzhandshimmer]

Because it's been nearly two weeks, and I've yet to hear back from Weird Tales. They give a response time of two weeks on submitted fiction. This might mean they're being slow, or this might be they're giving "Error 404" a second read. I'm trying to not get my hopes up too much

Comments

[mariness]

Weird Tales may say that they respond in two to four weeks, but according to Duotrope.com, it's more like fifty to 86 days, or seven to twelve weeks.

[jazzhandshimmer]

Leave it to the published author to put the pin to my balloon...

Heh.

Thanks for the pointing, though.

[mariness]

Heh back at you.

I've been you. I still am you. But the main thing that I have learned is that for short stories (novels are a bit different) the response time is pretty much meaningless. I've had short stories accepted after a few days and rejected after months, and vice versa. And worse, I've had markets change their response time on me -- Reflection's Edge now responds to me quickly because they know me by now, so I will hear back from them quickly -- but these same markets can take longer to respond to others.

From all reports, Ann Vandermeer at Weird Tales is a very concientious editor, but sometimes, she's overwhelmed with submissions and takes a while to reply, and sometimes, she's not, and can respond in two weeks. It varies.

Doesn't make it any easier to keep from getting your hopes up though.

[mariness]

Oh, and I have found that Duotrope is pretty accurate about response times, though. I use that site very heavily -- not just for finding new markets, but to get a clue about how when I can realistically expect a response.