Trad Pub Rants

[PoS]

I wrote a short story and decided to take the traditional publishing route of submitting it to a reputable sci-fi magazine. My plan was to gain more visibility with audiences for this kind of medium, and if they rejected it, I would then self-publish it myself as part of an anthology.

According to the magazine's guidelines, they would give me a yea or nay within 2 months. So I waited. 2 months pass. Then 3. I checked their website and they said to send them a query if they didnt respond to me after 4 months.

4 months pass and still nothing, so I sent them a query letter. I was hoping theyd just reject it outright so I could submit it to somewhere else or self-publish the damn thing and be done with it.

2 weeks pass... crickets. Just when I was contemplating whether to send them a withdrawal letter, they finally responded.

And what was their answer?

The story in question is still under consideration they said, and they told me to check back after 2 months if they didnt reply by then.

Arrgh. This is why I went indie. So I wouldnt have to deal with stuff like this.

 

[Minerva]

I'm not at all familiar with the publishing world, but would it be possible to submit it with a cover letter that states if submission is not accepted for publication after "X" amount of time, it shall be considered withdrawn and may be submitted elsewhere as author seems fit?

I like SciFi....grew up on it as a teen.

 

[reinaert]

Start with Patreon, if you don't already have it. Pillage your social circle for subscribers if you are comfortable doing that. Include your Patreon #s in future submissions.

 

[Bok Tuklo]

I’m a sci-fi nerd. What’s the story about?

 

[PoS]

I'm not at all familiar with the publishing world, but would it be possible to submit it with a cover letter that states if submission is not accepted for publication after "X" amount of time, it shall be considered withdrawn and may be submitted elsewhere as author seems fit?

I like SciFi....grew up on it as a teen.

You could send a cover letter like that, but some editors might just get a wee bit offended at your immediate demands and reject you outright.

They usually let you know in a couple of months if they want to buy the story or not, so its frustrating to me why its going on 6 months till they decide on mine. I could give them a withdrawal notice, but even if I send it to another magazine, it will take another 2 months till they reply too. I might as well bite the bullet and wait.

Start with Patreon, if you don't already have it. Pillage your social circle for subscribers if you are comfortable doing that. Include your Patreon #s in future submissions.

I have Patreon, along with a small mailing list of about 3K subscribers. Im already making good money with my current catalog of self published stuff, so engaging in magazine submissions is just another way of expanding my overall reader base.

I’m a sci-fi nerd. What’s the story about?

Sorry but for legal reasons I cant discuss it now. I will let you know when it gets published, though that may take some time, due to the reasons stated above.

 

[Minerva]

I’m a sci-fi nerd. What’s the story about?

It's a story about an AI software program that has submitted itself to a "Board of Recognition" so that it may seek its future.....however the board is comprised of "legacy" software that feels threatened by the AI and refuses to make a decision. Am I close?

 

[Bok Tuklo]

It's a story about an AI software program that has submitted itself to a "Board of Recognition" so that it may seek its future.....however the board is comprised of "legacy" software that feels threatened by the AI and refuses to make a decision. Am I close?

I think it’s a story about a far future priest in a religion with Elvis Presley as its messiah undergoing a crisis of faith while on an archaeological dig where it is discovered they have attributed His accent into heaven from his throne to the wrong Memphis.

 

[Rexedgar]

Are you bound not to seek other avenues to publish while your story is “under review?”

 

[Bok Tuklo]

Are you bound not to seek other avenues to publish while your story is “under review?”

Short fiction sci-fi magazines like Analog and Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine stipulate you cannot submit to multiple publications.

 

[Rumpelstil]

I wrote a short story and decided to take the traditional publishing route of submitting it to a reputable sci-fi magazine. My plan was to gain more visibility with audiences for this kind of medium, and if they rejected it, I would then self-publish it myself as part of an anthology.

According to the magazine's guidelines, they would give me a yea or nay within 2 months. So I waited. 2 months pass. Then 3. I checked their website and they said to send them a query if they didnt respond to me after 4 months.

4 months pass and still nothing, so I sent them a query letter. I was hoping theyd just reject it outright so I could submit it to somewhere else or self-publish the damn thing and be done with it.

2 weeks pass... crickets. Just when I was contemplating whether to send them a withdrawal letter, they finally responded.

And what was their answer?

The story in question is still under consideration they said, and they told me to check back after 2 months if they didnt reply by then.

Arrgh. This is why I went indie. So I wouldnt have to deal with stuff like this.

some experience!