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New Twitterage & How Long Is Too Long?

By Robert Swartwood on December 2, 2009

Been quiet around here, I know, but that’s because I’ve been extremely busy, what with this deadline for the anthology fast approaching. I’ve wanted to post a lot of stuff but just haven’t found the time, so here I am at 4:30 in the morning wanting to share with you two things.

First, I created a Twitter page strictly for Hint Fiction, because I know those interested in Hint Fiction might not want to follow me and hear my continuous babbling. When there’s news to share about the anthology or whatever else, I will share it in both places, but at least with the Hint Fiction account it will be just Hint Fiction and nothing else. If you’d like to follow, please do so: @Hint_Fiction.

Second, I’m sure most people reading this blog are familiar with Duotrope. And if you’re a writer and you’re not familiar with Duotrope, fix that error immediately. Anyway, there’s a lot of great stuff about the website, but the best is the “What’s New” page, which lists new markets as well as recent response times. It’s always interesting to see the wide variety of RTs reported, from 0 days to over 300 days (though note that it’s not an exact science, as many writers don’t even use the service). And in case you haven’t heard yet, a 909 day rejection was just recently reported.

Yes, you heard that right — 909 days.

That pretty much comes to two and a half years.

And the best part? The publication — Dark Discoveries Magazine (be sure to check out their beautiful website) — states on their submission guidelines “no simultaneous submissions.”

My thoughts on simultaneous submissions are simple — life’s too short not to simultaneously submit. And if a magazine states in their guidelines that they don’t want simultaneous submissions, then they should have reasonable response times — somewhere between 30 and 60 days, I think, though the shorter the better.

I don’t even know where the whole “no simultaneous submissions” thing first came from. It basically means the magazine wants exclusivity on your work. Which is another way of saying that they want to slack off and read your story whenever they damn well please, and there’s nothing you can do about it but wait two years to hear back.

Personally, it’s a big turn off for me when I see the response times of magazines being over a year. Even 100 days seems excessive.

Or am I being too fussy?

Let me ask you — how long is too long?

Posted in , | 8 Responses

  • http://nikperring.blogspot.com Nik Perring

    Good post, sir!

    This is something I’ve talked (complained) about many times before. Keeping writers waiting for that period of time is not only unacceptable, it’s also taking the mickey. It’s unfair and it’s unreasonable.

    I think six weeks is a reasonable enough period to wait. Three months as a maximum perhaps – and that’s as long as the editor gives you a decision. (This from someone who sent a story to The Edge in 2004 and is still waiting…).

    Nik

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  • http://aaronpolson.blogspot.com Aaron Polson

    I’m with you, Mr. Swartwood. And the truth of an editor’s job, which has been discussed before, is that some submissions can be dismissed immediately. Some submissions should be dismissed immediately. Anyone can get a picture of the writing in the first page. 909 days? That’s cruel. If I’ve been notified of a shortlisting, then I’m happy to wait. Other than that, let me know, okay?

    I’d suspect mags with shorter response times receive more subs. Just a guess.

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  • http://charlesgramlich.blogspot.com Charles Gramlich

    Anything over 3 months is too long. Of course, I also hate when I send something out via email and get a rejection on it within an hour. At least let me get my files updated on the submission before you chop my legs out from under.

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  • http://gristleandsmoke.blogspot.com Jeremy D Brooks

    I think 3 months if reasonable for a short story market. Maybe even a novel MS. Any more than that, and it has the potential to start affecting your career/hobby/whatever.

    That assumes, however, no simultaneous subs–if you can sim sub, it builds competition into the market and punishes slow publishers.

    Think about it this way: if you built a wicked mousetrap, but don’t want to build it yourself, you shop the idea to some investors or manufacturers who may be interested in buying the rights to it. Some of them may ask for an exclusive opportunity to review the specs, but only if they show they are serious and only under a contract that says they will respond within a set amount of time, and probably with a deposit or guarantee that they will adhere to those dates. That’s how markets work.

    Anyway, looking at my tracking spreadsheet, my longest (not including Hotel Guignol) is sitting at 268 days (Electric Spec, electric sub, no response), followed by 229 days (Boulevard, paper sub, paper form rejection).

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  • http://www.womenofmystery.net Kathleen Ryan

    Hi Robert,
    I agree with the simultaneous submission issue you’ve brought up: that if a publication doesn’t allow it, then its response time better be pretty decent!
    Thanks for setting up Hint Fiction on Twitter…I’m following!

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  • http://benwhite.com Ben White

    Good god that site is an eyesore.

    Given that most submissions are given only a few moments of time, there’s no reason that time has to happen in 6 months instead of 6 days.

    And if something is “maybe’d” for an indefinite period of time, then perhaps publications should begin sending out notifications of such. The black hole silence (usually followed by form rejection) sucks (get it? ha ha).

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  • http://www.sophieplayleblog.blogspot.com Sophie Playle

    “My thoughts on simultaneous submissions are simple — life’s too short not to simultaneously submit. And if a magazine states in their guidelines that they don’t want simultaneous submissions, then they should have reasonable response times — somewhere between 30 and 60 days, I think, though the shorter the better.”

    Agreed. I’d say 3 months maximum, like others have suggested. Preferably a decision within a month would be good. Depends on the size of the publication, I think, and how many people they have reading stories, etc.

    That site is terrible.

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  • http://www.whatdoesnotkillme.com Richard

    If you are waiting 909 days on a story, SOMETHING IS WRONG. Duotrope.com does a pretty good job of letting you know what the “average” is as well as what the minimum is before you start checking up on it. DD works with some good writers, some big names, and does pay .05, which is great. They are also a one man operation, as far as I can tell. The website? Sure, not the best design. People need to follow up and e-mail editors after the set time has passed. 909 days means somebody didn’t follow up, the story probably got lost. I am still waiting to hear back from St. Ann’s and the count is about 500+ days and still going, but I’ve sent in SEVERAL e-mails, to several different people on the staff there. Stuff happens. But really, who follows the NSS rule anymore anyway? :-)

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