I discovered this morning that I hadn't finished reading December's Writing Magazine. I was flicking through it to see what I'd missed and read an article by Michael Gasson in which he says give an editor time to evaluate a story you have sent them before querying their reply. He advises leaving at least a month before conatcting a magazine about your submission. I wonder if a month is long enough. I have only had one positive reply to a short story in a month and that was when Billy Higgins was covering Jill Finlay's maternity leave at The Weekly News. In fact, most of my positive responses have come when an editor has had my story for 3 months or even longer.
There are 2 things I have had to learn as a writer.
1. Patience becuase editors can take a long time to get back to you.
2. Not to take rejection personally, they are rejecting my work not me.
6 comments:
You are quite right! Have to keep reminding myself not to get too upset. Its hard sometimes.
I used to take rejection really personally but now I accept that its part of the job.
A month seems rather quick to me. It sometimes takes up to six months for editors to get back to me. I think Jill at the Weekly News has got it down to about three months now, but most of the other magazines can take much longer.
Rejections are part of the job and one we can't escape if we're going to submit stuff. I don't take them personally unless the editor says something that I can't help but take personally. Like an editor recently who told me that one part of my story was 'melodramatic tosh'. Ouch.
At least they made a comment Sally so that has to be a positive thing.
A month isn't nearly long enough with the women's mags. I'd wait six months before querying. I've had responses (positive and negative) after more than this from some mags.
I've learned the merits of patience where submissions are concerned.
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