I just withdrew a short story from a market that had been holding it for 14 months. Fourteen months! Now, while I do understand that editors are busy, and I certainly know that they are in no way begging writers for stories, I still think that response times of months are too long, response times of six to twelve months are inconsiderate, and anything over a year is just plain crazy.

In my view it is unfair is for a market with a typically long response time to insist that writers not send in simultaneous submissions. In the time it takes one slow publication to respond to a submission, the story could be out making its rounds at five different publications. However, I have not sent in a story silmultaneously to more than one publication when the guidelines clearly state not to. 

I haven’t done it (yet), though I have been tempted more than once.

Short story writers, what are your views on long response times and simultaneous submissions?

My short story “All That Glitters” is now appearing in Reflection’s Edge, which is an excellent online magazine publishing a variety of genres. The story just published is a fantasy, and it happens to be one of my favorites. I hope you’ll stop by and read it.

I’ve noticed that in my short fiction, I usually write from the POV of a male character. In fact, of the stories which I’ve sold, 12 of them have had male POV characters, 3 of them female  POV characters,  and 1 had a POV which shifted between a male and female character. That’s pretty overwhelming, but really, I’m just choosing what seems best for each individual story. Any other authors out there who tend to select (overwhelmingly) POV characters of the opposite gender?

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And on a sad and glum note, a story of mine (one of my favorites!) earned its fourth rejection tonight. Here are the comments received with each rejection so far. I’m paraphrasing:

Fantasy Magazine said: No on this, but do send another.

Strange Horizons passed on it, without comment.

Abyss & Apex said: No. Good story, but begins slowly. Try fixing that.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies said: Good beginning, but the story didn’t live up to its promise.

Hah! Try reconciling those last two! Actually, I do like this story as is, and in the midst of other projects I don’t feel like going back and reworking the same stories over and over.  Also, I do feel pretty confident that it will be published somewhere, eventually. So I’m sending it off again tomorrow, and going back to the other things that interest me right now.

I just received an acceptance from OG’s Speculative Fiction for a science fiction story entitled ”Beanstalk” which I wrote over the summer. This will be my first time appearing in that magazine, and I’m very excited about it, though I don’t know the publication date yet.

A story acceptance to report: “The Arena” will appear in NOVA Science Ficion issue #23, due out next spring. This will be my second short story to appear in that magazine.

It’s June, and I’m thrilled to report that two excellent on-line magazines are currently publishing stories of mine, along with other wonderful stories, in their summer issues.

Third Order publishes short speculative fiction with a moral or theological core.

Mirror Dance is a beautiful new on-line fantasy magazine.

You should definitely check them out. They may just become some of your favorite sites for fiction.