Analog Submissions

[hazlett]

Analog just replied to say I am still under consideration. Is this a good sign? Does this mean they might actually like it? Or just that they haven't read it but will do? It feels like quite a positive response...

That sounds like a fantastic reply!

Especially since I just received the boilerplate:

"We received your manuscript (#111111, "Name of Story") on June 6, 2013. We are currently responding to submissions sent to us in June, so you should be hearing back from us very soon. If you do not, please feel free to query again. In the meantime, you can check the submissions system for your story's status by searching its title, tracking number, or email address.

We thank you for your patience.

Best,
The Editors"

I'm hoping that different interns responded to ours. Otherwise, I'm losing hope.

[Leo T. Lion]

Sorry, Hazlett! They might both be equally meaningless!

I can't even imagine being accepted by Analog. This story is so old I've revised it about three times since!

[hazlett]

Sorry, Hazlett! They might both be equally meaningless!

I can't even imagine being accepted by Analog. This story is so old I've revised it about three times since!

What's most frustrating for me is that this story is the most "Analog" of all the stories I've written, so I can't so easily just dismiss the possibility that it might seriously be considered. If it were any other story, I would have assumed it was lost.

Only time will tell, I guess.

[Leo T. Lion]

How did you query? I replied to their last response - the one inviting us to query again. Maybe that pushed them to take a look?

[hazlett]

How did you query? I replied to their last response - the one inviting us to query again. Maybe that pushed them to take a look?

I did the exact same thing so they would have some context, but the response was literally a cut and paste from Analog's last response to my query.

My best guess is that our stories are both on the bubble. If space opens up in a future issue and Analog doesn't have a story by a big name to fill a story of a certain length, then maybe we have a shot. I can't see any other justification for holding our stories for so long. If Analog had lost either story, I think we both would've received rejections by now, especially after multiple queries.

Martin, do you have any theories?

[s_c_baker]

I'm not Martin (despite what Ishmael says), but:

No News Is No News.

Ommm.

(Also, not sure I mentioned it here but I got my form rejection on the 25th of February at 145 days, with slightly higher tier language mentioning that Trevor liked my writing style.)

[TomKnighton]

I've now hit 200 days, so I'll be querying in a little bit.

Here's hoping I get some kind of movement.

[hazlett]

I've now hit 200 days, so I'll be querying in a little bit.

Here's hoping I get some kind of movement.

I'm at 280 days and counting...

[TomKnighton]

Hazlett,

How long did it take for you to hear back on your query? I sent it yesterday morning, but figured it would take a couple of days to hear anything. I just have no idea what is normal.

I'm in all new territory on this stuff now.

Thanks!

[hazlett]

Hazlett,

How long did it take for you to hear back on your query? I sent it yesterday morning, but figured it would take a couple of days to hear anything. I just have no idea what is normal.

I'm in all new territory on this stuff now.

Thanks!

I sent my second query on a Tuesday and I got the exact same answer that I'd received for my first query by Friday.

[TomKnighton]

Thanks!

[Leo T. Lion]

I'm getting worried now. My story needs to get rejected or accepted quickly - or else I may find myself accepted at Apex. Now I am beginning to regret the rush of irate blood to the head which led me to sim sub it!

[hazlett]

I'm getting worried now. My story needs to get rejected or accepted quickly - or else I may find myself accepted at Apex. Now I am beginning to regret the rush of irate blood to the head which led me to sim sub it!

I wouldn't worry about that. The chance of that happening (i.e., getting an acceptance to both Apex and Analog) is about 0.005% based on Duotrope's latest data.

If Apex accepts your story, then immediately withdraw it from Analog.

After all, they've been sitting on it for 282 days.

[LDWriter2]

Wonder if it means anything that my stories take less time. Easier for him to decide no?

[hazlett]

Wonder if it means anything that my stories take less time. Easier for him to decide no?

Who knows? Analog's rejected three stories I've sent after the 283-day one, so Trevor's had no problem coming to a decision on those.

As far as I'm concerned, there's only two possibilities:

1) The story's under active consideration
2) The story's lost (though I imagine Analog would have told me this when I queried)

[Martin L. Shoemaker]

Wonder if it means anything that my stories take less time. Easier for him to decide no?

Who knows? Analog's rejected three stories I've sent after the 283-day one, so Trevor's had no problem coming to a decision on those.

As far as I'm concerned, there's only two possibilities:

1) The story's under active consideration
2) The story's lost (though I imagine Analog would have told me this when I queried)

3) Was lost, now found, so back in the To Read pile.
4) Lost, but they sent a form reply to your query.
5) Trevor has actually read it and made a decision, but it's his reply that's lost. (This has happened to me, twice. Both times he realized it when he replied to other stories.)

[hazlett]

Wonder if it means anything that my stories take less time. Easier for him to decide no?

Who knows? Analog's rejected three stories I've sent after the 283-day one, so Trevor's had no problem coming to a decision on those.

As far as I'm concerned, there's only two possibilities:

1) The story's under active consideration
2) The story's lost (though I imagine Analog would have told me this when I queried)

3) Was lost, now found, so back in the To Read pile.
4) Lost, but they sent a form reply to your query.
5) Trevor has actually read it and made a decision, but it's his reply that's lost. (This has happened to me, twice. Both times he realized it when he replied to other stories.)

I really hope it's not 2-5. And if it is, that I at least get a personal rejection.

[Leo T. Lion]

Analog are haunting my dreams!

[TomKnighton]

I can imagine. I know how I'm dealing with my wait, and I'm not quite as long as you guys at this point.

Of course, over 200 days is a long time no matter what. I'm well past the average over at The Grinder, which is not a good feeling, especially when you figure there's a good likelihood of a rejection.

[TomKnighton]

FWIW, still no word on my query sent on Friday.

I can't say that I don't want to be impatient, because the ship has set sail on that one. I just don't want to seem impatient.

Easier said than done.

[hazlett]

FWIW, still no word on my query sent on Friday.

I can't say that I don't want to be impatient, because the ship has set sail on that one. I just don't want to seem impatient.

Easier said than done.

Still waiting at 287 days. I figure I'll send query #3 at 300 days.

The trick will be how to write a query that is insistent but not rude.

Leo, is your piece still being considered at Apex?

[onelowerlight]

FWIW, still no word on my query sent on Friday.

I can't say that I don't want to be impatient, because the ship has set sail on that one. I just don't want to seem impatient.

Easier said than done.

Still waiting at 287 days. I figure I'll send query #3 at 300 days.

Wait, you sent a story to Analog that's been sitting on their desk for 287 days??? Holy cow, that's a long wait time. I hope it isn't typical.

[hazlett]

FWIW, still no word on my query sent on Friday.

I can't say that I don't want to be impatient, because the ship has set sail on that one. I just don't want to seem impatient.

Easier said than done.

Still waiting at 287 days. I figure I'll send query #3 at 300 days.

Wait, you sent a story to Analog that's been sitting on their desk for 287 days??? Holy cow, that's a long wait time. I hope it isn't typical.

No, I don't think it's typical. But I don't think it's necessarily uncommon either.

[TomKnighton]

There's at least three of us who've waited over 200 days on this board. I'm the most junior of the three with 207 days so far.

Although, from what I understand, Analog is desperately trying to catch up on their slush. Hopefully they'll knock it out soon and we can all either cash our checks or at least move on. :)

[onelowerlight]

Well, shoot. I guess I won't be submitting to that market again for a while. And I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the story tied up there isn't one of my better ones.

[LDWriter2]

There's at least three of us who've waited over 200 days on this board. I'm the most junior of the three with 207 days so far.

Although, from what I understand, Analog is desperately trying to catch up on their slush. Hopefully they'll knock it out soon and we can all either cash our checks or at least move on. :)

Indeed interesting even though I am not one of you guys. The story I have left there has only been there two months at the most.

[Leo T. Lion]

Well, Apex haven't the rejected me yet. I hope we hear something soon. They must be about to do another round of responses.

[TomKnighton]

Well, shoot. I guess I won't be submitting to that market again for a while. And I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the story tied up there isn't one of my better ones.

Going forward, Analog will probably be my last pro market unless they get their response times down a bit. I don't mind a couple of months, but I'm beginning to think that my story should be fully invested in Analog's 401K program at this point.

[hazlett]

Well, shoot. I guess I won't be submitting to that market again for a while. And I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the story tied up there isn't one of my better ones.

Going forward, Analog will probably be my last pro market unless they get their response times down a bit. I don't mind a couple of months, but I'm beginning to think that my story should be fully invested in Analog's 401K program at this point.

I spoke with a former editor of one of the pro online magazines yesterday. He said that a 288-day wait time is a good sign, especially if the magazine doesn't tell you the story is lost after multiple queries. He said it is also fairly common before a pro mag takes on a new author.

I don't know if this advice applies in this situation, but at least there's a case for some optimism.

[preston]

Well, shoot. I guess I won't be submitting to that market again for a while. And I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that the story tied up there isn't one of my better ones.

Going forward, Analog will probably be my last pro market unless they get their response times down a bit. I don't mind a couple of months, but I'm beginning to think that my story should be fully invested in Analog's 401K program at this point.

I spoke with a former editor of one of the pro online magazines yesterday. He said that a 288-day wait time is a good sign, especially if the magazine doesn't tell you the story is lost after multiple queries. He said it is also fairly common before a pro mag takes on a new author.

I don't know if this advice applies in this situation, but at least there's a case for some optimism.

Sounds like it. I'm routing for you, Sean!