I sent a short story submission 2 months ago to an e-zine magazine I really like called 3am Magazine and have not heard or seen any response from them. Should I inquire or is this standard?

Adam, I think there's no harm in enquiring after two months. But in my experience, some people have no manners and simply never reply.

Good luck,

Adele.

Well, some people here have been talking about 7 month waits as acceptable. Personally, the pathetic waiting times put me off ever getting published a long time ago. Besides, a lot of my work is already published, and is available to anyone that wants to read it, free, on the internet. Unless you're just in it for the money, that's what a lot of other people should be doing.

IB you are lucky that you have a day job to pay the bills. Not all of us do...

If you don't have an income, why do you spend your time writing?

I know you like to push things IB, but let me define the boundary here - you just stepped over the personal question mark

Must get back to the dusting.

Yes, you'll have to forgive me, I'm in a particularly pedantic mood today.

You are forgiven. Au revoir.

This was #4 on their submission guidelines:

"Please do not follow up your submission with enquiries about if or when it will be posted. We're on to it, but it might take some time due to the sheer volume of submissions we get these days."

I think I might hold off on the enquiry.

You sticking to the rules, Adam? Well that's a newie. Btw, what were you in jail for?

Adele.

DUI.

Stand Magazine - 2 years!

they apologized profusely but my story nearly made it but it was too long but they took so long cos they were arguing about that fact....

but 2 years! I had given up on that submission and had sent it out and had it published in NIght Train by then!

They asked for another if i forgave them and promised to be quicker -(LOL) I have this one framed I think - anyway it has been with them since January 2004.. I have queried them and it is still under consideration. I guess promising to be quicker is to take a year instead of 2!

and many american magazines have a very strange system I am just discovering.

3am are notoriously scatty.

I sent 3 chapters off to Black Sheep Books last October and still ain't heard nowt. I tried ringin and e-mitherin but never got to contact anyone in the place. So holes to them, they can poke it up their poo-pipes - I move on.

Adele, u should never ax that question!(or is that just on the inside?)

Adam, u got sent down for diving under igloos?

Dave

In my last City job I used to advise companies on communicating with the investment community and would repeatedly stress that the most important thing is to manage expectations. If a mag/agent etc states publically that they will reply to submissions within, say, three weeks, then they should do that, or risk creating illwill amongst authors. None of us should promise what we can't deliver.

Here endeth the lesson.

Adele.

PS Dave, I now have Adam in my mind as Nanouk of the North - nice one!