Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

*raises hand* Officially been here ten quarters (my Q3 entry will make it 11), and there are those who've been here a lot longer.

Started lurking here after I entered the first time. Martin's right in that every Q varies, but typically it's been HMs/Rs first (even before electronic subs, as the blog would update w/an HM list before the finalists were allowed to say anything), then finalists and semis are informed (they seem to go back and forth, sometimes Fs hear first, some times Ss). Sometimes semis don't get their crits until after the winners are announced, but they know who they are.

So around finalist time, we all start to watch for formerly loquacious posters who suddenly go silent, and/or who suddenly stop avowing that they've heard nothing / are still waiting. 😉

Which is why those of us who are smart (and maybe just a touch Evil ) start being noncommital long before it's an issue!

The stories I could tell you...
The stories I could tell you...

Deary me, I forgot part of that sentence...

So around finalist time, we all start to watch for formerly loquacious posters who suddenly go silent, and/or who suddenly stop avowing that they've heard nothing / are still waiting -- and we pummel them with the chain-fed, fully automatic marshmallow shooter.

Like so...

>POONKA, POONKA, POONKA<

That would be cool. I love marshmallows. I'll just sit quietly with my mouth open....

Deary me, I forgot part of that sentence...

So around finalist time, we all start to watch for formerly loquacious posters who suddenly go silent, and/or who suddenly stop avowing that they've heard nothing / are still waiting -- and we pummel them with the chain-fed, fully automatic marshmallow shooter.

Like so...

>POONKA, POONKA, POONKA<

Maybe I'd better go hide on the Q2 thread!

So to sum it all up, there is no pattern...

Anything's possible. We can't rule out the possibility that they're wrapping up the results now. Assuming we go with your definition that a Semi counts as a personal rejection, maybe someone out there has received a Semi notice.

Services for K.D. are Tuesday, and it's safe to say that Joni will attend. But it's also clear that she's keeping the contest moving at the same time. I now believe we'll see a lot of results this week.

The memorial will be very small, only about 150 and here in Tulsa. If you're in the area and thinking of coming, keep that in mind.

Random, yes, but thought I'd put it out there if anyone wants to pay their respects. It's on her Facebook page if anyone wants specifics.

So to sum it all up, there is no pattern...

You're a better numbers guy than me. (And I don't say that lightly, by the way.) Maybe you can discern a pattern I'm missing.

But given that I readily accepted your hypothesis, and then immediately Kary, Marina, and Alistair proved me wrong, I am perhaps not the best person to assist in pattern hunting. The only thing I really know, it seems, are my own results. Beyond that my knowledge is suspect. So from my perspective, "there is no pattern" is the best working hypothesis. It consumes less of my scarce mental energy.

So to sum it all up, there is no pattern...

You're a better numbers guy than me. (And I don't say that lightly, by the way.) Maybe you can discern a pattern I'm missing.

But given that I readily accepted your hypothesis, and then immediately Kary, Marina, and Alistair proved me wrong, I am perhaps not the best person to assist in pattern hunting. The only thing I really know, it seems, are my own results. Beyond that my knowledge is suspect. So from my perspective, "there is no pattern" is the best working hypothesis. It consumes less of my scarce mental energy.

I think "there is no pattern" describes it best, and I think that will continue at least for this quarter and next quarter especially due to K.D.'s passing (I'm still having a hard time when I think about it) and having to get another coordinating judge. However, the changing results patterns could just be the way Joni chooses to do it each quarter (which seems likely to me). When I spoke to Joni about the possibilities of being a published finalist she told me that K.D. was always very fast when it came to reading and judging and was always ready to move on to the next quarter--it's very possible she had completed Q1, but who knows.

And I've been entering for about as long as Marina, with my first being Q3 2009, and it truly seems that any pattern is very loose and subject to change.

However, the changing results patterns could just be the way Joni chooses to do it each quarter (which seems likely to me).

Well, my experience here is all since e-submissions have come in. I think e-submissions upset the routine (if there was one). And then they pushed the awards show earlier in the year, which would further upset the hypothetical routine.

The contest is changing and will change. The market is changing and will change. The writers are changing and will change. And now, sadly, the judging will change. Every quarter will be unique.

Results soon are a good bet, I'm confident, for some definitions of "soon".

For those curious: Joni tells me that one of the existing judges volunteered to step in and step up, as soon as Kathy's illness became severe enough to require it. This was probably a few months ago. I can't yet release who it is because this has not even been released to me yet, suffice it to say that your manuscripts have been and continue to be in good hands. I am not even yet sure if this person will assume Coordinating Judge duties full-time. But not to worry, folks. Not to worry.

For those curious: Joni tells me that one of the existing judges volunteered to step in and step up, as soon as Kathy's illness became severe enough to require it. This was probably a few months ago. I can't yet release who it is because this has not even been released to me yet, suffice it to say that your manuscripts have been and continue to be in good hands. I am not even yet sure if this person will assume Coordinating Judge duties full-time. But not to worry, folks. Not to worry.

I'm not worried. With so many distinguished judges I figured there wouldn't be too much problem taking on the task if necessary. I *have* been wondering who might be deliberating on my story, as I'm sure we all have been. But hopefully all will become clear in time.

Now you did it...

You people broke Duotrope again...

Must be all the people reporting today.

Must be all the people reporting today.

Refreshing, reporting, hard to tell. I just know I wanted to check on Analog. They've recently had some longer-duration results come through, and I wanted to see if that was still going on. My story's up to 192 days now.

But nope, Analog results are down. WotF results are down. Whole thing's down.

Now you did it...

You people broke Duotrope again...

Wow, that is broken.

Must be all the people reporting today.

Refreshing, reporting, hard to tell. I just know I wanted to check on Analog. They've recently had some longer-duration results come through, and I wanted to see if that was still going on. My story's up to 192 days now.

But nope, Analog results are down. WotF results are down. Whole thing's down.

I've been told that the longer Analog holds a story, the better the result is likely to be. Good luck!

I've been told that the longer Analog holds a story, the better the result is likely to be. Good luck!

Thank you. I think that's a fair interpretation. On the other hand, they recently had a form rejection at around 265 days, and another around 214. (I could tell you precisely if Duotrope weren't broken.) So it's still anybody's guess.

UPDATE: And why do I, Mr. WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! SUBMIT! SUBMIT! SUBMIT! care, you might ask? Well, 192 days is well over their average, and well over their stated limit. Under other circumstances, I would probably query. But when I see activity on stories that have been there longer than mine, then I fall back to... Patience. Patience. Patience. It tells me that a wait that long does not mean a lost story, which is the only real reason I would query.

Now you did it...

You people broke Duotrope again...

Wow, that is broken.

It's still broken. It's probably all the rejections I've been listing lately.

Stomp. Chomp. Stomp. Chomp.

It's still broken. It's probably all the rejections I've been listing lately.

Stomp. Chomp. Stomp. Chomp.

You must have intimidated them. It's working now.

Glad it wasn't just me! I was afraid I'd ticked them off with my five minute rant.

Not really, but the timing was intriguing.

I've been told that the longer Analog holds a story, the better the result is likely to be. Good luck!

Thank you. I think that's a fair interpretation. On the other hand, they recently had a form rejection at around 265 days, and another around 214. (I could tell you precisely if Duotrope weren't broken.) So it's still anybody's guess.

UPDATE: And why do I, Mr. WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! SUBMIT! SUBMIT! SUBMIT! care, you might ask? Well, 192 days is well over their average, and well over their stated limit. Under other circumstances, I would probably query. But when I see activity on stories that have been there longer than mine, then I fall back to... Patience. Patience. Patience. It tells me that a wait that long does not mean a lost story, which is the only real reason I would query.

From my understanding, this probably means your story has landed in the circulation pile (out of the slush pile), where it will remain until/if it finds a spot in an upcoming issue. Sometimes this means other editors have a chance to pull it out, should it fit an upcoming issue of theirs, and if no one picks up the story after a certain period (like three months), then a rejection is sent out.

Good luck! =)

Interesting, morshana!! I wonder if this is how other magazines *cough* IGMS *cough* do it as well.

Despite my love for all my babies, I can't seem to stop wondering what the heck is happening to my story - though to be fair, mine is at 77 days now.\

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in an editor's office...

I've read

Interesting, morshana!! I wonder if this is how other magazines *cough* IGMS *cough* do it as well.

Despite my love for all my babies, I can't seem to stop wondering what the heck is happening to my story - though to be fair, mine is at 77 days now.\

Oh, to be a fly on the wall in an editor's office...

I've read of a few publications that follow this process and imply that a similar process occurs at most (if not all) magazines, although I'm sure there are always exceptions.

From my understanding, this probably means your story has landed in the circulation pile (out of the slush pile), where it will remain until/if it finds a spot in an upcoming issue. Sometimes this means other editors have a chance to pull it out, should it fit an upcoming issue of theirs, and if no one picks up the story after a certain period (like three months), then a rejection is sent out.

That's pretty close to what I imagined going on behind the scenes. They have issues, each with a certain number of long slots, medium slots, and short slots. In some markets, issues have themes they try to fit; in other markets, "balance" is the theme, not too many similar stories; but either way, a given story fits well or poorly with the other stories. And then there's the blunt truth that certain names (ahem, Torgersen, Liu, etc.) on the cover will sell magazines, and hence get priority if other factors are equivalent. And so a story might be a definite "maybe", but only become a "yes" if the right slot opens up in the right issue.

If this were the age of paper submissions, I would worry that my story was lost; but I'm confident that's not the case here. The CW engine still gives me status updates confirming it's in the system. So as long as I see that they are indeed processing stories that have been out 200 days and longer -- and accepting some of those! -- I'm happy to sit back and be patient and imagine my story in a "maybe" pile.

Still, NNiNN. The cat is neither alive nor dead, and any meowing I hear is strictly hypothetical. WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!

Good luck! =)

Thanks! This is one of the only times I've consciously written to a market. I didn't sit down and say, "I want to write an Analog story"; but the whole time I was writing it, I kept seeing Analog as the target, and I kept nudging the story closer to an Analog feel. So if it's a "maybe", that's satisfying in itself. Getting close to the target would mean I accomplished a goal, and can try to do so again next time. (Of course, right now my stupid "I Write Hard SF Short Stories" brain is obsessing over a five volume fantasy series...)

From my understanding, this probably means your story has landed in the circulation pile (out of the slush pile), where it will remain until/if it finds a spot in an upcoming issue. Sometimes this means other editors have a chance to pull it out, should it fit an upcoming issue of theirs, and if no one picks up the story after a certain period (like three months), then a rejection is sent out.

That's pretty close to what I imagined going on behind the scenes. They have issues, each with a certain number of long slots, medium slots, and short slots. In some markets, issues have themes they try to fit; in other markets, "balance" is the theme, not too many similar stories; but either way, a given story fits well or poorly with the other stories. And then there's the blunt truth that certain names (ahem, Torgersen, Liu, etc.) on the cover will sell magazines, and hence get priority if other factors are equivalent. And so a story might be a definite "maybe", but only become a "yes" if the right slot opens up in the right issue.

If this were the age of paper submissions, I would worry that my story was lost; but I'm confident that's not the case here. The CW engine still gives me status updates confirming it's in the system. So as long as I see that they are indeed processing stories that have been out 200 days and longer -- and accepting some of those! -- I'm happy to sit back and be patient and imagine my story in a "maybe" pile.

Still, NNiNN. The cat is neither alive nor dead, and any meowing I hear is strictly hypothetical. WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!

Good luck! =)

Thanks! This is one of the only times I've consciously written to a market. I didn't sit down and say, "I want to write an Analog story"; but the whole time I was writing it, I kept seeing Analog as the target, and I kept nudging the story closer to an Analog feel. So if it's a "maybe", that's satisfying in itself. Getting close to the target would mean I accomplished a goal, and can try to do so again next time. (Of course, right now my stupid "I Write Hard SF Short Stories" brain is obsessing over a five volume fantasy series...)

You might well be right about it sitting in the "maybe" pile. At Andromeda Spaceways In-Flight Magazine they explicitly state they do this, and mention that many other magazines do the same. One of my dismal (and long) honourable mentions reached round two there recently by the way. It's round three that they hold it for three months.

It sounds even more likely to me if you think it's a good fit for the market. I tend to think Analog is looking for a particular type of story more than most. It's probably almost essential to write specifically for them.

So good luck indeed.

NNiNN? I'm not familiar with that one, what is it?

NNiNN? I'm not familiar with that one, what is it?

No New is No News.

Good luck! =)

Thanks! This is one of the only times I've consciously written to a market. I didn't sit down and say, "I want to write an Analog story"; but the whole time I was writing it, I kept seeing Analog as the target, and I kept nudging the story closer to an Analog feel. So if it's a "maybe", that's satisfying in itself. Getting close to the target would mean I accomplished a goal, and can try to do so again next time. (Of course, right now my stupid "I Write Hard SF Short Stories" brain is obsessing over a five volume fantasy series...)

I think this is also part of becoming a "professional" writer. Sometimes, I think an author's particular style happens to meld well with a particular market (or more, if they're lucky), but I think it also boils down to nudging our creative mind in a particular direction. This is why editors encourage writers to read what they publish. As we become more familiar with a particular type of story, we can hone our own to better fit. Doesn't mean we're guaranteed an acceptance, but it brings us closer (hopefully).

Right, if this is the week, some of us should become quiet ... but not me, so of the 23 I'm obviously not-yet-blessed, but then I couldn't say, could I?

I know from my story that I'm not, because I'm aware of the judges preferences... it wouldn't go there ... but on another post ... the warming obituary from KD's husband, he said that KD would receive a box of 1200 stories each quarter ... IT MIUST be 10%, not the 15%, or if 15% was 1200 then I have problem with math, and this reconfirms what a winner once told me ... HM's are withing the top 10%.

But what it means is that there HAS to be more rejections. Buckle up. Put your parachutes on. Check them before we bail from this craft ...

Any day... any day ...

Off to continue my Q3 story ...

David who one day dreams of making the grade and hiring a Harley (similar to his own sweet Wide Glide) to ride in California