Highs and Lows

I complained recently about the length of reply time from magazines concerning poetry submissions especially when they in no way match the claim on their website. For instance I recently received a rejection from a magazine after holding onto my poems for eight months, they claim on their website that they aim to reply within three months.

They caveat that the reply may take longer especially if your poems are being considered for publication, which sounds reasonable. But five months longer? Seriously? I would have no problem if they had stated up front that the reply time may be around six to eight months. Then it's up to me whether I want those particular poems to be tied up for that length of time.

However, I was pleasantly gobsmacked to be on the receiving end at other end of the spectrum today. I submitted poems to a magazine which does claim a reading time of around eight months. Thirteen minutes later I received a delightful acceptance of two of my poems!! I'm still in shock!

"We and the members of the editorial board have read with interest your submission, and we have the pleasure in telling you..."

Three poems accepted by Poetry Salzburg Review!!

I opened with trepidation the envelope that arrived this morning with Universitat Salzburg printed on the front. An absolutely gorgeous magazine, I'm so excited to have poems in their next issue! Of course they never took the poem I was sure if they would if they were taking any! And I've vastly redrafted the poems I'd submitted to them (as I am in the bad habit of doing!). I will return the proofs today and walk about with a stupid big smile on my face!