Here's an interesting thing about the writing industry. Your stories are like your resumes. You gotta keep track of where they are and where they're going.
You think once you sign a contract, the editor takes care of everything from there. Not true. You gotta make sure you know where your story got picked up and when it's supposed to be published, that way, you can check it, and make sure you got your payment (if applicable). Just because your story's accepted doesn't mean it's time to let it go. Stories are not butterflies, they are keys. So keep them on your keychain.
If you find that certain magazines are taking longer than usual, just send them an e-mail (always be professional), asking what's going on, what's the status, when can I expect... and so on and on. It harms no one, just as long as you stay polite.
The more you know...Labels: getting published, writing