This magazine accepted one of my poems for publication...a year ago... - Writers Forum

Wilderness · 02-18-2006, 08:46 PM

Hey
Its been just over a year since I got the email saying they are publishing one of my poems in their magazine. It hasnt yet been published.
This is the link: http://www.penwomanship.com/

Now, they emailed me again in July saying that they will send out a list of what months poems will be published in August. (if that made sense). Come and go August. I email them in September/October and ask when my poem will be published (and asking them to put a dedication with it). They say they have had a death in the family or something, and that they will get back to me. 2 months pass and they send an email saying there has been another death. They assure they will let me know and that they will put the dedication on) I emailed them 3 weeks ago asking about my poem, and they havent written back.

What is going on!?!?!?!?!?!
It is so enfuriating. I was so excited and proud when I first heard, and now its totally warn off. Should I give up and start sending my poem to other competitions/magazine? Or do you think they will eventually publish it.
Need your opinions.

Lani

valeca · 02-18-2006, 08:55 PM

Did you sign a contract? If so, look to see what the terms say about rights reverting back to you. Or the 'what if' in case of non-publication.

If not, e-mail them and tell them 'thanks, but no thanks', and submit it elsewhere. Make sure you're clear that you do not want them to publish your poem so that, if it is accepted elsewhere, there won't be any problems.

Shade53 · 02-18-2006, 09:26 PM

In the same boat as you except they put them up on their website (3 poems) after my giving permission. If your work never appeared on the site I think an email requesting info or withdrawl is kosher. My poems appeared (though I dont think they do any longer) in the fall of 2004. It is frustrating but - email ms. White - she always did her best to respond quickly to me...

~S

Wilderness · 02-18-2006, 11:58 PM

^ Same website or same situation? Are you talking about Penwomanship or another writing magazine?

Lani

Mike C · 02-19-2006, 08:28 AM

I know nothing of the publication in question, so I can only speak in generalities.

Magazines take forever to get into print; it's just a fact of life, and 12 months isn't a long time. By all means query them, but I think you need to be thinking in a different way.

You make reference to your poem as if it's the only one you have. Forget it. Write another. And another. There are more markets for poems than you can write poems, trust me, and most of the more serious markets like to see a selection of 4-6 poems.

Make it your target to submit one poem - or batch of poems - every week. Record your subs on a spreadsheet so you know which has gone where, and as you get rejected just move the poem on to the next mag on the list. That way - apart from drastically increasing your chances of being published - by the time you've spent 12 months waiting for publication you've also submitted at least 52 other poems.

Shade53 · 02-20-2006, 05:58 AM

I was speaking of penwomanship - hense the mention of ms white. I know the print mag got pushed back a year but I haven't heard anything since. In any case - email her and find out what's going on - she'll more than likely respond very quickly.

~S