When you submit a story...

For the love of God, don't bother the editor about it a week after you sent it. Seriously. The automated reply says to allow eight to ten weeks for a response. We try not to take that long, but understand, you're not the only one whose story we have to read. At any given time, we've about about thirty of them. When you email us and "nudge" us, it doesn't make us want to read your story. It annoys us and makes us want to reject it. Yes, I said it--reject it. The story may be good, but when you bother us, it makes us wonder what it will be like to work with you, and possibly your agent, during the editing process. It's not JUST the story you're selling, it's you, too. Your story can be wonderful, but if if you make us dislike you, your story will get rejected. There are always more stories behind you. Remember that.