As 2006 draws to close, it's inevitable to look back and see where we've been and where we're heading. 2005 saw the first and only issue of IGMS, and much attendant excitement. 2006 saw only two issues released, one in March - the final one edited personally by Orson Scott Card - and one in October, my first as editor. I have to admit that I was immensely gratified to see issue three received so well by the readers.
2007 will see all four issues of IGMS that a quarterly schedule promises. Issue four is already together and just waiitng for art and one or two other finishing touches. We're looking to release #4 some time during the first week of February. Issue five is also nearly complete. This magazine will get onto a regular schedule and stay there. Period. That's what Scott hired me to do and I'll make it happen.
There are still a handful of authors waitng for final replies, but we've largely dug out from under the backlog of submissions. Of the several thousand stories that came in between June of 2005 and Dec. 2006, there are perhaps a hundred left that need a reply. So if you haven't heard yet, my apologies for the wait. On the other hand, realize that if you haven't heard back, that puts you in the top 5% of subs. For me that's the trickiest part because there's only room for about 1%. That means I'll have to reject(and already have rejected) some pretty darn good stories. I wish it were otherwise, but that's reality.
Right now I'm about to head out the door; we're visiting some family in the Baltimore area. And yes, I'm taking stories with me to read while we drive. I don't leave the house any more without a pile of stories printed out and ready to go with. In the mean time, happy reading and writing to you all. Thank you, every one of you, for your support, your encouragement, and your patience. I'll see you next year.
Yes, I get IGMS more than twice a year!
ReplyDeleteAll things told, long waits, while frustrating, tend to result in good things.
ReplyDeleteOr almost good things, much of the time.
Thanks for the update. Hope you had a good time in Baltimore!
ReplyDeleteThe long waits are probably more frustrating now than ever because of that little thing we call electronic mail. With the immediate nature of e-mail, we become used to getting responses within days or even hours (sometimes sooner).
ReplyDeleteIf I don't watch it, I find myself obsessively checking e-mails several times a day, waiting for responses. It's like the master said in "Ti Kwan Leep:"
"Ed Gruberman, you must learn patience."
"Yeah, yeah, patience. How long will that take?"
Of course, the "top 5%" bit doesn't hurt my frail ego, even if I don't make the final cut.
--Jeff P.