Stuck on pending question

[KindofHere]

It's been a while since I've submitted a story to Lit, perhaps things have changed. I submitted a story on 08/23/21 that is still PENDING. I've sent numerous PMs, that were never answered, and I even used the Report A Problem button at the bottom of the author's home page. I don't know if that will be answered either. There seems to be a lot of randomness to who is helped and who isn't.

Anyway, today, I logged in just after 11:30 pm to see if my story had been published. It wasn't, and I noticed that my story's upload date had been changed. Instead of going on it's 10th day in the PENDING category, it had now been PENDING for only 2 minutes. I didn't edit the story. I didn't even click on it to go into the pre-editing page. It appears to have been reset at 11:30 pm, right before I had logged on. Is this normal? At the 10th day on the PENDING list, does a story roll back to day 1?

I'd appreciate any answers. Thank you.

 

[ElectricBlue]

It's probably about to go live. Seven days is not unreasonable if you haven't submitted content for a long while.

I don't think it's randomness - there is a single queue and each story gets its place in it, then goes through a sequence of checks for content and technical compliance.

 

[KeithD]

It's hard to think that everyone is getting responses to PMs to the Web site management when so many are continuing to report they aren't getting any response.

 

[jaF0]

^^^ It's all about the topic title of the PM. Site complaints go no where. Ask something about a story challenge? I've had responses in minutes.

Wasn't too long ago somebody sent a PM about something that was happening on the AH. L popped in to post her reply on the matter.

 

[KeithD]

Well, no, it's mostly about equity of response to contact means claimed by the Web site.

 

[KindofHere]

It's probably about to go live. Seven days is not unreasonable if you haven't submitted content for a long while.

I don't think it's randomness - there is a single queue and each story gets its place in it, then goes through a sequence of checks for content and technical compliance.

You misunderstood me. By randomness, I meant which PMs are answered and which aren't, though this feels more passive-aggressive. Maybe it isn't so random. Anyway, I've sent a PM a day for the last couple of days now. My story has been on PENDING for 11 days, including the reset back to day 1. Maybe that means the problem was fixed and that it was added to the queue, I'll find out in a day or two. But, even this topic isn't being answered nor has a PM been sent to me regarding my problem.

 

[KindofHere]

My story was finally accepted. I don't know if it was the multiple PMs, or the use of the Report a Problem button at the bottom of the page, this topic, or if was because I uploaded a duplicate copy with a slightly different title. They rejected the duplicate, and I sent a PM about that, but I was going to delete whichever copy lost the race to being published.

I know this is a two person operation, and they handle a heavy workload that I probably wouldn't have the patience to handle. I'm just going to be thankful that the issue was resolved.

 

[ElectricBlue]

You misunderstood me. By randomness, I meant which PMs are answered and which aren't, though this feels more passive-aggressive.

Ah, gotcha. I reckon it's not so much random or passive aggressive, just efficient - why bother sending a message to someone saying you've fixed something when the fix will become self-evident in 24 hours or so? I've found Laurel responds to a direct question about other things, but if it's just, "Could you check my story please," she doesn't. She'll fix it, and move on. I'd do the same, to be honest, given the volume of content she must see.

 

[KeithD]

why bother sending a message to someone saying you've fixed something when the fix will become self-evident in 24 hours or so?

Why? Because that's just good business. I ran an editorial service for a decade, using the Internet to exchange manuscripts and edits. I can't count the number of times that I sent business off and because the recipient didn't acknowledge receipt, we didn't establish the connection had been made until I sent it again (and again) requested acknowledgement of receipt--or how many times I didn't receive messages and that was only found out when they asked again. A request for acknowledgment of receipt had always been sent the first time.

This is a business. Pinning down receipt of messages is standard good business procedure.

 

[VilHaMer]

My latest story has been stuck on "pending" for 10 days now...

Does the length of the story influence this time, maybe? It's some 70 pages long, so could that be the reason it's taking so long?