Hesitation

If the editors at the Crab Orchard Review are to be believed, then the short story that I sent them at the beginning of August is under consideration. They'll get to the submissions, they say, within a month or three. Once it gets past five months, well, consider yourself one of the select few whose epic masterpiece is getting a serious look. It's six months and counting. Is that an indication of even more seriousness? So, do I hold back on the queries and wait for something definite?

Getting published in a paying journal would be a big plus, since I'd have something to put in the closing paragraph of the query letter besides 'Thank you for your consideration' that would actually enhance my credentials. The Carolina Quarterly is supposed to respond in four to six months, and they've had an excerpt from one of my manuscripts for six months. Should I wait for another week to see if they've picked up the submission? Now there's a dream, to query for a novel that's already had a bit put into print. Or, is the literary journal quite turtle-like in responding, and I'm wasting time in waiting on them?

I know that Zoetrope is overwhelmed and thus, very slow to respond. Is that why I've yet to hear from a submission sent last May? To lay claim to a published story in a journal this top of the range would be a very large plus in the query letter, but is it worth while to hold back on the assault of the literary agent fortress?

Then there's McSweeney's, who suggest a response within five months, or maybe they've lost it so feel free to re-submit. Am I waiting on all these journals for nothing? Is it possible that they've mislaid the submission?

Maybe a few query letters wouldn't hurt. Maybe I could hold off until Wednesday. Or Friday. I could send query letters over the next weekend, give the journals a bit more time. One more week?