This is helpful. I had wondered what is appropriate. OBVIOUSLY we all want to be boosted!

In the early days of the boost, I noted one boosting publication whose submission guidelines actually said "If you would like your story to be considered for the boost please leave a private note to that effect".

So I did. They declined, but I can always hope. Early in the boost program, that led to a feeling that maybe it's acceptable to say you think your story meets the criteria. Some editors were inviting writers to tell them if we thought our story was good enough, so they could consider it for the boost.

Interestingly, the publication in question has since deleted that from their submission guidelines!

When I've recently asked for a piece to be considered in PW, it was really just asking editors to give James a chance to see it before they publish - because I know you're the nommer, and I know you prefer to nominate drafts. Anyway, it didn't work, so I figured it was an ineffective approach these days anyway.

In some publications many of us feel that our stories never reach the eyeballs of the actual nominators! We could be wrong, but they don’t make themselves known, if they pass by.

Anyway, thank you for clarifying your position. I think it's probably the same across most publications now.