I’ve worked as a commissioning editor on and off for 16 years. Like many of my colleagues, I can scan a few-paragraph pitch and determine if the topic and style are suitable – and how the story might fit gaps in the editorial line-up. Only a very borderline call or, say, an essay or humor pitch would require loads more time to assess. So I’d rather see new authors exploring more options, instead of agonizing for 4-6 weeks before a response arrives. IF one even does…

Julie and the Matador team are the good guys: editors who reply. A lot don’t, especially to writers without published clips. It’s heartbreaking to watch someone put all their eggs in one basket … and then get no traction or even a rejection letter. That type of disappointment stops people from trying. I’d rather see my students negotiate different iterations – and maybe burn a bridge, worst-case scenario – than give up.

Phew! I had no idea I felt so strongly about all this … But I’m off on assignment now. Been fun chatting with y’all. AC.

In this case, I wouldn’t see a problem pitching an idea to multiple publications since it wouldn’t be a time-consuming thing to go over.

Input?

If an outlet pays expenses or slots me on to a press trip, I check to make sure pieces for non-competing markets are cool. Editors very rarely ask for exclusives – and then usually supply a work-for-hire contract (bigger money, but they own all your output and research).

At a certain level, carefully tailored one-off pitches are essential. But not necessarily for newbies querying short-staffed zines or outlets that admit low response-rates in “The Writers Handbook” and its ilk…

As for number 1 – wow.

As a full-time freelancer, I have repurposed a destination for eight different outlets across several continents. Some colleagues rack up even more hits: otherwise it’s hard to earn a living wage, until the fairy godmother brings the four- and five-figure assignments.

Those big-money pitches are the ones I serve up on a velvet pillow, carefully tailored to the publication. They’re also the ones that require hours – if not days – of research, often including preliminary interviews. But for my travel writing students who are emerging authors, I advocate multiple submissions. Why? Because many editors don’t respond AT ALL (bravo Matador: I’ll be sending talent your way! And I will warn folks about your simultaneous-submission prefs, naturally.).

Tis better to land three assignments and spin them differently than to rot on the shelf as a story idea loses its timeliness.

I’ve worked as a staff editor and never held simul-subs against authors. Nor have I received flack as a freelancer for this practice. Quite often, outlets tweak an idea to suit their needs or style anyway. Then I mention, “hey, I’m covering the same place for X like this and Y like that. They’re non-competing markets, so I assume this is comfortable?”

(Non-competing markets would be the key there, of course. Seattle has two monthly magazines: I’d never query both with the same concept: major faux pas. Ditto “Paper Clip Digest” and “Paper Collating Review”…)

I’m sure people – writers and editors alike – have horror stories about multiple submissions. But early on, I seeded generic pitches far and wide, resulting in several columns and loads of on-going client relationships. Done with some tact (and luck and ingenuity), they can work out for everyone involved…

And everything I’ve read has indicated not to send a submission to multiple publications.

Great tips Julie!

As somebody still getting a feel for this writing business, every bit of advice helps.

anytime you’re submitting a place or event-based piece though, it seems really ill-advised to send it as a multiple submission.

Great article.

Cheers

George

Most journals either very openly accept or do not accept them, so just make sure to carefully read the criteria.

Some journals take up to six months or more to respond, and it’s not fair to the writer to hinge their success on a slim chance of acceptance for half a year, especially if they don’t have any other works to submit.