Is it possible that I won't get a reply?

I'm a newbie too but after researching a number of agents prior to submitting my queries I found that many will post their reply standards among their submission guidelines.

Some state that they only reply to projects they are interested in and may or may not provide a time frame. E.g. "will reply within 4 weeks if interested"; "will reply if interested".

Others state they will reply, interested or not, but similar to the above, may or may not provide a timeline.

When I send out queries I put an excel spreadsheet together listing name of agent submitted to, name of agency, how I submitted (email or mail), the date I submitted and expected response time. I periodically review the spreadsheet and for those agents who say they respond no matter what and I haven't received a response from them in the allotted time, I resend the query as mine must've gotten lost or stuck in a spam worm hole.

Hope this helps.

After posting the above I realized that maybe queries for freelance writing doesn't work the same for manuscripts...so, sorry if I've added confusion.

I'll often not hear a response from an editor. It's good practice to follow up several weeks after you queried, just to make sure the editor received the query and ask if a decision was made. (That's a good practice I rarely do, because I assume if they're interested, they'll contact me. But, things got lost in the shuffle, forgotten -- or lost in cyberspace.....and I've read that editors are open to friendly, sincere, gentle follow up emails.)

I've also heard of someone - I think on this forum - who received an article acceptance after 3 or 4 years! Amazing....but I don't think any editor would expect you to wait that long before re-pitching to another publication

I'd say that I don't hear from 50% of the editors I send queries to, even with a follow-up. That said, I've had one situation when I followed-up and got the assignment. The editor actually apologized, saying that he'd meant to email me but because they were changing offices and my query got lost in the shuffle. You can be sure that I always make sure to follow-up!

Hi Colleen - I second whateveryone said. Follow up and just focus on the next query and article. good luck.

Ha. I've been doing it for about a year and half and hear anything--ANYTHING--from fewer than half of the editors I query.

Sometimes following up helps.

You will probably not hear back on all of them.

ColleenNyman said:

Will I get replies to all my queries? Or is it considered acceptable in the industry to simply not reply to queries that aren't of interest to the editor?

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Bwaaaaaaahahahahahaha....

*wipes tears* I wish... I truly, really, really do wish. Many magazines will at least send you a form rejection letter, but expect a lot of silent treatment, too, especially at first. Don't take it personal, just keep pluggin' away. Oh, and if you really want to sell that story to THAT magazine, wait 2-4 months and send them a followup letter or (preferably) email.

WildScribe said:

Bwaaaaaaahahahahahaha....

*wipes tears* I wish... I truly, really, really do wish. Many magazines will at least send you a form rejection letter, but expect a lot of silent treatment, too, especially at first. Don't take it personal, just keep pluggin' away. Oh, and if you really want to sell that story to THAT magazine, wait 2-4 months and send them a followup letter or (preferably) email.

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I wanted to say it this way but didn't have the courage. Thanks more than you know...

This being said - Editors are the worst at getting back to people, especially if it's a rejection. They'll generally delete and move on.

Rule number one of freelance writing - Rejection is NOT personal.

ColleenNyman said:

Thanks again everyone.
I wasn't asking so much because I worry about being rejected. I just wanted to know what the protocol was. When I could repitch to another magazine, for example.

Cheers all!

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Until you've sold the article, I'd pitch the story to whomever you wish. Some editors say they don't like multiple queries but that's really not their call to make, in my opinion.

I mean, if they're going to tie up a perfectly good story for weeks or months, they they need to give you something in return. Since they don't do that, pitch away...

I don't think all editors are so evil. Some just get backlogged like everyone else. Editors are busy people and can fall behind. They are not infallible. Congrats on the story and keep up the good work.

I sent a query letter to a major news stand magazine editor on May 15th for an article I've completed.

How long should I wait before sending a follow up email?

I think in the old days of snail mail you were more likely to hear back because you could include a SASE. I read somewhere that they have interns send the SASEs back... With email, you just have to get an friendly editor who's feeling chatty.

I have gotten a few responses back, telling me the idea was good and they don't have the budget, or (worse) they're already working on the idea. I actually got a phone call from a staff reporter who wanted my opinion on story she was working on that was very similar to what I queried. That was a weird conversation! But I figured any contact with a magazine is good contact! (And I didn't want to be know as that crabby freelancer!)

Also, I have a decent relationship with an editor who's bought quite a few of my briefs now. He's told me that he only has time to look as fresh queries once a month, so I'm free to keep sending them in and don't be offended if he doesn't get back on each one. Every now and again I ask if he considered x,y, and z, and he'll let me know if they're deaders. Sometimes he'll come back with a 2 month old query and want it.

The spread sheet is definately a good idea. I try to keep one myself - then I can look back at it and see what ideas have worked, what hasn't. I update it when a query is sold, when I've turned in the article, then finally when I get paid. That last one is important, because sometimes you get paid on publication...and you don't want to forget about your check! (Which reminds me to go follow up on somebody.)

Oh, and something else about the spread sheet - you can make a note of editor's emails when they DO write back to you, so you know you've got a live address.

Lavern08 said:

I sent a query letter to a major news stand magazine editor on May 15th for an article I've completed.

How long should I wait before sending a follow up email?

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I give them a month to six weeks. Magazine editors are a busy set, so if you follow up too soon you run the risk of looking inexperienced and unprofessional.

You can also tick off the editor, ruining an otherwise good chance of being accepted.

Skyraven said:

I don't think all editors are so evil. Some just get backlogged like everyone else. Editors are busy people and can fall behind. They are not infallible. Congrats on the story and keep up the good work.

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Absolutely! Writers should remember that editors are the ones who hire us. If rejection isn't personal for us writers, why should we make it personal that editors are awful? Having been on both sides of this fence, I can say many editors are:

- Overworked
- Frustrated by the amount of Really Bad submissions they receive
- May have bosses over them who are mean/dominating/downright abusive.

Also, things happen with e-mails and they can get lost, misplaced, misdirected, etc. Give the editor the benefit of doubt - and check the writer's guidelines -- when you follow up. If guidelines say expect a response in three months, don't sell the story elsewhere or follow up after two weeks. Be fair.

However, I'm all for simultaneous queries--if both mags want it, find a
slightly different slant or treatment of the topic and sell both stories!

And congrats to the OP about the sale!! WOOT! That's what we like to hear around here.

Dawn

I've also heard of someone - I think on this forum - who received an article acceptance after 3 or 4 years! Amazing....but I don't think any editor would expect you to wait that long before re-pitching to another publication

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Yeppers. Just out this month: the article I submitted four years ago. I did get asked to submit the article on spec; I just didn't hear back after sending the article.

I've also done a follow up letter (I usually sent them out six weeks after my initial queries) that yielded an assignment.

I wouldn't submit the same query to multiple magazines, in case two say yes, but I've submitted different angles on the same story to different places and then ended up writing for both. Of course, that only happened to me once. One magazine rejected the finished article and one...one published it four years later. Clearly my queries were better than my articles on that idea, lol.

CONGRATULATIONS on the assignment, though--what a great thing to achieve after just a couple of queries!