No response after acceptance?

Rachel Udin · Jul 21, 2012

Move at will...

Goes like this...

Wrote something. Editor replied that they wanted it. Waited four months (Holiday season), shot another e-mail. Editor replied, still wanted it, putting together next issue. Waited another month. Shot another heads up. Got a response. Still wants it. Please wait for response after next two issues. Waited 2 months. Nothing back.

Article was specifically written for that magazine and I still believe with revisions it would be the best fit. Do I wait as per instructions, withdraw it, or hold out hope (tap again or wait)? The thing is that I have *other* things I would like to submit to said magazine and they don't allow for multiple submissions. I realize said article is a back burner mission for said magazine. I have no hard feelings towards the editor.

What's the best way to proceed? (More looking for the writer side, which is why I didn't post in Ask the Editor.)

And... if I do end up withdrawing it, can I count it in my rejection pile?

D.L. Shepherd · Jul 21, 2012

Tough question. One thought I had was that if you do decide to give another nudge, maybe you can just mention that you have other work you wanted to submit, and just see what the editor says. I mean, if they are telling you they want the piece, you never know, they might ask to see something else too.

lorna_w · Jul 21, 2012

For me, it would depend on the magazine. If they pay 1000 dollars per article and have a lot of prestige, I'll wait until I'm gray/bald for them to quit farting around.

The concept of "no simultaneous submissions" bothers me in general, particularly if they aren't paying me a dime (as with lit mags) but I may follow that rule if the publication is quick and professional. If they aren't, I say, "screw it" and submit five at once. Got caught once, it was no big deal, everything turned out fine.

So I suppose what I'm saying is, am I willing to risk burning this one relationship, and it may be headed that way anyway. That would depend on where I was in my career, how important that one mag was, and other factors. Never, if I had cashed a check or signed a contract.

Rachel Udin · Jul 22, 2012

No contract was signed. No money was sent.

I'm doing the article more out of moral principle than for the cash. I can't find another magazine that fits it the same way. However, I have fiction I want to send to them.... and the article is kind of holding that up. If I get this article, then there can be other articles and I can probably get a better chance at sending fiction. (Semi-pro to pro magazine. Article will be after it's edited roughly 6,000 words+.)

But I really dislike one thing holding up the works.

BTW, I'm redacting information about the article in order to protect myself and said editor, and also so I don't break unsaid contract of NDA--which will come later.

I guess tapping isn't such a bad thing. Maybe if I get published elsewhere with something else I'll become front burner. =P

Polenth · Aug 11, 2012

If you've gone through the slush and got an answer (regardless of whether it was a yes or a no), you no longer have a submission pending with them. Unless they have rules about contributors not submitting again for a certain time, submit your fiction. It's not a multiple submission because you've already had your answer.

As far as the wait and the contract go, it's hard to comment without knowing the market. It does sound like they've been responding to you, so I wouldn't say they accepted you and then didn't respond (as the thread title suggests).

No response after acceptance?

Rachel Udin

D.L. Shepherd

Revising, revising, revising...

lorna_w

Confused Alien

Rachel Udin

Polenth

Mushroom