How Soon Should I Get My Hopes Up?

Hannah · Sep 23, 2005

I'm a published beginning writer and just recently hit the submitting circuit full-force. I sent three (very different) essays to a woman’s magazine at the same time, in three different envelopes. I got two rejection letters in the mailbox on the same day (about two weeks after I submitted), but have yet to receive a rejection letter for the third essay. Should I get my hopes up, or they might be giving the third essay another look, but could ultimately give me the boot?

Jamesaritchie · Sep 23, 2005

Hopes

Hannah said:
I'm a published beginning writer and just recently hit the submitting circuit full-force. I sent three (very different) essays to a woman’s magazine at the same time, in three different envelopes. I got two rejection letters in the mailbox on the same day (about two weeks after I submitted), but have yet to receive a rejection letter for the third essay. Should I get my hopes up, or they might be giving the third essay another look, but could ultimately give me the boot?

It's possible they're taking a second look. It's possible it's in the process of being bought right now. It's also possible they lost it. It's also possible they don't like multiple submissions and tossed the third one.

The time to get your hopes up is when an acceptance letter arrives in your mailbox.

pickman · Sep 24, 2005

It's possible that they could be giving your essay another look. It's also possible that they could be giving you the boot. Either way it's out of your hands now, and not worth worrying about. The best thing to do is to get to work on another essay to send to another magazine, while you wait for a reply.

Birol · Sep 24, 2005

Right now, the question is not, "What is going on with the third essay?" but "Where else can I submit the two essays that were rejected?"

For when you should follow up on the third essay, check the magazine's guidelines. What do they indicate is their normal turn-around (response) time for freelance material? Whatever is says, add at least two weeks to it before following up.

Hannah · Sep 24, 2005

The other two essays that got rejected have already been sent out. :Guitar:

How Soon Should I Get My Hopes Up?

Hannah

Jamesaritchie

pickman

Birol

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