submitting to multiple editors

[Simon Chu]

Is there a protocol when submitting articles to multiple editors?
One at a time or blanket spam?
What happens when one accepts the piece?

[Morsie]

Simon I think that if you submit a piece to multiple editors you will very quickly find out that no editors will touch your work.

Morsie

[Zach Matthews]

Simon –

It needs to be one at a time.

[Randy Kadish]

Check the publication’s guidelines. They willl usually tell you if they accept mulitple submissions. If they do, point out in your cover letter that you’re showing your work to someone else.

If you’re not sure, again point out that it’s a mulitple submission. If they won’t accept it they’ll let you know.

Randy

[Simon Chu]

Thanks
Good advice 🙂

[john michael white]

What is a fair amount of time to wait without a reply before submitting to another editor when there has been no reply concerning the original submission, even with follow up emails?  

I have had the experience that some magazines reply back every time just as they say they will, …and then others you never hear a thing back from them at all.

[Morsie]

Man that kind of discourtesy pisses me off. Depends on what kind of relationship you can see yourself having with them in the future. If it means nothing to you take the opportunity to ring the editor and give him a lesson in communication and bad manners.

[john michael white]

I am just starting out and trying to build relationships in the magazine industry, so I don’t know that there is much I can do.  Of course, in the meantime, you put all of this effort into a submission, and then it may take many months before you finally give up waiting ( and send a follow up email or two) and decide to try another venue.  At that rate, it makes it very hard to do business.  The lack of a response is extremely frustrating and discourteous, but what can you do if a magazine blows you off??  

It would really be helpful to get some sort of feedback so you know how to proceed and whether or not your work is good or bad in their eyes, or just doesn’t fit what they are looking for at the moment.

I guess the lesson is to keep trying and in the future only submit to the guys who at least give you the courtesy of a response – the only drawback being you may run out of people to submit to real quick.

[David Anderson]

In my eperience, you need a thick skin to work in the magazine industry and should NEVER burn a bridge.

For one, if you give someone an earfull, even if you don’t want to work for their mag, they might move on to another magazine you do want to work for.
And second, it’s a small circle of people with a big mouths and a long memory.. 😉
Lastly, it’s a tough game and generally everyone is to busy to listen to some one whine about stuff.

All that said, it can be very frustrating and it helps to have some friends in the business you can have a bitch with and maybe seek advice from to keep things in perspective.

www.dsaphoto.com

A picture is thousand words that takes less than a second while a thousand words is a picture that takes a month.

[Randy Kadish]

I’d wait about two months, unless the magazine’s guidelines say they respond sooner.

More and more magazines are accepting mulitple submissions. I’m reluctant to submit to those that don’t.

Randy

[john michael white]

Good advice David and Randy….thanks.

[Author]

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