Picture this: an editor at your dream magazine says she’s interested in giving you an assignment. Maybe she tells you she’ll present it at the next editorial meeting or that she’s just waiting to get a new budget approved. Perhaps she asks to hang onto an essay while she decide she want to publish it. The point is that you’re psyched about the possible clip, but now you’re in limbo, because you don’t have a firm assignment letter. Is she leading you on? Are there financial troubles that are forcing her to hold off? How long do you wait? Or do you quietly take your idea elsewhere while you’re waiting?
This is a tough situation for any writer, and one that I’ve found myself in more times than I care to remember. I’ve definitely waited longer than I should out of the hope that it will pay off. Often it doesn’t. In fact, I got a maybe last November and kept following up until I finally got a firm no in March. Then I pitched another idea to the same publication, got a maybe and forgot about it, because I figured maybe meant no like it did the last time. Well, something like three months passed and last week the editor asked if I could turn around the piece in 72 hours.
I guess the point is that there’s no real formula for how you long you should wait. You can give an editor an ultimatum (“if I don’t hear from you by X date, I plan to shop it elsewhere”), but in the end, they answer on their timeline. What do you think? How long would you wait?
Not long. If I hear that they MIGHT like to publish the story I tell them I'll check back in one month. That gives them time to bring it to an editorial meeting — editors have assignments planned MONTHS in advance. If, when I follow up in a month and they still aren't sure I shop it elsewhere. And that is if it's an evergreen story. If it's more timely I'll send it to a couple of places at once and take the first one that says YES!
I'm a novelist, so it's a bit different for me. My agent and I have been waiting for a number of publishers to make up their mind for over nine months. It's absolutely maddening!
Waiting gets a little (okay a lot) old, doesn't it? I don't know, Susan. I'm still waiting on some stuff. I just got my comp copies for one piece I sold like a year ago (I think) and am still waiting on the check. So…
Michele
Thanks for this, Susan. I'm currently waiting on 3 pieces w/2 different "ideal" publications but it's been more than a month on both. So I'm thinking that I'm with Mimi and I'm going to start shopping them while I wait.
Wow! They sound really unorganized, Susan.
I once waited, well, it's been about 16 years for a decision. As you can see, I've moved on. I have no idea if the essay ever published. I don't really care. Each time I'd follow up, I'd get a "not yet; we'll still hang on to it." I'm going to guess it's not happening since I've moved three times in that time frame and the editor no longer knows where I am.
I wait about two months on a maybe unless it's topical – in that case, I let the info decide. Luckily I've not been in the position of waiting. The decisions have been either yes right away or no within a few weeks.
Thank you everyone who weigh in!
@Mimi: I think you have the right attitude. Maybe these editors who keep stringing me along just can't tell a writer no? Well, I'd rather that than an indefinite maybe.
@Amber: I've heard that waiting on publishers can be torturous! Good luck.
@Lori: I certainly hope they didn't publish your essay without paying you or having you sign a contract, but then, it wouldn't be the first time (I know someone who opened up the magazine and found her piece right there!).