Dear Angela,

Thank you for taking the time to help. I am still trying to find a market for my first short story. My question is about multiple submissions. I read one author who said everybody does it. Then I read another author who said it’s risky because if you are accepted by one editor and have to pull a submission from other editors, the others may be less inclined to accept future submissions. Any suggestions?

Steve

My opinion is no writer should have to wait weeks and weeks for one editor to say no (or yes), and then have to send it to another…and wait more weeks to hear a no (or yes), and so on. If you waited in this way, you’d probably only be able to get your story in front of two or three editors’ eyes per year. Is that fair? No!!

If editors want first dibs on an article or story, they need to read their slush piles faster.

Think of it this way. Do you send your resume to one potential employer and then sit around for weeks and weeks, waiting for them to make a decision about whether or not to hire you? Heck no. The same should be said for your writing. Whoever bites first gets the candy. The others are left with the wrapper.

If a publication says they don’t accept simultaneous submissions, send them your piece anyway. If someone else buys it first, just politely withdraw it at that time.