Sometimes your article idea for a website or magazine might get rejected for reasons beyond your control – perhaps something similar has already been planned, or the editor has no budget left for freelances. But you can improve your chances of acceptance.

Your query letter lets you down 

A query that isn’t written in a way that inspires confidence about your writing style (clunky syntax, typos, poor flow, etc.) is an instant turn-off. Spend time crafting and polishing before you send. It’s an editor’s first impression of you and your writing.

(HOPE: Dozens of writers query FundsforWriters from their phone, using textese and incomplete sentences. No introduction, no bio, no website, just “this is my idea.” Others simply say, “see attached” with nothing else about themselves or the piece, except maybe, “When can I get paid?” I don’t even try to make those pieces work. Delete.)

Your idea is too generic  

Good ideas are often very specific. Ten Tips for Beating Writer’s Block is hopelessly generic, especially for such a well-worn topic. Ten Alternative Remedies That Beat Writer’s Block is more interesting.

(HOPE: At FundsforWriters we hate theoretical pieces. We want strong how-to or takeaway value, and the guidelines are extremely clear on this. Generic pieces actually insult the editor, as if the writer thinks the editor hasn’t seen what else is on the Internet.)

Your ideas have been done before 

You might think your piece on What Star Wars Can Teach You About Parenting is a fresh, clever approach to a topic, but Google it and you’ll see it’s been done. Googling potential ideas helps you see what’s old hat and enable you to spot gaps.

(HOPE: We have a strong, searchable archive of what we’ve done before at FFW, and it’s clear as day in a pitch who has bothered to look at it. We also happen to read other writing sites and magazines. Surprise!)

Your idea isn’t clear  

Sometimes I pitch an idea to Hope that just makes no sense to her, and of course it gets turned down. The best ideas have a simplicity about them. If you can’t sum up in a single sentence or phrase, it’s not there yet. Better still, have someone explain your idea and see how it sounds to your ears.

(HOPE: Having seen so many ideas, I find a crisp, concise idea quite exhilarating. I’ll jump on those, because if I really like it, chances are another editor will, too. I want it to be mine!)

It’s over-ambitious 

In order to attract an editor’s attention, you might be tempted to make big claims for what you’ll cover in your piece: A Comprehensive Guide to Getting Published, written in 500 words. But unrealistic claims dent your credibility. Break the topic down, select a niche, give it an interesting angle.

(HOPE: And I can spot these overzealous, over-ambitious pieces a mile away. The writer claims to solve so many problems in 500 words, and it just can’t be done. Those often get rejected without being read, which goes back to the need to query well.)

It’s not something we’d ever publish 

Editors hate getting ideas that show no familiarity with the magazine. If the idea feels like it’s been blasted to 100 titles or offers a style or topic that just doesn’t fit, don’t be surprised if you don’t hear back. Always spend a bit of time familiarizing yourself with the market first.

(HOPE: Laughing…hard. Just today, a man named as only Richard, who addressed his query to only Editor, said he had the perfect piece for me: Why a Backpack Leaf Blower is a Must-have for Your Garden. And if I didn’t like that one, then surely, I could use, Seven Best Outdoor Solar Lights for Your House.)

It’s political (or religious)

Many titles have a policy of staying away from these sensitive areas. You might be confident that the editor will be in sympathy with your piece for or against Trump, for example, but this is a publication you’re pitching to, not an individual. Always check the submission guidelines.

(HOPE: Not only do I not want my readers alienated by whatever stance the writer has about politics, but who says I’m not insulted? Unnecessarily step on my toes and you won’t get rejected. . . you’ll just hear silence.)

You’re pushing too hard

Generally, editors are very organized people. They have a pile of submissions to work through and other priorities (such as a book to publish). They’ll get to you when they can. But if you chase them for a response the day after you queried, or email every Tuesday and Thursday for eight straight weeks, they might just say No to get you off their back! Wait a decent interval before sending a polite nudge (I wait two weeks with a new publication), and then wait again. Instead, submit your next idea to your next market.

(HOPE: Once had a writer pitch an idea to FFW. Three days later, she asked for an answer because she was going on vacation. I told her to feel free to pitch it elsewhere to someone who could reply more quickly. Editors are busy. Give them at least two weeks, or your second query could prompt an over-worked editor to simply reject to shorten her to-do list. Been there.)

It’s not your idea; it’s you

Editors get a sense of what someone is like from the way they frame their messages. Do you show respect for their time? Do you sign off politely? They want good ideas, but they also want someone easy to work with. So, if you come across (however unintentionally) as arrogant, abrupt, demanding, or sexist, your idea won’t save you. Read your note to someone who will give you an honest assessment of how you sound.

(HOPE: Manners are incredibly refreshing and, unfortunately, uncommon. Queries often broadcast whether a writer has them. Rub an editor wrong, regardless of the idea you pitched, and you’re toast. There’s enough other stress without an editor paying for more.) 

Pro tip: remember, the editor is always right! 

(HOPE: We can have fun with and laugh about these tips, but editors want their publications to be admired by its readers. That takes hard work. When they are ignored as hard-working people, when their guidelines are passed over, they feel disrespected. Thanks, Dan. These tips are classic and timeless.)

BIO: Dan Brotzel (@brotzel_fiction) is author of a collection of short stories, Hotel du Jack, and co-author of a new comic novel about an eccentric writers’ group, Kitten on a Fatberg (Unbound). For 10% off your order, quote KITTEN10