Editors juggle a lot of balls in finding literary material for publications. They have multiple deadlines for multiple editions and all the administrative nuts and bolts that come with putting a publication together. When finally obtaining the ear of an editor, keep your moment(s) brief, because others just like you are vying for that editor’s attention, too.

A few words of advice. Although we are a small-time publication and only online, FundsforWriters’ editorial issues apply to most editors of any type of publication.

1. Send one version of your submission. 

An editor receives so many emails that say, “use this version” or “I forgot something so use this instead,” adds to an already hectic day. For all you know, the editor has already edited the original submission to their satisfaction. These subsequent versions also show you don’t proof properly.

2. Include all requested information with the submission. 

Sending one email with the article, then another with the bio makes for double work. Forgetting the method of payment (in our case PayPal) in the submission adds more work. Worse yet is not sending all the information and making the editor ask for it. Because the editor is easy to work with doesn’t entitle you to more of their time. If working with you involves four emails versus one, you may not land that second assignment. I have quit working with writers for that very reason. I have also reduced the amount I’d pay a writer based upon the extra time they require.

3. The guidelines say no attachments. 

Or the guidelines could say only certain types of attachments. Yes, attachments matter to the editor. They have economized their time by this guideline. In the case of FundsforWriters (FFW), when proofing a dozen submissions, those without attachments get read first. Open, read, decide.

4. Don’t ask for the status of a piece. 

At least until it’s been a ridiculously long time. Say…a month in the case of FFW. I’d say six weeks for any other publication unless they state in the guidelines it takes longer. FFW is booked into September now. We often hoard pieces until we have the downtime to review them. That might take three days or other times two weeks.

5. Don’t come back and argue with the editor.

“I followed all the guidelines, so why did you turn my piece down?” One gentleman even added, “I just reviewed a few of the latest articles you accepted and published. I guess the rules are for others to ignore and still see their articles published.” Cough, cough. Um, yes, I told him in no uncertain terms that to tell me I got it wrong in my own newsletter was the worst way of making me want to ever consider him again. My nice rejection didn’t appease him, so I told him point blank why he was rejected. But in the real world outside of FFW, editors delete this guy and he never gets another chance. A writer can never fully know the big picture of why an editor turns down a piece. There are too many reasons that the editor isn’t obligated to say.

6. Minutes matter for an editor sculpting a publication.

There are some writers we love to hear from, and you’ll see their presence repeated in FFW. Wham, bam. . . they submit everything in one beautiful package. We welcome those names in our email box, knowing they will usually offer good material and be efficient in doing so. Easy peasy. Then there are others. . . after a difficult time of back and forth, lots of questions, revisions. . . well you get it. If one of those writers submits when I’m having a particularly hard week, I’m likely to just reject them outright based upon difficult past experience.

Keep in mind editors also might not be only editors. Some write novels, make appearances, handle printers and staff issues. They even have a personal life. Guidelines are not just to educate a writer on how to submit. They are there to economize an editor’s job. And yes, if it’s listed in the guidelines, it matters to someone, and that someone may make or break your acceptance.