Magazine Editor Sending Mixed Messages

Yorwick · May 31, 2014

I am a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and I have already published some articles in peer-reviewed and scholarly journals, but I am just starting out submitting to paying markets so there is a lot I still need to learn. A couple of months ago, I submitted a query to a prominent horror magazine. I heard back from the editor very quickly. He was enthusiastic about the idea, we discussed it in detail and he told me to write the article. I wrote it within a couple of weeks and sent it over to him right away. He replied with glowing praise, calling it 'fantastic', promising to publish it in the next issue and encouraging me to send him more pitches in the future. I thanked him and sent another pitch. I didn't hear from him for a month after that and began to grow worried. When the new issue came out today, I checked it out and realized that my article was not there, although it would have fit perfectly with this month's theme. As I said, he hasn't contacted me in a month and did not ask for revisions or inform me the article was not going to be included. I don't understand - what did I miss?
I would be enormously grateful for any feedback from people who have had more experience submitting to magazines and can help me understand what went wrong.

Thank you in advance!

cornflake · May 31, 2014

Yorwick said:
I am a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh and I have already published some articles in peer-reviewed and scholarly journals, but I am just starting out submitting to paying markets so there is a lot I still need to learn. A couple of months ago, I submitted a query to a prominent horror magazine. I heard back from the editor very quickly. He was enthusiastic about the idea, we discussed it in detail and he told me to write the article. I wrote it within a couple of weeks and sent it over to him right away. He replied with glowing praise, calling it 'fantastic', promising to publish it in the next issue and encouraging me to send him more pitches in the future. I thanked him and sent another pitch. I didn't hear from him for a month after that and began to grow worried. When the new issue came out today, I checked it out and realized that my article was not there, although it would have fit perfectly with this month's theme. As I said, he hasn't contacted me in a month and did not ask for revisions or inform me the article was not going to be included. I don't understand - what did I miss?
I would be enormously grateful for any feedback from people who have had more experience submitting to magazines and can help me understand what went wrong.

Thank you in advance!

Hmm. Are you sure he's still the editor? My first thought is that he may have left someplace in there.

If he is, what'd you discuss re: payment? Did he send a contract? Is there a kill fee in it?

Yorwick · Jun 1, 2014

cornflake said:
Hmm. Are you sure he's still the editor? My first thought is that he may have left someplace in there.

If he is, what'd you discuss re: payment? Did he send a contract? Is there a kill fee in it?

Thanks for your reply! I had the same though initially, but he is definitely still the editor and even posted on the magazine's blog yesterday. We did agree on a modest flat fee for the article although there was no official contract. The magazine offers no kill fee. I would think it was a scam, but they are listed in Writer's Market so I thought they were safe.

Maryn · Jun 1, 2014

Writer's Market does not vet the entries it lists, alas. While most of the publishers and publications it contains are legitimate, there are others with questionable business practices or a record of non-payment, and the last edition I saw, a handful of vanity presses masquerading as the real thing.

It can do no harm to contact the editor to ask what became of your article and whether there are plans to use it in a future issue, and if so, which one, or if you should be marketing it elsewhere. (If it's good enough for one place, it's good enough for others.) Be professional and courteous, of course.

Maryn, hoping it pans out

Debbie V · Jun 2, 2014

Have you looked up the publication at Preditors and Editors, Writer Beware and in this forum? You might gain some insight in doing so.

You can also check sights like Duotrope and The Grinder. Perhaps you'll learn that the quoted time frame was unrealistic for the publication, but it will be published eventually. Good luck in your research and getting a satisfactory response.

veinglory · Jun 2, 2014

I would suggest just emailing saying you notice it did not run and asking if they still plan to use it.

Yorwick · Jun 3, 2014

A huge thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply! I have actually emailed the editor to (politely) ask what happened, but he has not replied yet. I understand that he must be very busy, but after all of the enthusiasm he expressed over my article I really feel it would have been decent of him to send me quick line letting me know that he decided not to use it and that I was free to pitch it elsewhere. I checked the magazine on Predators and Editors, but it doesn't seem to be listed there at all. I really don't know what's going on here and whether this is an unusual situation. If he never responds, how long should I wait before I start trying to pitch the article to other magazines? Has anyone been in this situation before?

Batspan · Jun 3, 2014

Yorwick,

The "next issue" from his point of view might not be the one you checked. The current issue might have already been put to bed -- have had its content set -- at the time he accepted your article.

There's generally quite a lag between editing an issue and its publication, and the time frame varies from venue to venue. For example, C.C. Finlay selected submissions for a special issue of F&SF weeks ago and it is just now due out.

Hope you hear back soon, and try not to sweat it if it takes awhile.

Yorwick · Jun 3, 2014

Batspan said:
Yorwick,

The "next issue" from his point of view might not be the one you checked. The current issue might have already been put to bed -- have had its content set -- at the time he accepted your article.

There's generally quite a lag between editing an issue and its publication, and the time frame varies from venue to venue. For example, C.C. Finlay selected submissions for a special issue of F&SF weeks ago and it is just now due out.

Hope you hear back soon, and try not to sweat it if it takes awhile.

I had considered that too, but in fact I queried the magazine on March 15th, the editor officially asked me to write the article on March 25 (with full details on word count, payment, etc.) and I sent in the finished article on April 8. It took him a while to respond, but on May 5, he wrote that he really liked the article and would publish it in "the June issue". I though the whole process was very clear and transparent up until the point the June issue came out and the article wasn't there. I wrote to ask him about it a few days ago but he still hasn't written back.

Batspan · Jun 4, 2014

Yorwick said:
I had considered that too, but in fact I queried the magazine on March 15th, the editor officially asked me to write the article on March 25 (with full details on word count, payment, etc.) and I sent in the finished article on April 8. It took him a while to respond, but on May 5, he wrote that he really liked the article and would publish it in "the June issue". I though the whole process was very clear and transparent up until the point the June issue came out and the article wasn't there. I wrote to ask him about it a few days ago but he still hasn't written back.

Sorry to hear that, so disappointing. I understand your concern given that he specified the June issue. It still might be fine -- it's not unusual for accepted work to get bumped to a later issue. You did the right thing by writing to check the status. I hope you won't be in limbo long.

rhymegirl · Jun 4, 2014

When I read your post my first thought was the magazine editor should have sent you a contract indicating how much they're paying, when the article will be published, and when you will be paid.

That's my experience from being published twice in Writer's Digest Magazine. They put everything in writing, which is how it should be. I don't trust a verbal agreement.

Yorwick · Jun 6, 2014

rhymegirl said:
When I read your post my first thought was the magazine editor should have sent you a contract indicating how much they're paying, when the article will be published, and when you will be paid.

That's my experience from being published twice in Writer's Digest Magazine. They put everything in writing, which is how it should be. I don't trust a verbal agreement.

You're absolutely right. I thought it was okay as it is a well-known and reputable publication, but I really should have asked for a contract. I still haven't heard back from him. Does anyone know how long I should wait before I pitch the article to other magazines?

Debbie V · Jun 10, 2014

If it's not in the next issue, I'd cut and run. Do send a note saying you are withdrawing it though. (This is my opinion. I doubt there is a standard here.)

Yorwick · Jun 11, 2014

Debbie V said:
If it's not in the next issue, I'd cut and run. Do send a note saying you are withdrawing it though. (This is my opinion. I doubt there is a standard here.)

Thanks, Debbie V. I'll wait for the next issue and send him a message. It's just really upsetting that he still hasn't responded at all. After all of the positive things he said it seems he could at least have sent me a word or two to let me know what happened.

Debbie V · Jun 16, 2014

I remember the days when not replying to a message was considered rude, but those days have been fading for a long time - everywhere.

Yorwick · Jun 18, 2014

Debbie V said:
I remember the days when not replying to a message was considered rude, but those days have been fading for a long time - everywhere.

I suppose it's just my luck that I ended up dealing with that kind of editor. I've sent out queries for other articles to several other publications and am hoping that something will come of it. If this editor doesn't come through in a month, I will politely let him know that I plan to offer the article elsewhere if he doesn't want it.

WeaselFire · Jun 22, 2014

rhymegirl said:
When I read your post my first thought was the magazine editor should have sent you a contract indicating how much they're paying, when the article will be published, and when you will be paid.

I have to admit that I've written many articles without an actual contract over the years. Writer's Digest is a big magazine, with it's own band of lawyers, so you get very formal contracts. I've had a number where I submit an article, get a note from the editor that says they'll buy it and then, usually months later, a hand written check.

Maybe I've been lucky, but nobody has ever scammed me out of an article. I've had articles killed, often without a kill fee, but I've always gotten a note that they decided not to use it. Then I've just retitled/rewritten it and resubmitted to another publication.

Things have gotten worse/better (depends on your view) with the internet and it's immediacy. Decades ago I'd hear about an article I submitted six months later, getting paid sometimes a year after publication. Now it's normal to hear in a few days, sometimes hours. Of course, the check is still delayed and still for the same non-inflated amount...

Jeff

Yorwick · Jul 3, 2014

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to comment on this thread. To anyone who is still keeping an eye on it or who may come across it in the future, I can now say that my dramatic story has a happy ending.
My article was published in the next issue of the magazine! However, I still haven't heard a single word from the editor, so I am in serious doubt as to whether I will be paid as promised. At least it's been published! I am still happy as it is a prominent magazine and very good for my CV.

(Although as a poor PhD student, I do appreciate being paid for my work, especially when I was told I would be. :Shrug:

)

Debbie V · Jul 8, 2014

Go over the editor's head. If you discussed payment, you should receive it. Look for info on the people who would cut the checks: publisher, managing editor, I don't know. I haven't had to do this myself ever. Someone here will know though.

Never sell yourself short by accepting less than what you've earned.

Yorwick · Jul 8, 2014

Debbie V said:
Go over the editor's head. If you discussed payment, you should receive it. Look for info on the people who would cut the checks: publisher, managing editor, I don't know. I haven't had to do this myself ever. Someone here will know though.

Never sell yourself short by accepting less than what you've earned.

Thanks for the advice, Debbie V. I still haven't heard back from him, so he's either 'forgotten' he was supposed to pay me or is taking a really long time to do it. I really don't want to give myself the reputation of a difficult person, but I don't want to be a wet blanket either. Freelancing is my main source of income, so I can't waste time on projects that don't pay. I'll do some research to see who else I can write to.

JulianneQJohnson · Jul 9, 2014

A verbal agreement is legally binding. As the editor hasn't responded to your emails in some time, I would go over his head and ask what's going on.

Magazine Editor Sending Mixed Messages

Yorwick

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

Yorwick

Maryn

Baaa!

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Yorwick

Batspan

My Religion is kindness -Dalai Lama

Yorwick

Batspan

My Religion is kindness -Dalai Lama

rhymegirl

It's a New Year!

Yorwick

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

Yorwick

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

Yorwick

WeaselFire

Benefactor Member

Yorwick

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

Yorwick

JulianneQJohnson

Ferret Herder