When is the best time to...

Before the deadline.

If no deadline is given and it's an "always open" affair (say, submitting to an agent), then avoid submissions/query letters around the holidays; say, middle of Nov. to middle of January. If the agent/editor is in the office, they're swamped. Ditto for pitching article ideas to magazines: this is the holiday season after all, and the last thing anybody wants to come back to is a inbox fill to the brim.

Other than that, send your stuff in when it's at the peak of quality and before the cut-off time. Preferably, two to three weeks prior. It's never cool to do anything last minute.

Never.

Submit to an agent instead.

But only on a day with an R in it, on a full moon, if your name is Cecily.

Ripe?

Do publishers ripen? Do you tap on them with your knuckles and listen to how they sound? Check to see if they smell okay?

PeeDee said:

Ripe?

Do publishers ripen? Do you tap on them with your knuckles and listen to how they sound? Check to see if they smell okay?

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Don't be ridiculous. You tell if a publisher is ripe when they turn that lovely, juicy red color.

It's a rare thing, and if you don't pick the ripe publisher at just the perfect moment, you get tomato juice all over the walls.

It isn't pretty.

I like to squeeze my publishers, check out how soft they are. You want them solid, but slightly tender.

When they file for divorce. The BEST time ever.

Especially if you fall in the "beautiful and comforting man" category like us.

scarletpeaches said:

Never.

Submit to an agent instead.

But only on a day with an R in it, on a full moon, if your name is Cecily.

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Hi Scarletpeaches - I like your new Avatar!

And the best time to submit is either when they ask for it or when you think they want it, which is either never or immediately as I found today when I had to send someone a three kilo package. This postage is killing me...