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Topic: When pubs pull the maybe card
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| deadline | Posted – 7/27/2007 2:28:28 AM | show profile I just got a response back from a publication that I thought was likely to look me over. The answer is maybe. In this case it is a first person piece so they have seen it all. I am being asked to send it in another format. The response came from the top editor of this section, and if they take it, this will be the most prestigious place publishing me to date. Although I am thrilled with a maybe, this is not my first maybe. I have had a few pitches by big names give a maybe (but then a no) in the past few months. I feel so close to, but then? I imagine I am not the first person to get a maybe so I am wondering what you have done to turn a maybe into a yes. I have to send the story in question soon, and I don?t know if there is anything I can do. Perhaps it is all out of my hands. But I am wondering how you all have handled the maybe card. Please help ? I want this so bad. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/27/2007 2:38:42 AM | show profile All you can do is seek information -- ask them when they will be able to give you a definitive yeah or nay. Also, personally, I would still send the piece out to other publications. At this point, the magazine has made no commitment to you, and you owe no commitment to them. If you send the piece out to other magazines it will take a while for them to respond. If a good magazine wants to buy it, a sale is a sale -- you would then have the choice of 1. simply telling this magazine that you are withdrawing it. or 2. tell them you have another offer to buy the piece and you are going to sell it unless they would like to purchase it and fax a contract over immediately. --I just got a response back from a publication that I thought was likely to look me over. The answer is maybe. In this case it is a first person piece so they have seen it all. I am being asked to send it in another format. The response came from the top editor of this section, and if they take it, this will be the most prestigious place publishing me to date. Although I am thrilled with a maybe, this is not my first maybe. I have had a few pitches by big names give a maybe (but then a no) in the past few months. I feel so close to, but then? I imagine I am not the first person to get a maybe so I am wondering what you have done to turn a maybe into a yes. I have to send the story in question soon, and I don?t know if there is anything I can do. Perhaps it is all out of my hands. But I am wondering how you all have handled the maybe card. Please help ? I want this so bad.-- |
| writesonwater | Posted – 7/27/2007 4:44:18 AM | show profile Don't put all your eggs in one basket. We can't control the universe, much as we try. So hope -- but back it up, by submitting to other pubs and moving on. It's like dating -- you can go out with someone and think they're great, but hedge your bets because you can't control how they feel about you. The fact that you got a MAYBE is great, because it means they like ya. Produce more, this also hedges your bets. Good luck! |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/27/2007 2:30:47 PM | show profile Exactly. If you go to a used-car lot and tell the salesman you like a car and you might come back later and buy it, do you really think he would stop trying to sell it? Would you be upset if you came back later and found it was gone? If I were upset, it would be at myself for not leaping on the deal, not at the salesman. --Don't put all your eggs in one basket. We can't control the universe, much as we try. So hope -- but back it up, by submitting to other pubs and moving on. It's like dating -- you can go out with someone and think they're great, but hedge your bets because you can't control how they feel about you. The fact that you got a MAYBE is great, because it means they like ya. Produce more, this also hedges your bets. Good luck!-- |
| ISR | Posted – 7/28/2007 5:47:35 PM | show profile Send it elsewhere while you wait for them. |
| deadline | Posted – 7/29/2007 11:29:48 AM | show profile Thanks for responding. I realize sending it elsewhere seems like a good idea in theory, however, I when I wrote it. I was really targeting this publication. I do not normally write first person essays. I have no idea where else something like the one I wrote could go. The editor wrote back and said they will let me know soon. On this one I think I will just wait out the week or two. But thanks again guys. I am trying so hard to break into a big name place. There is different publication I have probably pitched about six times (all news stories) in the past six months with several maybe responses developing into nos. The editor there has told me not to give up and that several of my pitches have been good. I guess just not good enough. I?m not exactly sure how I keep missing the mark. It is a bit frustrating to get close. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the pub considering my essay takes it. If for every (what seems like a) million maybe responses you get one yes, it is my turn. |
| eriksherman | Posted – 7/29/2007 12:08:43 PM | show profile | email poster >> The editor there has told me not to give up and that several of my pitches have been good. I guess just not good enough. I?m not exactly sure how I keep missing the mark. It is a bit frustrating to get close. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the pub considering my essay takes it. If for every (what seems like a) million maybe responses you get one yes, it is my turn. << I think the idea of getting it out to other places makes a great deal of sense. Right now you are showing signs of neediness - needing to be in this publication. The fact that they've said no before is just that - they said no to those pitches. It doesn't mean that the pitches weren't "good enough." Editors have too many reasons why they have to turn down stories: they ran something on the topic within the last year, they have someone else on a similar assignment, they think the topic has been over-done, they are concerned that they don't have room in an early enough issue for the piece to see timely, they are stepping on the toes of someone else, they had a bad scone for breakfast ... you get the picture. You almost never really know why. The more needy you are, the worse position you are in to negotiation. For exmaple, if you turned in the essay on spec, that's understandable, as hardly anyone buys first person person without seeing the whole article. But are you saying that they asked you to write a different version - *still* on spec? If so, then you are letting need control the negotiations and they are taking advantage. If it's good enough for them to know that they want a different version, then they should be assigning and paying you. If they can't tell whether they'll be able to use it, then that's not your problem - they should still be assigning and paying you. I'd go back and say, "You know, I realized I made a mistake. I was happy to do the first version on spec, but if you want another version, I think that means you like the topic and my voice enough, so we shoudl be talking about a regular assignment. I've reduced your possible risks by giving you a good idea of what you would get. I really need to know that I'll cover the expense of my additional time." You don't have to be confrontational, but you need to be willing to respectfully push back. If you want to do a good job, you need to pay for the time you invest, so they need to pay you. ------ Free writer resources: http://www.eriksherman.com/WriterBiz |
| jsk | Posted – 7/29/2007 1:20:38 PM | show profile I'm with Erik and the others who say to submit it somewhere else. But I also think that if you have other queries and essays circulating in other places while this one idles in the background, you'll probably feel a lot less anxious, as well. If you really feel that this essay will only fit in the publication you've sent it to and want to give them all the time in the world to make their decision, then do so. But you'll feel a lot better about things if you're working on other articles and queries and only periodically checking in on the essay's status. Sitting and waiting by the phone (or e-mail) is just as counterproductive for a writer than it is for a dater. |
| deadline | Posted – 7/29/2007 2:57:22 PM | show profile Hi Erik ? Just to clear things up, I was not asked to rewrite the essay. They asked for me to send it in a new document since the one I had sent looked messed up. I had posted it in the body of an email so that is how the editor was able to read it to start with. So sending it again did not take any more time and energy. This essay was the first time I have ever tried for this publication. It is a different one that has said maybe to me about six times. But you are right about the neediness thing. I didn?t even realize it until you mentioned that. It?s hard because I really want to move up to the next level. It?s like knowing where and when the party is just not getting invited. I think with the publication that I have desperately been trying to right news articles for, I have become comfortable pitching that editor and I know they get back to me quickly, keeping me in the loop with what they are thinking. Some other places I have sent the same pitches never respond. I do have regular work so I am not constantly pitching places or waiting around for an answer. But the attempts I do make are very targeted and thought out. I think that is why I have a hard time just thinking I can send stuff all around. But if I had a plan B, I maybe I wouldn?t look so needy. Thanks for your help. |
