So we all know to follow up with editors after we've pitched and haven't heard from them, yes? The question is, how exactly do you close a pitch like that? Do you put a deadline on your pitch, saying "If I don't hear from you by DATE, I'll assume you aren't interested and move on?"

The answer is no. Being the positive, upbeat salesperson you are, you always want to seem positive, and not provide a provision or deadline for them, because it is possible that your pitch was overlooked or lost or the editor was out of town.

However, as we discussed, there are the perils of simulataneous submissions, so how do you get around that?

"How about 'I can offer this story to you exclusively until March TK. I look forward to hearing from you.' Then follow up on March TK," suggests writer Dan Ferberg. "That way they'll know you're giving them first dibs, which they'll appreciate, and they'll also know you won't wait forever."

"I don't think that you need to include a provision about what you will do if you don't hear back," agrees Colorado writer Pam Kramer, who has written for magazines like Woman's Day, Redbook, Family Circle, and Parenting. "If I don't get a reply after a follow-up, I assume the answer is a no and move on. There's no need to mention that those are your plans. After all, you may not sell the idea elsewhere and then you can still have it under consideration at the first place. On the outside chance that the editor contacts you later to assign the idea and you've placed it somewhere else, you can always just say, "I'm sorry but when I didn't hear from you I placed the idea somewhere else."