SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS

What is a simultaneous submission? You write one article and send it to more than one editor.

In the body of your cover letter you mention, “I am sending this submission to another publication.” Or under your signature you note: Simultaneous Submission.

When one editor buys the manuscript, be sure and let the other editor(s) know immediately.

The day I wrote an article for one publication and accidently sent it to another, I felt embarrassed. I quick wrote to Mr. First Sub Editor and apologized. In minutes he replied to my email. “Don’t worry about it. Just let me know if you sell it.”

When Mr. Supposed To Editor did buy the article. I sent that promised email to Mr. First Sub Editor, “Sold.” He replied, “I’ve withdrawn your article from our files.” Two weeks later, the same editor sent me a letter of acceptance for the same article.

I panicked. Did I tell the article as First Rights twice? That’s not legal or moral.

After several emails, we came to a solution: The two SS handouts are not overlapping markets. Mr. Supposed To Editor bought the article and had already sent the payment when the second one wrote his letter of acceptance. Legally he owned the first rights to my article. Mr. First Sub Editor said he was happy to pay for a reprint even though he will publish the story before Mr. Supposed To Editor’s publication date.

If that doesn’t make sense, well, believe me when I say it took me awhile to sort through this problem. I don’t want to repeat it anytime soon.

So how do you avoid the problem above? For me I don’t make it a practice to submit simultaneously.

One simple tip:

When you submit simultaneously log all info in an Excel Spreadsheet or hardcopy file. Change the font type and size, bold it, and color the text name. Then color the editors email addresses in the same color. Your eyes can track the submission easier.

Enjoy your day, Kat