Writing well is always important – but it’s no use writing a great article/essay and then submitting it at the wrong time, almost guaranteeing rejection.
Timing your submissions can be extremely important
Here’s how to ensure you don’t ruin your chances before your submission has even been read.
1. Let’s say it’s a week before Pesach and you’re knee deep in cleaning. Suddenly you have this great idea for streamlining the whole process and getting it done in record time. So you happily take a break from cleaning, sit down at your computer and run off a terrific article. You’re about to click send…
STOP
If you’re in middle of preparations for an event it’s almost always too late to submit an article about it for this year.
Write the article- or at least make extensive notes – and file it under ‘submit next year two months before Pesach’
2. You read an article which you totally disagree with and race to your computer to run off your rebuttal article.
STOP
Publications almost never print rebuttal articles. People who disagree with an article write a ‘letter to the editor’ and they are printed there . No fee is paid of course for these letters.
If it’s an article connected to a specific event/ time of year/ anniversary then write away …… and file it for sending next year , two months before the date.
3. It’s two weeks before a famous person’s yahrzeit , anniversary of their death, and you’ve just had this great idea for an article to write. You know it’s very short notice but this new insight and information is so amazing that you’re sure they’ll want to print it.
STOP
Check – did you put VERY TIME SENSITIVE in the subject line. If you didn’t it’s quite possible that it wont even be looked at in time
4. You’re busy writing various articles about Purim. One on kids dressing up outfits, one on mishloach manot, a great one for the seudah menu.
Exhausted and happy at having got them all done in time, you click send on the final one just after Tu B’shvat …… and sit back and relax.
STOP
well I really mean’t don’t stop
No time to relax now – it’s time to start on your Pesach queries/ submissions. Pesach and Sukkot are peak times at Jewish publications. Extra large issues are published which need a lot of material – but they need it early as it requires a lot of planning to get these super large issues out.
5. Shavuot is over but you have a great idea for an article about Sefirat HaOmer ( The counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuot).
You’re scared that you’ll forget about it by next year, so, full of enthusiasm you write this great piece and decide you’ll leave it to the editor to accept and file away away for next year. You’re about to click send…
STOP
It’s possible the editor will laugh at your bad timing. That’s not the reaction you want.
Wait another eight months and then send it.
If you have ever done this and were fortunate enough to receive an acceptance, then be aware that it’s likely to get lost during the next eight months until it’ll be of immediate interest to the editor.
You need to be the one to remind her nearer the time (politely of course) that she has accepted your article.
REMEMBER TIMING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF MARKETING YOUR WRITING.