How to Withdraw a Writing Submission

You've submitted your fiction, nonfiction or poetry to a magazine or literary journal. You've waited patiently (or not so patiently) for a response, but the editor hasn't gotten back to you and it seems like he won't anytime soon. There are a few things you can do to decide when you'll pull the submission.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Professionalism
• Patience

1. Make sure the market has held onto your submission well past its published response times. A lot of markets will tell you in their guidelines how long they expect to hold on to your submission before responding. It's good to wait about a month after the market's target response date.

2. Check the editor's blog, LiveJournal or message board if she has one, where she communicates with readers and writers. Editors will often give updates and let writers know of any delays.

3. Write the editor a polite query asking about the status of your submission if you can't find information about delays in response. Mention the title of your submission and the date you submitted it. If you are sending the query letter by mail, include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) for the editor's response.
   
   An example query:
   
   December 15, 2007
   
   Dear Editor's Name:
   
   I'm writing to inquire about the status of "Title," submitted to Your Ezine on May 12, 2006. Any information you can give is appreciated.
   
   Thanks for your time,
   Your Name

4. Give the editor time to respond to your query. Another month is long enough.

5. Withdraw your submission if you don't get a response to your query or send a follow-up query. If you don't get a response to your follow-up query, it's probably time to withdraw your submission. If you get a response, you will need to decide how much longer you're willing to wait for a decision.

6. Send a polite letter informing the editor that you're withdrawing your submission. Mention the title of your submission, the date you submitted it and dates you sent queries.

7. Get your poem, story or nonfiction out to the next market as soon as possible.

Tips & Warnings

• Here are some things to consider while you're deciding whether to withdraw your story: the reputation and professionalism of the market, the market's previous track record regarding the amount of time it's taken to get back to writers, how badly you would like your work to appear in this market in relation to other markets and other possible markets that might be interested in the submission.
• Keep in mind that editors may have other jobs that come before their journal or magazine. They may also have real-world issues arise that can keep them from responding to your work in a timely fashion.
• It's quite possible that you may get a response from an editor after you've withdrawn your submission. If it's a rejection, don't respond. If it's an acceptance, you'll have to decide whether you want to publish your work with the market, just as you would with any other acceptance. If the submission is question has been accepted elsewhere, then let the editor know.
• Some markets will ask you not to query until a certain amount of time has passed. Respect these guidelines but feel free to query after that time.
• It's important to maintain a professional attitude and tone when corresponding with editors. Editors do talk to each other and you don't want word to spread that you're rude or difficult to deal with. Maintain a neutral tone in your letters. For example, write "Please withdraw my submission, 'Title.' I sent a query on June 12, but I did not receive a response," instead of, "Since you didn't bother to answer my query sent on June 12, I'm pulling my submission."

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[PABechko]

on 9/16/2008 Good advice. I would add that with most submissions it is wise to submit to markets that are open to multiple submissions, meaning you can submit to more than one market at a time. That helps you move your career along a bit faster. It's fair to assume the editor is very busy, but then so are you. You don't have years to wait for your 'novel' to make the rounds.

[bostonNote]

on 5/19/2008 To finish that thought... "Keep in mind that publications (especially literary journals) go on summer vacation, switch editors, and go out of business, all of which potentially limits the resubmittal times of your work." For example, you never hear back from literary journal A, and literary journal B only accepts subs from January to May. These publications rely on writers. Respect yourself. Don't be a doormat.

[bostonNote]

on 5/19/2008 I do not recommend waiting an additional month to hear a response if you have already waited quite a bit of time. Time to move your submission somewhere else, and also consider never submitting to that journal again! Two weeks for postal mail and one week for email seems appropriate - after all, many journals do not send personal rejections but just photocopied sheets. (I received a rejection from "Light" that simply read, "Not quite.") When I contacted one journal to followup on a submission, I found that it had been rejected many months earlier. It took them less than 24 hours to answer that email politely. By all means, be the soul of discretion and very polite, but don't waste another month if you've been kept waiting well over 100 days. (Use Duotrope to check their status as far as average reply time.) Keep in mind that publications (especially literary journals) go on summer vacati