I'm about to make multiple pitches on a story targeted to a February book release of someone I interviewed earlier this month. A Q&A might fit better with one market while a profile could work in the other.

One thing to bear in mind when submitting similar ideas to multiple publications and two or more editors pop – be honest. If one of their competitors has already assigned you to do a piece on the topic, they need to know. Competing titles always want to feel like they broke the story, even if it's a puff piece. If they find out later that you sold something on the same topic (even with a very different angle), the editor will probably feel like you deceived them and probably won't hire you again. Be honest, and let the second editor decide it they can live it it, kill it, or just want to shift the focus even more.

Nicky, back before computers made editors' lives ten times more hectic (just try wading through all those emailed queries!), there was a protocol. Editors would expect exclusivity, but they'd also give responses within six to eight weeks. More often than not, responses were faster if they wanted your idea. I would get them within a week of sending usually.

Now it's like the rules have all morphed into a giant free-for-all. I get that they're busy – I was on that side of the desk once – but a simple "No thanks" takes less than twenty seconds to type and send.

Paper queries have gotten me no better luck. I'm a little tired of bothering with paper as the wait is infinite and there's no indication the magazine will ever respond.