Why Didn't You Answer My Email/Voicemail/Text Message?

I saw the email this morning, just as I was about to take my first steamy sip of mocha java.

Written by an angry p.r. representative, it read thusly:

"John, you inconsiderate slob. Why didn't you reply to my email? My client has just released an app that will bring eternal peace and prosperity to the world, and you're heartlessly ignoring me! When the next war breaks out, I'm going to blame it on you!"

Oh, dear.

Well, here's my simple, basic, all-encompassing answer: I didn't have the time to help you save the world.

On a typical workday, I receive several hundred electronic messages. Most are total and utter rubbish, of course. A few relate directly to ongoing projects and business matters. Many of the rest are story and source pitches. And, get this—believe it or not—I really do read all of them.

If your pitch, really intrigues me, it's inevitable that I'll get back to you faster than a toupee in a hurricane. If you don't hear anything from me within a day or two, it simply means that:

1.    The pitch may relate to an area I don't cover.

2.    The idea may not be an appropriate match for any of the publications I write for.

3.    I may not have the time to take on another project.

4.    I suspect that you are sending your idea to many writers, which means that I might find myself working on a story that appears somewhere else first. (I don't like to look like a copycat.)

So, even if you don't hear back from me, rest assured that I have read and considered your pitch. Please don't take my non-response personally, I'm just very busy and don't have the time to reply negatively to umpteen over-the-digital-transom queries every day.

And, most of all, please don't blame the next war on me.