As a freelancer, I often find myself in a similar position to those in PR: waiting (and waiting) for an editor to get back to me with a go-ahead.
And there are some times in the year when it’s pointless to expect a decision to be made on anything. Put them in your diary. Let’s start with August. Nothing seems to happen in British press in August because all the big editors somehow manage to wangle the whole month away. Lucky.
The run-up to Christmas is lunacy as well. And the first week in January? Forget about it. In fact, most of January is a wash-out. I always feel sorry for anyone launching anything but diet or self-help books.
And then there’s fashion month, when everyone attending the shows is working – but not that kind of working.
I know what it’s like doing the shows and it’s utter madness. A month-long trade conference that moves cities each week and changes venue on the hour every hour?
Lewis Carroll could not have scheduled it better. And yes, I know it’s curious and curiouser that editors seem to have time to pose for street style photographers and post the images on Instagram but again – different kind of working.
In summary, my advice to PRs is: get your questions answered before the editors join the circus. Or wait til November. November is good.
