Mental Health and Preservation of Both MY Sanity and Melissa’s – Editor in Chief, Kelly Coody

SLM Team:

Things have become quite overwhelming in the past few weeks for both myself and for Melissa. My book, Unhinged, has just officially gone “live,” meaning, it has shipped to readers, writers, everyone. It’s an anxiety-inducing time for a writer who has put years of work into that manuscript. That and my sudden inundation of friend requests on Facebook have left me panicky, nervous and overwhelmed.

Housekeeping:

1. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE : STOP sending repeated e-mails begging us when your work will be posted. This is actually what began giving both Melissa and myself panic attacks, cold sweats, and is what weighs on us during the daylight hours. It’s one thing to inquire about a piece of yours that we told you was going to go up two months ago, but it is another to email me or Melissa 50 times in a row, pestering us, after we’ve accepted your work. I ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, E-MAIL EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU WHEN I AM SCHEDULING YOUR WORK ON THE SITE. Stop doing this to us – the magazine has grown at a rate that neither myself nor Melissa expected, and she and I are still the only staff members working here. She’s teaching FIVE COLLEGE CLASSES AND WORKING A SECOND JOB – I am a full-time stay at home mom to a four year old and an eight year old – and as they’ve gotten older, they inevitably require more of my attention and time. BE PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING. Don’t ruin this for everyone.
2.  Per number one, if you continue to send us e-mails like this, we will turn our acceptance decision to one of rejection. It’s not acceptable to behave like this. We have and still continue to work hard on this magazine; but, please remember that WE DON’T GET PAID AT ALL TO DO THIS. NOTHING. ZIP. NADA. ZERO.
3. Per all of the recent insanity, we are taking a mandatory mental health and wellness break from the submissions until next week. If we do not do this, we are going to lose it.
4. We are going to, from here on out, moving forward, be WAY SLOWER to reply to your emails. ACCEPT THIS AND MOVE ON. Or there will be no more SLM – because you are putting so much pressure on the two of us that we feel like we’re going crazy.
5. Lastly, thank you in advance for your understanding. Please don’t take any of this the wrong way – we love you guys. But we love ourselves and our mental and physical well-being more.
6. DON’T ASK US when we’ll be back. WE’LL TELL YOU.

SINCERELY,

Kelly Fitzharris Coody