Why won't some journals, online or print, accept simultaneous submissions? That drives me nuts! I sit here reading about the journal, thinking of what I can send them. I make sure my manuscript is clean. Then I read the details and see WE DO NOT ACCEPT SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS. That's bullshit. Have they been burned too many times by writers who don't tell them in advance if their work was accepted someplace else? Then don't accept work from those writers again! I'm telling ya, just because you say you don't want them doesn't mean you won't get them. I could easily ignore the fact that my story or poem is out to 7 other places for consideration and send it to you. If you (editors) pick it up for publication, I could email the other places and withdraw it and you would never know. But see, I'm honest. I don't do that. When I read those dreaded words, I don't submit my writing to you. Instead, I'm all over other places. And when my stories, poems, and essays are accepted elsewhere, I write and inform several editors to withdraw whatever it is they need to withdraw. I keep a spreadsheet, color-coded, so I know who to contact.
To the editors of journals who accept simultaneous submissions, thank you for being realistic in your expectations. Thank you for understanding that I don't want to wait around for 6 months wondering if you like my poem.