A few hard-won lessons about expedite requests (after 8 placements)

I tend to hear a lot of anxiety about how to word expedite requests, so I wanted to share what has actually worked for me over the years. First, be direct. Editors are busy. Tell them you have an offer, name the journal, state the deadline, and ask if they can expedite review. You do not need three paragraphs explaining your article's significance because they have the manuscript. 

Second, do not apologize for expediting. You are not being rude. This is how the system works. I, for one, wasted years being too deferential and I believe it cost me placements. 

Third, if you have a T150 offer and you are expediting to T30 journals, be realistic about your chances. It can work, but the jump is not negligible. I have had much better luck expediting within a narrower range. I’ve found expediting to more of a strategic game than anything else, but like what any game, it’s learnable. Happy to answer questions if anyone has them.