The moment a review timeline slips, the urge to stay quiet feels like the professional choice. It isn't. If you are six weeks past a stated two-week review window, with a single review in hand, you are not being impatient. You are being observant. The editor assigned to your paper likely has a full plate, but that does not change the fact that you are entitled to a status update. A gentle nudge is not an imposition; it is a reasonable request for information about your own work.
What makes this situation tricky is the fear of appearing difficult. You submitted to TMLR because the venue has standards, and you want to respect the process. But the process is not a one-way street. The journal made a public commitment about review timelines, and that commitment has not been met in your case. Reaching out to the action editor is not a breach of etiquette. It is a practical step to clarify whether the delay is routine or whether something has gone sideways. A short, polite email asking for a timeline update signals that you are engaged and professional, not that you are hovering.
The alternative, staying silent, carries its own cost. Every week of silence stretches the gap between your submission and the feedback you need. That gap has real consequences for your research momentum, your next steps, and your ability to plan. You are not asking for special treatment. You are asking for the same responsiveness that the journal expects from its reviewers. If the editor is waiting for a reviewer to respond, they may appreciate the reminder as much as you do. Deadlines slip because people forget, and a gentle nudge can restore focus without any hard feelings.
So send the email. Keep it brief, factual, and courteous. Mention the submission date, the stated review window, and the single review you have received. Ask if there is an updated timeline or if any additional input is needed from your side. This is not about impatience; it is about clarity. The worst that happens is you get a vague answer, and you are no worse off than you are now. The best that happens is your paper gets back on track. Either way, you have taken control of a process that otherwise runs on its own schedule. That is not a bad look. That is just good stewardship of your own work.