Writer Beware? (a bit of a rant)

[reanjr]

Good freelancers who can write on spec and hit a deadline are hard to find right now when you consider that most companies aren't exactly paying premium wage (many are down to .01 or .02 per word).

I gotta ask, cause it's something I've wondered about for a long time. Does anyone pay royalties? It seems like the most sensical thing to do for a small publisher.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

I gotta ask, cause it's something I've wondered about for a long time. Does anyone pay royalties? It seems like the most sensical thing to do for a small publisher.

Actually, it's not.

I have paid royalties as a publisher but it's no longer my preferred way of doing things, just because it increases bookkeeping overhead.

And on the off chance that it's any consolation, I've been stiffed by distributors. Go figure.

Wulf

 

[Cergorach]

Good freelancers who can write on spec and hit a deadline are hard to find right now when you consider that most companies aren't exactly paying premium wage (many are down to .01 or .02 per word).

.01 or .02 per word? And i thought .04 per word was bad! Now the obvious question, what kind of quality can you expect to get for .01 or .02 per word (seriously)?

I was also wondering, what constitutes a 'word' that you get paid for? Do they count all the words in the manuscript (is 'a' as valuable as 'hypothermic'?) or do the count all the characters and devide it by x (what would x be?).

 

[Napftor]

At .02/word, any word should count. I believe that publishers use the word count feature (at least when using MS Word) and go by that, which includes everything in stat blocks as well.

 

[DaveMage]

At .02/word, any word should count. I believe that publishers use the word count feature (at least when using MS Word) and go by that, which includes everything in stat blocks as well.

Heh. If stat blocks count as well, I'm going to write a book with sample epic characters...

That'll be about 5,000 words for each NPCs!

 

[Zjelani]

Not a lot to add in general, but for one thing I'll throw out there for what it's worth is that you can't go wrong with Paizo. They take open submissions, seem to be quite reliable with payment (heck, evne pay more than most any other publisher), and have the financial status to not disappear in a month or two.

Most of the publishers I've worked with have been fine, but I also know many of them currently can't afford much of any freelance work unfortunately. I've been lucky enough that only one publisher has stiffed me. The contract was "pay on publication or 90 days after acceptance". The publisher is still around, but the book has been indefinitely "coming soon", and I think they still think it's "pay on pub". Tried contacting them and only got silence.

Since it was only the once, I've just let it go. Also helped that the amount was low enough that the amount of time it would take to keep trying to contact them would be more profitably spent writing or other freelance work (I do some web design). But if it was pretty rampant, I'd certainly start getting more active about contacting them, and failing that stick to more reputable publishers and be clear on terms and contract up front (reputable publishers should have a written signed contract up front - if they don't, I'd worry given your luck).

 

[PatrickLawinger]

Freelancing

There is a joke that runs through the industry that you are not a veteran freelancer until you are owed money by a publisher for more than a year and have at least one book that never saw the light of day because the project was "delayed indefinitely" (translation: the publisher shut down operations). Your woes are not uncommon in this industry, but to put this in perspective, for every one story like yours, a publisher has 10 just like it telling of freelancers stiffing them.

Hehe, let's not go there. I was just taking care of paperwork for my Taxes this year. This means I went through the old contracts that I am still owed money for. Over the past three years I am owed thousands (in smaller bits) from several different publishers (not just for d20 stuff or gaming stuff though). One publisher actually asked me to edit another book for them just a few months ago, I told them I would be happy to start after receiving the money they owe from the last one and they included an advance check for editing the new one. Strangely, I have received neither an answer nor a check.

Right now I'll only work with certain companies that I know will pay me.

People do need to keep in mind that most contracts state that payment is either 30 days after publication or 90 days after publication. From the publisher standpoint, it is easier to pay people at the end of a quarter, if your book comes out at the beginning of a quarter it might be a while before you receive a check. Review your contracts.

You should also make certain you are keeping in contact with the correct people. Sometimes someone leaves a company and the people that take over don't really know what was taken care of or not after their departure.

As far as book cancellations, demand a letter of recission (I believe that is the term) returning your rights. I have had to do that before as well ...

Patrick

 

[malladin]

Heh. If stat blocks count as well, I'm going to write a book with sample epic characters...

That'll be about 5,000 words for each NPCs!

Please, be my guest! I'm sure it takes twice as long and no where near as much fun to work out, write up, check, double check, correct mistakes, check again and double check again a single epic level character as it would be to wite 5000 words of a nice new system or PrC!!

I had one writer I asked to stat up some D20M Ordinaries for me call it 'the professional equivalent of pulling teeth'. Unfortunately dentists get paid a lot more .

Cheerio,

Ben

 

[Darrin Drader]

I have a pretty standard practice of writing for well known companies that I know will pay me most of the time, and then taking on a couple "charity cases" every year because the subject matter interests me. I've had very good luck getting paid on time by WotC and Mongoose, so obviously when either of them comes to me with an offer of work, they get top priority. The ones where I'm interested in the subject matter but don't really expect to get paid on are just a write-off for me. Its another credit, my name in another book, or another opportunity for more work later if the publisher ever "makes it."

My recommendation is that if your name appears in print, take this to the big publishers who are less likely to stiff you, and hit them up for some work. I think you'll be happier with the end result.

 

[Lizard]

Heh. If stat blocks count as well, I'm going to write a book with sample epic characters...

That'll be about 5,000 words for each NPCs!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...002-6626758-9876850?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

La la la.....