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Writer Beware? (a bit of a rant)
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<blockquote data-quote="I'm A Banana" data-source="post: 2101938" data-attributes="member: 2067"><p>Thanks a lot for the advice, it will go a long way...where were you before? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite2" alt=";)" title="Wink ;)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=";)" /></p><p></p><p>The closest situation to mine has been the first one, except terms were discussed, but no contract was issued. In the cases where I'm missing actual money, the terms were right there on the table at the submission stage. Those scenarios basically were:</p><p></p><p>Publisher: "Hey, world, we're looking for X, we're gonna pay Y, it's due by Z, go for it."</p><p>Me: "Oh boy, I can do X by Z!" *writes and submits*</p><p>Publisher: "Thanks, this kicks ass, we're gonna use it." *goes to print, sells some copies*</p><p>Me: "Okay, that rocks. Now about payment...?"</p><p>Publisher: "Yep, we're working on it!"</p><p>And then.......silence (for the most part).</p><p></p><p>Combo this with a few instances of the following:</p><p></p><p>Publisher: "Hey, your stuff looks interesting! We'd like to publish this! We'll pay you Y, give it to us by Z. Give us your material!"</p><p>Me: "Okay, here you go!" *writes and submits*</p><p>Publisher: "Awesome, looks great, we'll look it over and get back to you!"</p><p>Me: "Super!"</p><p>*waits*</p><p>Me: "Hey, about that getting back to me....?"</p><p>Publisher: "We're working on it!"</p><p>*waits*</p><p>Me: "Uhm, guys....?"</p><p>Publisher: "We've been busy! DOO DEE DOOO!"</p><p></p><p>Individually, nothing to get excited about, but when it happens over and over again, well, it's time to look for the cause behind the effect, y'know?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Well, I, as a freelancer, had no frickin' idea. Was there a memo? Because no one told me about this! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite7" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue :p" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":p" /> </p><p></p><p>...and here I was expecting businesses to be businesslike....hmmm, silly me. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/nervous.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":heh:" title="Nervous Laugh :heh:" data-shortname=":heh:" /></p><p></p><p>That's part of the reason I felt a post here would at least do some good -- call attention to the issue that it seems a majority of writers face that was really not anything I was aware of.</p><p></p><p>But I really do thank everyone for the advice, and it won't be wasted. It still irks me a lot that publishers can get away with that on a semi-regular basis by the sounds of it, and maybe in the future I'll be a little bit hyper-sensitive to such things, but I don't think it's gonna push me totally away. </p><p></p><p>It just ain't right that they can do that to people. :\ Ah, well, I think I'm gonna take some good advice from this thread and:</p><p></p><p></p><p>Badgering and paranoia, here I come. <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious :]" data-shortname=":]" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="I'm A Banana, post: 2101938, member: 2067"] Thanks a lot for the advice, it will go a long way...where were you before? ;) The closest situation to mine has been the first one, except terms were discussed, but no contract was issued. In the cases where I'm missing actual money, the terms were right there on the table at the submission stage. Those scenarios basically were: Publisher: "Hey, world, we're looking for X, we're gonna pay Y, it's due by Z, go for it." Me: "Oh boy, I can do X by Z!" *writes and submits* Publisher: "Thanks, this kicks ass, we're gonna use it." *goes to print, sells some copies* Me: "Okay, that rocks. Now about payment...?" Publisher: "Yep, we're working on it!" And then.......silence (for the most part). Combo this with a few instances of the following: Publisher: "Hey, your stuff looks interesting! We'd like to publish this! We'll pay you Y, give it to us by Z. Give us your material!" Me: "Okay, here you go!" *writes and submits* Publisher: "Awesome, looks great, we'll look it over and get back to you!" Me: "Super!" *waits* Me: "Hey, about that getting back to me....?" Publisher: "We're working on it!" *waits* Me: "Uhm, guys....?" Publisher: "We've been busy! DOO DEE DOOO!" Individually, nothing to get excited about, but when it happens over and over again, well, it's time to look for the cause behind the effect, y'know? Well, I, as a freelancer, had no frickin' idea. Was there a memo? Because no one told me about this! :p ...and here I was expecting businesses to be businesslike....hmmm, silly me. :heh: That's part of the reason I felt a post here would at least do some good -- call attention to the issue that it seems a majority of writers face that was really not anything I was aware of. But I really do thank everyone for the advice, and it won't be wasted. It still irks me a lot that publishers can get away with that on a semi-regular basis by the sounds of it, and maybe in the future I'll be a little bit hyper-sensitive to such things, but I don't think it's gonna push me totally away. It just ain't right that they can do that to people. :\ Ah, well, I think I'm gonna take some good advice from this thread and: Badgering and paranoia, here I come. :] [/QUOTE]
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