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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Morgenstern" data-source="post: 1335951" data-attributes="member: 5485">Spin is spin <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />. Vary rarely does the reader/buyer know who did what.[text that blows up]You might think so, but very few editors are also designers. My job is actually a little odd by virtue that I am a "Mechanics Editor", so when that sort of thing does slip through, I end up doing damage control (errata/clarifications, apologies, whatever) and yes, we frequently terminate further dealings if that author hasn't previously built up a body of good work with us. Repair falls on the editor, but professional onus and blame fall on the writer. As my editing mentor points out "I didn't put the mistake there."I've seen it happen, but most days you just don't offer that person work again. That's actually part of the difference. A new writer wants his stuff to be good enough to get more work. A seasoned pro NEEDS his stuff to be good, every time, because if it's not, he's in trouble. There's a palpable difference in drive sometimes.*snort* Automatically? Hell no. But taking an agregate of your odds based on past experience as a publisher? You bet on (and court) folks who are known winners.The original question presents an almost non-existant situation in the first place. If I get only "passable" material from a big name, I'm not hiring him again, particularly as I also got "passable" stuff from a new writer at the same time. The extra money attracted some reputedly good talent and I took my chances. If I get "brilliant" text from a big name, I'm happy, because my book will rock, and hopefully sell better. The higher rate was money well spent. If I get "brilliant" stuff from a newbie, my ears perk up and the possible discovery of a new talent, and I keep in touch, and posibly up his rate. Either way, it's in my interest as a publisher to lay out some honey for big name folks. It's like Confucious says (paraphrased), "Don't ask why the great man recieves rewards denied to you, ask how you can become a great man."From the writer side of things, I know what the larger companies will pay for my time, and have 80% or more of the hours I want to work filled. I don't bother with open calls unless they'll offer something extra or the project just happens to be something that strikes my fancy and I want to write it over a weekend just because rather than for the money. A smaller publisher who does as you sugest will generally never see my stuff (or other big names, I suspect), and is gambling on happening to hit a winner just starting out, or having had an idea so good somebody of proven talent happens to like it and is willing to take a loss on their time to be involved. It can work, but you are gambling.That's not particularly what the pay for this job is about. Its what your pay for the next job is based on <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />. The judgement of good or bad is performed on your present work, but the consequences are usually reflected the next time around.Hope this helps,</blockquote>

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