SOEWN EARTH

The Earth Reliant Artist



Trace Willans All Natural Mixed Media







Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Magazine Articles

It is really really awesome being asked to write a series of article for a magazine. The sense of pride that someone would actually approach you out of the blue and ask you to contribute your knowledge and offer you money to do so. Awesome.

What is not so awesome is to have to chase them for each and every payment.

By contract payment was on publication so you have to wait at least 3 months from eagerly sending your words and images off tot he publisher, fair enough you think. I can wait. And wait you do. About a month after you receive your complimentary copy you send an email, enquiring if perhaps you have been accidentally overlooked? And then a bit latter another email until eventually you get your mail one day to find an envelope with a cheque shoved in it. Thats it nothing else. But hey you have been paid. Of course by now the second article has been published. Surely this time things will be different just a one time aberration, right? Wrong. You proceed to repeat all the steps once more, though this time perhaps a little less tentatively.

Somewhere along the line an email is received letting you know that the magazine has changed hands and the last article will be delayed in it's publicaion. By 3 months. But maybe things are looking up. The magazine is now part of a larger corporation surely this will be a bit more professional and prompt in their payments. After all without articles there wouldn't be much of a magazine, would there?

Hah. Yes as you may have guessed there is no happy ending to this saga. Well not yet.
I am still waiting for payment for that lst artice published back at the end of January. Apparently the new companys policy is to pay 1 month after publication. And they informed me over two weeks ago that they are still trying to merge the accounts!!!! After acquiring the magazine back in November 2012, get a new administration manager I say. Oh and they are getting back to me asap?

So anyway I have sent off yet another email and await further developments.
I will let you know how it goes.

But I don't think I will be writing any more magazine articles any time soon, or at least not without a few discreet enquiries first.

UPDATE
OOps looks like they did pay but I had transposed two of the digits in the BSB code. My bad.
But still after my experiences I would never work for this company again.

Well last monday April 29th I received an email saying the money had been paid electronically into my account, but checking today May 6th still not there. Not happy.

3 comments:

ronnie said...

arrrrghhh!

Downunderdale said...

most important to hang in there and not let them ignore you - some magazines don't pay at all - apparently it is an honour to be asked and that should suffice.
Great articles by the way!

Jo Murray said...

It shouldn't be so hard! Whatever has happened to good business practice...or is that it these days?