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Topic: When's your worry point?
| Author | Message |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 7/11/2006 7:43:41 AM | show profile | email poster When do you start worrying you might get stiffed on a payment? I wrote an article for a magazine that should have come out at the beginning of this month. It's a subscription only mag so I have no way of knowing whether or not it's actually out yet. I am living in a foreign country to boot- the subject of my piece. I submitted the completed essay several weeks ago. Though the magazine should pay on acceptance, I held off on making noise about payment because I helping the magazine secure photos and I knew that might determine whether or not the piece was killed. The EIC, who I've been dealing with, called my work "brilliant." The Art Director called the photos "awesome" so I am confident that there is not a problem with their satisfaction or desire to run it. I sent the EIC a friendly email asking if the magazine had come out, how my payment would be arranged and a pitch for another piece about 10 days ago. Silence. I forwarded him my original email yesterday asking if everything was ok. Silence. Is it time to push the panic button? |
| mkelly | Posted – 7/11/2006 8:46:24 AM | show profile It may be premature to panic, but I would make all necessary preparations to begin panicking. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 7/11/2006 9:15:55 AM | show profile Preparations? What do you mean by preparations? Anyway, thanks. Maybe it is too soon for a full out panic. I'm just uneasy because the people I have been dealing with have been extremely responsive in the past. They've never taken more than a day or two to answer an email... |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 7/11/2006 9:19:36 AM | show profile Instead of a "friendly note," send an invoice. |
| Marie | Posted – 7/11/2006 10:48:15 AM | show profile Yes, you should have made your payment arrangements before you did the work or submitted the piece (ex., when and how much you'd be paid, how the payment would be arranged --bank draft, etc., the rights they'd own). So, as the previous person said, stop being so polite and timid about asking for money. Send an invoice through e-mail and fax, and send a certified invoice from wherever you are. I don't know you're located, but almost every place, at the U.S. Embassy, has a list of lawyers who can practice in the U.S. and in the country you're living in--you might need one of these people to write a letter to this publication on your behalf. Good luck. And start finding another market for that second idea you sent them. Don't do any new work until you're paid for this first story. Chalk this up to live and learn. |
| Marie | Posted – 7/11/2006 11:34:00 AM | show profile I don't know what country you're in, but the U.S. Embassy in most places has a list of lawyers who can practice in the U.S. (they're usually American lawyers living in the respective country) and in the country where you're living. E-mail, fax and send by certified mail an invoice. If no response after two weeks, get a lawyer to write a letter (see above). Stop being so timid about asking for money. This is a business. In the future, get your payment arrangements set before you begin or turn in any work. Do NOT do any more work for this pub until you're paid for this assignment. I'd start shopping that second idea elsewhere. Chalk this up to live and learn. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 7/11/2006 2:31:39 PM | show profile We do in fact have a contract which covers how much I will be paid and what rights they'd own. This is the first time I've written for a US pub; usually payment procedures aren't discussed here until it's time for payment. I was just wondering at what point I'm supposed to pull out the big guns. Thanks for your advice. I will send off an official incoive. ********** Yes, you should have made your payment arrangements before you did the work or submitted the piece (ex., when and how much you'd be paid, how the payment would be arranged --bank draft, etc., the rights they'd own). So, as the previous person said, stop being so polite and timid about asking for money. Send an invoice through e-mail and fax, and send a certified invoice from wherever you are. I don't know you're located, but almost every place, at the U.S. Embassy, has a list of lawyers who can practice in the U.S. and in the country you're living in--you might need one of these people to write a letter to this publication on your behalf. Good luck. And start finding another market for that second idea you sent them. Don't do any new work until you're paid for this first story. Chalk this up to live and learn. |
| Venus | Posted – 7/11/2006 7:20:00 PM | show profile I wouldn't panic quite yet. Invoice a couple times. Then panic. I've worked for several pubs that pay within 30 days of publication, so it could be that they're processing payment now. |
