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Topic: Editor rant: How do freelancers deal?
| Author | Message |
| MedScribe | Posted – 9/26/2006 11:31:37 PM | show profile I'd love to hear how other freelancers manage unreasonable editors. I work for several publications and all but one are pleasant to work with, gracious and complimentary of my work. But there's one that I'm having difficulty with. She seems to feel the need to unnecessarily rewrite a big chunk of every story I submit. Rather than ask me to do it, she does it herself quickly and clumsily. I've never known her not to introduce a bunch of errors and because I cover health and deal with scientists and docs these errors not only taint my work but jeopardize the possibility of future stories. When I point them out (tactfully of course), she responds by being defensive and nasty. I'm NOT seeking anyone's 2 cents on this dispute. There are two sides to this, of course. But I'd like to hear how other freelancers handle situations like this. Do you just suck it up -- niceness is important for freelancers, right? -- or do you simply focus your energies on finding other publications that use freelancers? Thanks in advance! |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 9/26/2006 11:45:42 PM | show profile If the editor is nasty and defensive when you point out serious errors she introduced to the copy, I don't see why you would want to work with her unless you are making thousands of dollars per day on these assignments. If the assignments were very, very, very lucrative, I would probably make the effort to try to educate and encourage her to let me see the galleys, etc. But I am going to assume this isn't highly paying a gig. In that case, I would stop working with her. There is plenty of work (magazines and corporate) for good medical writers. |
| pyrgos | Posted – 9/27/2006 12:10:02 AM | show profile Stop working for that evil editor. If you don't, she may ruin your reputation and your relationships with important contacts if stories with your byline have too many errors or mistatements because of her editing. You don't have to get mad - just politely say that you aren't taking any more assignments. An editor is the writer's boss, so fighting her edits probably won't work. You sound like you have other options, so take them. |
| anonamice | Posted – 9/27/2006 6:54:53 AM | show profile I just suck it up... |
| michaelfairlawn | Posted – 9/27/2006 8:05:27 AM | show profile I suck it up until I find something better. If she's rewriting that much, who knows how fickle she'll be if another writer comes along. |
| Lotus665 | Posted – 9/27/2006 8:37:32 AM | show profile I politely point out the introduced errors, and if the person became nasty I think I'd probably lose my temper and point out that in science writing accuracy is key and isn't that important to her? After which she'd probably fire me, and I'd feel relieved that I didn't have to work with her anymore. The other poster is right: working with her further could damage your credibility, and there's a big demand for medical writers so I'm sure you'll find another source of good income soon. |
| pleiades | Posted – 9/27/2006 9:23:09 AM | show profile I recently wrote a story where a big error was introduced ... someone else's byline instead of mine! In the future I plan to request a galley just prior to publication. If they won't allow that, I probably won't write for them anymore (the pay is very low). |
| beenthere | Posted – 9/27/2006 12:31:01 PM | show profile I'm guessing this is a really low, just barely health pub because no legit med/health pub would EVER tolerate inaccuracy. In which case she is probably ridiculously overworked and may not even be the person editing the copy -- she may pass it on to a copyeditor who introduces errors. Honestly, you come across as being very unhappy -- why do you even want to submit work there? |
| Venus | Posted – 9/27/2006 1:09:50 PM | show profile Is there a fact-checker going behind this editor to clean up mistakes? If so, I'd let him/her be the bad guy. If the mistakes are introduced after fact-checking, I'd quit working for the pub. |
| MedScribe | Posted – 9/27/2006 3:06:17 PM | show profile Thanks everyone for your input (and your empathy). I should have been more clear: I spotted the mistakes at the galley stage and corrected them. She responded by being obnoxious and minimized the importance of the errors ("I'm sure none of our readers would have noticed" ... gulp!). The publication is national and pretty well known and the pay is OK (90c per word). Yes, I think the editor probably has a pretty hefty workload, but I don't think that's an excuse for being nasty ... As for the "there's plenty of work for good medical writers." Well, yes and no. I think there's a lot of corporate work of very dubious integrity (Big Pharma paying scribes to twist the facts), and of course there's the women's magazines, which frankly bore me to tears. But I realize that I have no right to be so picky when it comes making a living. So once again thanks everyone. I appreciate every word.l |
| The Squeaking Noodle | Posted – 9/27/2006 4:46:40 PM | show profile | email poster Try not to take it to heart - lots of editors re-write. It's not a reflection of the work, some simply love to tinker and some need it to be exactly the same as every other piece that is published. They are not editing because they don't like your work,it's just that they want to keep most articles homogenous. I would accept it and then send ideas to a publication that allows me greater writing freedom.After all our job as a freelance is to write to order otherwise we would be writing short stories. Pocket the cash and keep writing - if they're givinng you work - you are good. All the best, The Squeaking Noodle http://squeakingnoodle.blogspot.com |
| ConfidentDesigner | Posted – 9/28/2006 10:41:29 AM | show profile I don't think it's a matter of "taking it to heart" here. I think this editor is an idiot and I just plain wouldn't work with her anymore! You're putting your good name in jeopardy since you're the one who's getting the byline. This could be extremely damaging to your career especially in a niche publishing environment. I'd look for other pubs that respect your work and you might even mention that ACCURACY is extremely important to you and what you're writing about. |
| The Squeaking Noodle | Posted – 9/28/2006 12:51:40 PM | show profile Sorry I misread the initial post and take back what I said before. I agree with you - if her editing is inaccurate it does reflect very badly on the writer's reputation. http://squeakingnoodle.blogspot.com |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 9/28/2006 12:59:41 PM | show profile The key thing, to me, is if you are allowed to read the galleys and then correct facual errors that have been introduced. As for the other stuff, the editor seems like an unpleasant person to deal with it. If the money is worthwhile, I would probably just shrug off her rants as being those of a fool and regard this as simply a money job. I do a good amount of corporate writing and with that you have a thick skin. You want to do a good job but you don't get attached to the stuff. --Thanks everyone for your input (and your empathy). I should have been more clear: I spotted the mistakes at the galley stage and corrected them. She responded by being obnoxious and minimized the importance of the errors ("I'm sure none of our readers would have noticed" ... gulp!). The publication is national and pretty well known and the pay is OK (90c per word). Yes, I think the editor probably has a pretty hefty workload, but I don't think that's an excuse for being nasty ... As for the "there's plenty of work for good medical writers." Well, yes and no. I think there's a lot of corporate work of very dubious integrity (Big Pharma paying scribes to twist the facts), and of course there's the women's magazines, which frankly bore me to tears. But I realize that I have no right to be so picky when it comes making a living. So once again thanks everyone. I appreciate every word.l-- |
| Marie | Posted – 9/28/2006 3:04:04 PM | show profile You're running a business. Of course you can be as picky as you darn well please. Please get over this victim attitude of beggars can't be choosers--it's incredibly debilitating. Any editor who doesn't think errors, any errors, whether it's in health copy or not, are a big deal shouldn't be getting your business. Such as editor should be banned from the profession. I edit a lot of health stories now, and when I want to introduce alternative phrasing that I'm not 100% sure of, I call the writer to ask if my phrasing is accurate. We work out mutally agreeable phrasing over the phone. My only freelance client now -- at one of the top three papers in the world -- doesn't even move a comma without asking me if it's OK. So I don't see why you should tolerate less. |
