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Topic: Multiple contracts?
| Author | Message |
| Righter | Posted – 8/1/2007 6:21:32 PM | show profile What kind of contract should I use with an editor that assigns you work regularly on a monthly basis? It's someone I used to work on staff with and now I've worked for them freelance for almost two years. It'd be weird to ask for a contract now, and they've always been very professional, but you never know. Anyone have a suggestion for handling this tactfully? Also, with newer editors I've started using contracts, and I'm hoping those will also become regular gigs. My contract is specific about the assignment and fee, so doesn't it become redundant to send one each time they assign you a new piece? Is there a sort of generic one that'll count for all work from that point on? Any suggestions would be appreciated, as I'm not exactly a legal wiz! |
| writesonwater | Posted – 8/1/2007 9:09:20 PM | show profile | email poster It depends on the client. I have a major daily that gave me one contract, and I've done hundreds of pieces for them since. I have a couple trade pubs I've never had a contract with, just email agreements, and they pay on the dime, on time. I have a big biz magazine and a couple in-flights that insist on a fresh contract each story ... it's like that old song, "If you don't know me by now, you will never never never know me!" and a trade pub that wanted one contract up front, and the rest of the stories roll in covered by it. I wrote a book for hire that required contracts up front. I had one website that just wanted an email agreement to an assignment, another that needed a full signed contract, and another where a contract formed the basis for all work that followed. I have working collaborative agreements with two different authors that cover everything we do together. I have a book publisher I've started doing editing projects for, and that's based on email assignments after the luxury of a face to face meeting, and there will be no contract, just good faith. I know others working with her, and she pays on a dime, on time, no issues. Then again, I've had one trade publisher that sent me contracts, I did the work, and they refused to honor two-thirds of them after axing their editor -- and he apparently lost the contracts and didn't turn them in, and the copies I kept were only signed by me, not him. It can be a mess. Try to get to know the person you're working with early on -- don't take on too much work before getting paid the first time with a startup, for example. It can be a jungle out there! |
| writesonwater | Posted – 8/1/2007 9:10:57 PM | show profile | email poster The important thing to me is to know my clients -- what kind of story they need, what kind of contract they call for. Deliver what's asked for -- and better -- and then the checks will roll in. |
| CleverMoniker | Posted – 8/1/2007 9:47:30 PM | show profile I have no advice on this, but I commend you for maintaining such a strong reputation with this person to earn the opportunity! Kudos and best wishes! |
| Righter | Posted – 8/2/2007 1:56:08 PM | show profile Thanks for the advice and kind words! |
