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Topic: How long do you wait? version 623
| Author | Message |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 1/23/2008 1:12:58 PM | show profile | email poster I pitched a long feature to a relatively well known magazine in December. The editor I spoke to seemed responsive and he told me that he passed my story up the food chain. I followed up recently and was told a decision had yet to be made by the higher ups and to wait a bit longer. For several reasons not having an answer is really jamming me up. It would be great to work on this story with this mag, but if I can't work on it, some other writing opportunities may be available. Unfortunately it's not possible to take the other opportunity in the interim of hearing about this other mag because the opportunity would require some time commitment. I don't mind being patient but I'll be really crushed if I'm patient for several more weeks only to hear a 'no thanks' after this other opportunity may have passed. Or even worse what if they just keep putting me off month to month. After getting an initial bite, how long do you usually hold on before assuming the answer is no? |
| snuffleupagus | Posted – 1/23/2008 2:05:00 PM | show profile Some monthly magazines are slow, especially with new writers and long features. And by slow, I mean months. And you just gotta wait if you really want to break into them. It's worked for me. As long as they are responsive and friendly to your follow-ups, I'd keep holding out. But I certainly wouldn't put off real work in anticipation of a big sell. |
| WritingEd | Posted – 1/23/2008 2:05:42 PM | show profile Can you provide some more details about your concern about time commitment? Is it a full-time job you've got in the works and you're concerned about taking on freelance at the same time? If it's a project-based freelance gig, are you certain you wouldn't have time to work on both at once? I'm just wondering if you are selling yourself short in the ability to work on two things at once. Sure, you'd be busy but people have multiple projects going all the time, whether they're all work related or the work/personal life mix. Maybe you can ask your editor whether the story would be needed immediately if it were a go? They could be planning to slot it in for an issue way down the road, in which case you'd have plenty of lead time. |
| fourfold | Posted – 1/23/2008 2:31:05 PM | show profile Take the other job. What have received from the well-known magazine is far from a commitment. I can't tell you how many times I have passed up jobs because I had what seemed like a more desirable, near-sure assignment from someplace else. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 1/23/2008 4:32:57 PM | show profile I think you're making a mistake. If you have other good writing opportunities take them. Then, if the magazine wants to buy the piece, negotiate an appropriate deadline based on your schedule. The magazine could diddle around for six months or more. So don't put them into your schedule until you have a deal. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 1/23/2008 8:04:52 PM | show profile | email poster here's the issue Thanks everyone for the advice. The problem isn't just that I'm being offered a long term project. If it were that I'd just take the project. The project also represents a conflict. I pitched a story about a Company X, now it looks like that there may be an opportunity to work for Company X for a project [company X is not entirely aware that I want to write about them]. They mentioned they needed some help at one point but I haven't really followed up due to the conflict. I feel like if I take the project, it would relieve some temporary financial burdens, but I can't very well start writing about them if Magazine Y finally bites. However, I really think a clip from this mag could be a big break for me. |
| caitlinkelly | Posted – 1/24/2008 8:40:38 AM | show profile You've got a potential bird in the hand - income now from this company - versus the vague possibility of an assignment from someone who has yet to show definite interest in your pitch to them. Is any single clip going to offer that much of a "big break"? Maybe, maybe not. I'd go for what's in front of you and come up with some other ideas if/when the magazine gets back to you since you won't be able to write about a former client. It's pretty common for freelancers to move on, and quickly, to other competing projects. It's called cashflow. |
| InsomniacNOT | Posted – 1/24/2008 10:36:51 AM | show profile You're putting all your eggs in one basket if you wait for the magazine to get back to you. Very high-risk strategy. |
| FeaturesGal | Posted – 1/24/2008 11:28:12 AM | show profile You have to decide which one is more important because, as I think you realize, there's a conflict of interest. I've had magazines take between six and eight months to get back to me. So, sometimes, their feet dragging is their loss. Pick one and go with it. Don't let others decide your fate. |
| InsomniacNOT | Posted – 1/24/2008 11:59:49 AM | show profile PIck one what? Right now there are no options. It's all hypothetical. If one comes through, then it's a schoice between something sure and something that's not sure. We're not talking about two sure choices here. If you want to wait for the magazine, fine, but know it's a risk and have a back-up plan for if they don't come through. |
| dribbledrive1 | Posted – 1/24/2008 2:20:03 PM | show profile There isn't any right answer, because it depends on what's important to you. You can choose to create a deadline for the magazine, and if they don't buy at that point you can take the company project. Or you can wait for the magazine, recognizing they may drag this out for many months and not buy. It would be reasonable, for example, to ask the magazine if they can tell you by what point they will make a yeah or nay decision. The editor in question might not be able to tell you, which in itself would tell you something. -- The problem isn't just that I'm being offered a long term project. If it were that I'd just take the project. The project also represents a conflict. I pitched a story about a Company X, now it looks like that there may be an opportunity to work for Company X for a project [company X is not entirely aware that I want to write about them]. They mentioned they needed some help at one point but I haven't really followed up due to the conflict. I feel like if I take the project, it would relieve some temporary financial burdens, but I can't very well start writing about them if Magazine Y finally bites. However, I really think a clip from this mag could be a big break for me.-- |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 1/25/2008 3:11:21 AM | show profile | email poster Thanks for all the advice everyone. It definitely helps put things in perspective. I think I'm going to set a deadline for this story assignment and if I don't get an idea of when they will know one way or another, I might have to cut my losses. Caitlin - yes. This clip would represent a huge break for me because I'm still relatively new to journalism. I have clips, but none that really show off what I can do reporting-wise, plus the notoriety of this pub AND a nice fat check would really give me the boost I need. Insomniac- You're right about not having two sure things in front of me. The problem is that I can't aggressively pursue this client because I'm afraid it will wreck my chances to write this story up the road. If I had two sure choices in front of me I'd choose writing this story. But it's getting harder and harder to hold out on faith. I might just have to reach for the opportunity that is closer to me right now. Thanks again everyone Posted ? 1/24/2008 8:40:38 AM | show profile You've got a potential bird in the hand - income now from this company - versus the vague possibility of an assignment from someone who has yet to show definite interest in your pitch to them. Is any single clip going to offer that much of a "big break"? Maybe, maybe not. I'd go for what's in front of you and come up with some other ideas if/when the magazine gets back to you since you won't be able to write about a former client. It's pretty common for freelancers to move on, and quickly, to other competing projects. It's called cashflow. InsomniacNOT Posted ? 1/24/2008 10:36:51 AM | show profile You're putting all your eggs in one basket if you wait for the magazine to get back to you. Very high-risk strategy. FeaturesGal Posted ? 1/24/2008 11:28:12 AM | show profile You have to decide which one is more important because, as I think you realize, there's a conflict of interest. I've had magazines take between six and eight months to get back to me. So, sometimes, their feet dragging is their loss. Pick one and go with it. Don't let others decide your fate. InsomniacNOT Posted ? 1/24/2008 11:59:49 AM | show profile PIck one what? Right now there are no options. It's all hypothetical. If one comes through, then it's a schoice between something sure and something that's not sure. We're not talking about two sure choices here. If you want to wait for the magazine, fine, but know it's a risk and have a back-up plan for if they don't come through. dribbledrive1 Posted ? 1/24/2008 2:20:03 PM | show profile There isn't any right answer, because it depends on what's important to you. You can choose to create a deadline for the magazine, and if they don't buy at that point you can take the company project. Or you can wait for the magazine, recognizing they may drag this out for many months and not buy. It would be reasonable, for example, to ask the magazine if they can tell you by what point they will make a yeah or nay decision. The editor in question might not be able to tell you, which in itself would tell you something. -- The problem isn't just that I'm being offered a long term project. If it were that I'd just take the project. The project also represents a conflict. I pitched a story about a Company X, now it looks like that there may be an opportunity to work for Company X for a project [company X is not entirely aware that I want to write about them]. They mentioned they needed some help at one point but I haven't really followed up due to the conflict. I feel like if I take the project, it would relieve some temporary financial burdens, but I can't very well start writing about them if Magazine Y finally bites. However, I really think a clip from this mag could be a big break for me.-- |
