IGX

I wrote a piece for the San Francisco Chronicle, for an editor pal of mine. He didn't pay me for months, then sent an apologetic note. The Hearst Corp instituted new procedures: There are four different forms I have to fill out to get paid. Hey, they already published the story. No way I'm going to jump through a bunch of hoops to get paid. Told them they owe me the money and that I will pay thousands in lawyer fees to prove it (as if it needs to be proved.) I think I also told them to fuck themselves. Was it worth the $500 they owe me?

Yeah. Yeah, it was.

Fuck 'em.

That's shitty but, based on the quality of most of their output, it doesn't surprise me that the Chronicle has lousy business practices. They have some excellent beat reporters, and can occasionally get it up for a big feature, but a lot of their writing aspires to the quotidian.

Bud Charniga's grape ape wrote:aspires to the quotidian.

This motherfucker over here.

Bud Charniga's grape ape wrote:That's shitty but, based on the quality of most of their output, it doesn't surprise me that the Chronicle has lousy business practices. They have some excellent beat reporters, and can occasionally get it up for a big feature, but a lot of their writing aspires to the quotidian.

My beef is this: if they publish my story, they have to pay me for it. If they've instituted some procedures in the meantime, fine. They weren't in place when I was asked to write a story. That they published.

Pisses me off to jump through hoops to get paid.

Oh, I get it. And I agree. If you have a written contract, wave it in their face and yell. What I'm saying is, it doesn't surprise me that the Chronicle does stupid things.

By the way, it may not be worth it to you, but $500 is way under the limit for small claims (i.e., no lawyers allowed) in CA. notsayinjustsayin

You filled out more than 4 pages writing the damn piece, might as well fill out 4 more for some weed money.

That's some total bullshit Seahill. Give em hell.

seeahill wrote:I wrote a piece for the San Francisco Chronicle, for an editor pal of mine. He didn't pay me for months, then sent an apologetic note. The Hearst Corp instituted new procedures: There are four different forms I have to fill out to get paid. Hey, they already published the story. No way I'm going to jump through a bunch of hoops to get paid. Told them they owe me the money and that I will pay thousands in lawyer fees to prove it (as if it needs to be proved.) I think I also told them to fuck themselves. Was it worth the $500 they owe me?

Yeah. Yeah, it was.

Fuck 'em.

You smell that? That's the smell of bastards. And no price is too high to pay for the privilege of telling the bastards to go fuck themselves.

Nice.

Seahill,
You were cheated, and you should tell both of the other writers you know about this. If they tell the other writers they know, word might eventually get out that the SF Chronicle can't be trusted to make a deal and stick to it.

San Francisco Chronicle?

Not another, "I watch my boyfriend die of AIDS" story I hope

They folded this morning and will send me the money post haste. (We'll see what that means). I didn't have to sign the document that says they own my work in perpetuity, throughout the Universe and across all platforms known and unknown and, further, that they can republish the piece with no payment to me and use my likeness as they wish. And so on.

This is the result of a temper tantrum I had last night in which I said I'd take them to small claims and that I'd make a FB note under my editor's name (He likes to take selfies while traveling, which he does a lot as a travel editor). The notes would read: "doesn't pay his writers." I did one this morning and an hour laterI got a note saying just ignore all that stuff,the forms and shit. We'll send you the $$$.

That does it man, I'm canceling my online subscription to the Chronicle.

seeahill wrote:They folded this morning and will send me the money post haste. (We'll see what that means). I didn't have to sign the document that says they own my work in perpetuity, throughout the Universe and across all platforms known and unknown and, further, that they can republish the piece with no payment to me and use my likeness as they wish. And so on.

This is the result of a temper tantrum I had last night in which I said I'd take them to small claims and that I'd make a FB note under my editor's name (He likes to take selfies while traveling, which he does a lot as a travel editor). The notes would read: "doesn't pay his writers." I did one this morning and an hour laterI got a note saying just ignore all that stuff,the forms and shit. We'll send you the $$$.

Ok, I rescind my earlier comment. I thought they were just nuisance forms (tax ID #, etc) and you were walking away from the $ out of laziness or grandstanding. Didn't realize they were trying to change the terms of the agreement/copyright, etc. Fuck that shit, fer sure. Glad you held your ground and that it worked out.

seeahill wrote:They folded this morning and will send me the money post haste. (We'll see what that means). I didn't have to sign the document that says they own my work in perpetuity, throughout the Universe and across all platforms known and unknown and, further, that they can republish the piece with no payment to me and use my likeness as they wish. And so on.

This is the result of a temper tantrum I had last night in which I said I'd take them to small claims and that I'd make a FB note under my editor's name (He likes to take selfies while traveling, which he does a lot as a travel editor). The notes would read: "doesn't pay his writers." I did one this morning and an hour laterI got a note saying just ignore all that stuff,the forms and shit. We'll send you the $$$.

Do you mind giving some professional advice?

I am working with an organization that keeps soliciting articles from me, but then edits the shit out of them (so that its definitely not my voice and/or insight) and/or doesn't tell me what's become of them. I've gotten paid for 3 articles so far, but I think I'm done working for them. Its very very frustrating.

Is this the norm? Or should I get paid for my work up front regardless of whether or not they use it?

FTR, the editor is an idiot who lacks basic knowledge in the field I write about and therefore uses his lack of education and judgement to decide whether or not I know what I'm talking about.

syaigh wrote:

seeahill wrote:They folded this morning and will send me the money post haste. (We'll see what that means). I didn't have to sign the document that says they own my work in perpetuity, throughout the Universe and across all platforms known and unknown and, further, that they can republish the piece with no payment to me and use my likeness as they wish. And so on.

This is the result of a temper tantrum I had last night in which I said I'd take them to small claims and that I'd make a FB note under my editor's name (He likes to take selfies while traveling, which he does a lot as a travel editor). The notes would read: "doesn't pay his writers." I did one this morning and an hour laterI got a note saying just ignore all that stuff,the forms and shit. We'll send you the $$$.

Do you mind giving some professional advice?

I am working with an organization that keeps soliciting articles from me, but then edits the shit out of them (so that its definitely not my voice and/or insight) and/or doesn't tell me what's become of them. I've gotten paid for 3 articles so far, but I think I'm done working for them. Its very very frustrating.

Is this the norm? Or should I get paid for my work up front regardless of whether or not they use it?

FTR, the editor is an idiot who lacks basic knowledge in the field I write about and therefore uses his lack of education and judgement to decide whether or not I know what I'm talking about.

Happy to help if I can. Do you sign contracts for those articles? Is their policy "payment on publication?" Unfortunately, no one pays up front anymore, so that's not an option. Is it print? The way it works best is if you have a contract and they are putting the finishing touches on a print piece. You tell them it looks good but they can't have it because they haven't paid you. If you give me a little more info, I can outline some strategies to get paid.

THank you, I sent you a pm.

syaigh wrote: I sent you a pm.

"Just screwed myself out of $500, but I'm happy"

Reading the title, I was expecting a hooker in your story somewhere.