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Topic: assignment given, editor AWOL
| Author | Message |
| opalinegray | Posted – 6/4/2008 4:12:38 PM | show profile I had a pitch accepted in February for a website I've respected for quite some time. The editor responded with word count and deadline, but no contract. I didn't press it at the time because I just wanted to write the story. I finished my first draft on time, before the time peg. Despite a follow-up call and email, I didn't hear so much as one word from the editor, over FOUR WEEKS after the deadline, when the peg had long gone. She apologized, said that she forgot to write back before going on vacation, and then said while that the writing needed tightening, her 'main concern' was that the peg had passed. She said that I could take a kill fee or develop a new story idea on the same topic. I actively pursued a story idea, and returned with notes the next week, a few months ago. The Atlantic ran a similar article this month, so it wasn't a bad idea. I've since tried to contact the editor, to no avail. Isn't she at least ethically obligated to acknowledge something? Any suggestions on what to do? I obviously never have any intention of writing for them, but am beyond frustrated. |
| snappiness | Posted – 6/4/2008 4:35:42 PM | show profile Yuck. I would have taken the kill fee. Ignore her and move on, not worth the trouble. Now, if you're talking about Salon (or something similar), well they're all like that and if you want to get in you'll just have to deal with it. Pester the hell out of them, especially if it's the news desk. They're on daily deadline so never let anything go longer than a day or two without talking to an editor. Call is better than email. When I get this I just ignore it and politely move on. The "politely" is important because sometimes I hear back (the other day I got a call from a major national saying they did want my story idea from months ago after all, very sorry, was it still available?) and sometimes I never hear again but I figure I've avoided being badly burned and I look like the good guy. I'm usually too busy to deal with this kind of crap anyway. Too many other assignments. |
