Writer Beware
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
We all know the drill. As freelancers, we're constantly searching for clients and new outlets for our work. We send out a resume or a query letter, and receive a response from someone who's really interested in our ideas. We negotiate a rate, they send a contract that looks good, and we're in business. Or are we?
There Are Unscrupulous People Out There
Even the best contract doesn't mean diddly if the client has no intention of honoring it, or changes it after you've completed work for them. Sadly, there are still many unscrupulous "business people" who think it's OK to take what they want, and stiff the freelancer. In my eight years of freelancing, I've only been stiffed twice. Once, I was "asked" to sign a new contract after I'd completed the work, stating I wasn't to be paid for the work I'd already done. When I refused, I was told I no longer worked for the web site! It's never easy to deal with the lost time and income that comes from working for a deadbeat, but there are some ways to protect ourselves.
Once burned, it's hard to know who to trust, but we can fight back! There are whole fistfuls of web sites out there that can help in our search for honest and not-so-honest business people. Many of the sites also encourage freelancers to post messages about people who've ripped them off, so at least you can save someone else the trouble and aggravation, and vent a little in the process.
Some Warning Boards
One of the largest and most recognized "warning" sites is sponsored by the National Writers Union (NWU). See the link below called "Writer Alerts" to find out what companies and publications have stiffed union members. The NWU will try to help member collect past-due invoices, but sadly, they can't force anyone to pay up. These warnings on the site include publishers who have ignored the writer's and the union's pleas for money due. You don't have to be a member of the union to access this list.
One of the newest warning sites is from well-known Internet publisher, Angela Adair-Hoy, at Writers Weekly.com. Adair-Hoy takes reports from freelancer writers, and will even contact the errant client who hasn't paid, if the writer would like help in recovering their past-due accounts. Adair-Hoy provides this as a free service. You can find the warnings link below.
Another helpful site is the "Editor Report," where you can find out about excellent and wretched editors and publications (and many in between). Freelancers can report deadbeats who don't pay, and also editors who are great to work with! While some of the anonymous reports sound like pure whining, the concept is valuable. This is the site to check first when you're looking for new ideas and new clients.
So, when you're responding to ads for freelancers, or seeking new clients, check out these web sites before you sign on that dotted line. You may save yourself a lot of work for nothing!
