Change of Command

Free-lance writing can be a pain in the ass. I had one customer verbally offer $500 per page, then published my work and insisted I had agreed to do it pro-bono. Another magazine accepted my article (an interview of a World War II soldier) and sat on it for two years. When I finally inquired as to its status (i.e pay me!), I was informed that the magazine had changed editors and the new one was passing on my work. Another magazine asked for re-write after re-write and, once I got everything just right (about 60 work-hours later), they closed their doors. I asked the editor when they found out about them shutting down and she told me, "right before you submitted your work." Thanks for nothing and a big waste of time.

Dealings with editors can be a double-edged sword. They are the gatekeepers and you do not want to bug them. However, you also need to get your work published and be paid. So, balance these two things. Make sure to check Writers Digest for how long you can expect to wait after submitting queries or manuscripts, then double it to be realistic. I had one article accepted and it took three years to be published and paid. Patience is a writers best friend.

Please share your writing horror stories in your comments...

Keep writing!