They can be mean, unethical and downright unprofessional. But not all editors fit that bill. In fact, most editors would rather give you money that take it, make no changes than rewrite whole pieces two hours before deadline, and accept every piece of crap than start their mornings sending out rejection | | slips. But step into an editors shoes, and youll know why thats not only hard, its just plain impossible!
Here are the most common complaints writers have, and why editors arent always guilty of them.
Completely Changing your Work
An editor I frequently work with was in distress. One of her regulars had just written to complain about his perfectly brilliant beginning being chopped off. They sometimes dont get our style, she told me over lunch. We need more quotes, we put them in. We need a stronger beginning; we change it. Theres nothing much I can do about it. Its the way we work. But while this editor was very forthcoming about her reasons, and gave the writer an explanation, youll usually get no further correspondence. That doesnt mean that they dont understand the anguish you go through. But theyve got word limits, voice and style limitations and a dozen other factors to keep in mind. And they simply dont have the time to offer explanations to each writer.
Paying Less or not Paying at all
Most writers believe (or are led to believe) that editors just dont want to dish out the cash. Sure, if theyre running a small business from home and can hardly pay their bills, they probably wont. But editors in big offices dont really care whether you earn $100 or $1,000. After all, theyre not the ones paying from their pockets!
I was in a publisher-editor meeting the other day, and one common concern was raisedwhy werent suppliers (including freelancers) paid on time A complaint unanimously raised by editors!
An important thing to remember is that while it may appear so to us, editors arent really the ones calling the shots all the time. Thats the publishers job. So hating the editors guts wont get you anywhere. While some editors may be creeps, most of them are on your side! So, if you want more money, just ask for it. Chances are the editor is the only one who can help you get it.
Not Responding
Theyd love to, you know. But theres only so much they can do. And while each e-mail you send will determine where your next paycheck comes from, an editor will get paid regardless of the number of queries rejected. Their job is putting together quality content. No ones going to promote them for being nice to freelancers. Its a simple matter of priorities. And when the choice is between finishing up the issue and answering yet another freelancers query, get realthe editor will finish up and go home.
Killing Articles
We tossed a coin. The losing editor would have to tell the freelance writer that his article had been k |
| | Its a simple matter of priorities. And when the choice is between finishing up the issue and answering yet another freelancers query, get realthe editor will finish up and go home.
Killing Articles
We tossed a coin. The losing editor would have to tell the freelance writer that his article had been killed. That too after we asked him to send us a dozen writing samples, come up with a dozen off-beat ideas, get a feel of our style and send us a 600-word piece. Wed even negotiated the price. It would have taken him at least a days work, if not more. We felt cruel, but decided that the guy had potential for future assignments.
I lost the toss and sat down to draft the e-mail. I explained at length how our policies had changed, told him that wed be willing to give more assignments and even added a touch of humor. But the writer was obviously blinded. He thought of me as the devil. And by doing so, hed just lost a perfectly good opportunity for more assignments.
Editors arent out to take advantage of freelancers or make their lives miserable. In fact, if you get to know them a little, youll find that theyre often a very friendly bunch. Stop looking at your editor as the enemy, and you might just find a friend.
About The Author
Mridu Khullar is the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com, a free online magazine for writers. Sign up for the free weekly newsletter to get a complimentary e-book with 400+ paying markets. Also check out her e-book, "Knock Their Socks Off! A Freelance Writer's Guide to Query Letters That Sell," available at http://www.writerscrossing.com/queries.html
This article was posted on January 22, 2005 |
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