Payment Question

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Dasence

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A few months ago one of my shorts was accepted into my first paying anthology. The contract says that payment would be sent before publication and the antho came out about a week ago. Should I email the editor? How long do you suppose I should wait?

I really do know this is a stupid question...part of me thinks "you know what? The contract says before. Ask him about it now." Another part says "shut up and stop being so anxious. I'm sure it'll be in the mailbox tomorrow."

Any thoughts out there?
 

Old Hack

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Email and ask. If the contract says you should have been paid by now, then there's obviously a problem.
 

Jamesaritchie

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Ask. There's an old saying about the three ways magazines and anthologies pay. Some pay on acceptance, some on publication, and some on lawsuit.

Whoever came up with that should have added "on nagging". If you don't ask, some will delay payment for as long as possible.
 

Lady MacBeth

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I agree with the others. Email and ask.
 

MatthewWuertz

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I'd ask, given what the contract indicates. Maybe it was sent to the wrong address or some other mistake happened. As long as you're polite, the editor shouldn't mind the enquiry.
 

MJNL

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Yes, contact them imediately. If your paycheck from work was late you'd contact someone right away, right? This is a professional arrangement like any other.
 

Mark W.

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If they maliciously deny payment, you could always spread the word on AW's Bewares board. I doubt the amount of money for an anthology would be worth a court case, they know that too, and so to spread the warning might be your only recourse if they refuse payment.
 

u.v.ray

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As has already been said, email an enquiry.

But is the publication a well-known reputable one? (or one that you have checked out.) It's not unusual for writers to not get their money, happens quite frequently - for various reasons - one of which is plain, old getting ripped off.

If it's a short story or something similar payment is usually upon accpetance, or upon publication. In such cases I have received payment as posited.

In other cases, yes, I've been ripped off and received nothing, despite enquiries.

I've even had short pieces printed without my permission altogether. We are talking here about small payments that aren't worth persuing legally - it's a matter of principle and hugely irksome.
 

Jamesaritchie

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I've never had a magazine not pay me, but I have had to send an invoice at times. Very often, the editor has nothing to do with payment. He just passes word along to the right department or person, and sometimes there's a screw up. Sending an invoice to accounting often clears things up immediately. If the editor is responsible, the invoice will go to him, and he'll usually take care of it.
 
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