Bad experience with new editor early on

starrykitten · Oct 28, 2008

I'm sure this is a pretty old story, but I'm still pretty new to freelancing. I'm not sure if there's anything to be done or if I just want to talk about this to sympathetic people. Sorry for the longish story.

Anyway, I'm freelancing for a magazine that I really like, which is a good thing. There's no pay, but it could be a great career-booster. I had some mixed feelings about the editor back when we were just chatting and she was explaining how they liked to do things. I asked a quick question and she gave me a really long response that made me feel stupid, but I thought I was just being oversensitive.

Yesterday, though, was a definitely bad experience and I'm not feeling good about working with her.

She'd accepted an article I pitched, an awesome thing. Keep in mind that this is the first time I've actually written for them, so I don't know all the policies.

Anyway, we were setting up the interview with the artist I'm writing about. I guess the artist's publicist gave her my email and the editor's email, so the artist wrote us herself to say hi and see what promotional materials we needed. I replied to the artist, cc'ing my editor, and told her what materials I had and what I still needed and gave her my address.

I was really confused when I got an email back from my editor saying that she was tired of people thinking she's always at her computer, and isn't she allowed to go grocery shopping and make dinner and have a life outside her work, etc. She said something about writers getting impatient and expecting her to be at her desk at all times.

I had no idea how she got that out of what I'd thought was a courteous, professional email. I wrote back and apologized for what must have been a miscommunication and said that of course I hadn't expected her to respond right away and I was sorry if she got that out of my email.

She wrote back and said I shouldn't jump the gun and cause unnecessary emails the way I did. There was no acknowledgement that I'd tried to do the polite, professional thing by responding to the artist, answering her questions promptly (questions my editor couldn't have answered, like what things I already owned), and cc'ing my editor. She'd never set up any protocol for situations like this, so I don't know how I could've been expected to know that I was acting inappropriately. And even if I was, this is the first thing I've written for them, so it's not like I should be expected to know the protocol.

Anyway, I'm feeling really icky about this situation. I want to write for this magazine, but if I'm getting my head bitten off for a mysterious faux pas when setting up my very first interview, that doesn't bode well for things to come. For some reason, I really don't think she was just having a bad day, especially because she didn't lighten up even after I apologized and tried to smooth things over.

I don't know what I'm looking for here, but any thoughts or reactions are welcome.

Thanks for reading this!

aka eraser · Oct 28, 2008

Life's too short to experience that sort of grief - for free yet!

Unless the woman shows another side to her character soon, I'd lie low, do the job I agreed to do and then leave the experience in my past.

Most editors are good people and empathize with writers. Many/most of them started as such. Unfortunately, there's bad bosses in every type of business and you happened upon one. But the beauty of freelancing is you don't have to deal with them more than once.

Put a bandage on that psyche and keep on truckin'.

inkkognito · Oct 28, 2008

I agree with eraser. It would be bad enough if you were getting paid, but you're giving this woman something of value in exchange for nothing. She doesn't have to vent her own frustrations onto you on top of it. Heck, I've never even had an editor who's paying me be so nasty. Some can be abrupt, which I attribute to busy schedules, but I've never dealt with anyone like that.

When a person has a 10 reaction to something that should count as maybe 3 or 4 on a normal "annoyance scale," 6 or 7 outside points are playing in. To my counselor side, it sounds like this woman is dealing with her own stressors and took them out on you because you were convenient. It's totally inappropriate and could become a habit if she's not handling her life in healthy ways. I say bail and find better markets...they are definitely out there.

treehugger · Oct 28, 2008

Yeah, you don't need this kind of grief.

I'd say write this one article, since you've already committed to it and since the artist now is expecting to have an article written about her, but after that run away and don't look back.

starrykitten · Oct 28, 2008

Thanks, guys! I really like this artist and am excited about that, so I'll do that interview and then I can still have this magazine as a publication credit.

You're probably right inkkognito. And the funny thing is that she would have more time if she weren't writing long, negative emails and trying to control every part of the whole article-writing process.

wombat · Oct 28, 2008

Even if your email had actually been impatient and inappropriate - the way a professional deals with an email that she doesn't think warrants an immediate answer is to ignore it. It's totally unprofessional to send you a message like that.

Maybe she doesn't pay because no one who's worth it will work with her! I second, third, and fourth what everyone has said - that is not normal behavior and life is too short to work with a person like that. Finish this piece and move on.

Phot's Moll · Oct 28, 2008

Draw a picture of her and stick pins in it. That'd be far more reasonable than her attitude.

I agree, do this because you said you would and you'd be letting down the artist if you didn't, then get out of there - taking your clipping and your pride with you.

WildScribe · Oct 28, 2008

The only thing I can add that no one else has is that generally editors don't want to be CCd or otherwise "kept in the loop" unless there is a problem (or it is looking like there may be a problem). The only exception I generally make to this is when a) they ask for a specific update or b) the deadline is a month or more from the assignment date, in which case I send them a short email 2-3 weeks in to let them know that I'm making progress (assuming I haven't already finished and turned in the article by then).

Good luck!
~Dionne

Tish Davidson · Oct 28, 2008

I would say that this editor is definitely not the hand holding type and that once she assigns a story, she expects the writer to do the story without CCing her or keeping her in the loop. I know you are new to this and probably nervous, but most editors are incredibly busy and don't want to deal with writers every step of the way as stories develop. I would say in the future if you want to keep working for her, only e-mail her if you have a specific question or problem about finding material for your story or the direction it is going. I realize that you are only one writer, but if 10 writers are working on 10 stories and they CC her every time they have contact with a source, she is going to be driven crazy and important e-mails are going to get lost in the clutter. Just leave her alone and do your job. On the other hand, this is an unpaid gig, and if it upsets you to work this way, you don't have to do it.

cress8 · Oct 28, 2008

I don't buy that her behavior is acceptable because she's not the hand-holding type. I understand the busy editor who can't afford to waste time on those details, but if she's not paying anything, she's going to get greener writers who will err on the side of telling her too much. She could have handled the problem with a simple reply such as, "thanks but in the future you don't need to keep me abreast of everything" and gotten the same result from you. The fact that she took time to write a lengthy diatribe says to me that she's not as busy as she'd like to think.

Face it, this person is probably not a harried-but-great editor; instead, she is probably harried because she is a horrible editor who does not know how to manage people professionally. Do your piece because you said you would, because the artist expects it, because it gives you a clip, because you may get material for another piece elsewhere. Then leave this nasty one alone.

wombat · Oct 28, 2008

Tish and Wildscribe are right in general about editors not wanting to know the details. It's easy to see why - the ideal situation would no doubt be to assign something to a writer, forget about it, and have a perfect finished story appear as if by magic on deadline.

But you know, in this case I might have done the same as starrykitten. If I understood correctly, the subject had sent the email to the editor as well, so by cc'ing the response, the editor would know she didn't have to answer. I might have concluded that this would save the editor a moment's thought about whether she had to do anything about the subject's email - basically the cc communicates 'don't worry about this, I'm on it." I'm not sure, but I might have. But either way the response was still grossly unprofessional.

cress8 · Oct 28, 2008

wombat said:
But you know, in this case I might have done the same as starrykitten. If I understood correctly, the subject had sent the email to the editor as well, so by cc'ing the response, the editor would know she didn't have to answer. I might have concluded that this would save the editor a moment's thought about whether she had to do anything about the subject's email - basically the cc communicates 'don't worry about this, I'm on it." I'm not sure, but I might have. But either way the response was still grossly unprofessional.

Yes, I took it that way, too. It looked as though starrykitten was actually trying to save the editor some trouble. No good deed goes unpunished....

Nancy · Oct 29, 2008

New to the biz or old hand, bad day or good day, being professional is a deal-breaker for me. I give folks lots of latitude as I expect them to extend it to me, IF we have established a professional working relationship. It's the only way to do business in MHO.

Life is way too short to take loads of nonsense/crap from people in your work or personal life.

I'd fire this chick.

starrykitten · Oct 29, 2008

Sorry, I left out that I cc'd her because I know she likes some promo materials to go through her rather than to the writer, and I wanted to make sure it was ok that I just gave the artist my address. And also, as you guys said, to save her trouble.

But her problem seems to be that I responded at all, not that I unnecessarily cc'ed her.

Anyway, I'm really glad to hear that this behavior isn't standard. I almost took my article and self to another publication last night, but I decided to be professional although I can't imagine what it will be like to turn a story in to this woman.

Codger · Oct 29, 2008

I have worked with several editors who can't be bothered to spend five minutes explaining their expectations or how they work, but were very irritated when I asked how they would like something handled. These same jerks will just as likely jump on you for not involving them. Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

Many editors have a very high opinion of their managerial prowess, but in my experience, few of them have good people or work/organizational skills.

Do the article. If you intend to work with this editor on another article just take the assignment; then disappear and deliver the article on the agreed upon deadline date. Do everything you can to avoid communicating with her. Maybe the second assignment will go better.

They're editors - not Gods.

inkkognito · Oct 30, 2008

I really don't think it's worth bothering to work with her again. If she were paying you, maybe. But for free? Heck no! The time you spend writing any more articles for her would be better spent finding new markets that pay or at least that have respectful editors.

Although I try to be low maintenance, I do occasionally touch base with editors who have assigned me to do interviews to let them know that I was able to contact the person and set it up. Sometimes the response is just a quick "Good," or "Thanks for letting me know," but never, ever have I had someone be so rude. If they didn't want to know, I'd expect them to respond, "Thanks, and just to let you know for the future, you don't have to let me know unless there is a problem" or whatever.

larrypotter · Nov 4, 2008

As I read the story, the idea that an editor has so much going on and probably wouldn't want all the extra CC's and emails did cross my mind. I would keep that in your mind moving forward.

However, this is a piece being written for free? And this editor feels she can write a rude email like that? Who does she think is going to write for nothing -- and necessarily know all the quirks of every editor, Stephen King?

Write this piece, then move -- happily -- into the world of writing for money where (added bonus) they often treat you like a pro.

Bad experience with new editor early on

starrykitten

practical experience, FTW

aka eraser

Fish Whisperer

inkkognito

Onlyifyouwanttowillyoufin daway-Enya

treehugger

starrykitten

practical experience, FTW

wombat

wombats galore

Phot's Moll

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

Tish Davidson

cress8

wombat

wombats galore

cress8

Nancy

Masquerading as normal...

starrykitten

practical experience, FTW

Codger

inkkognito

Onlyifyouwanttowillyoufin daway-Enya

larrypotter