AW listed on Whispers & Warnings--for 2nd time

LindaF · Mar 9, 2009

Absolute Write has been listed on Writers' Weekly's Whispers and Warnings page for nonpayment of course instructors -- for the second time. In my case, I've been waiting for payment for over a year for students I've taught, and MacAllister has ignored several e-mails and invoices.

Info here: http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?t=8199&highlight=macallister

And if you're interested in taking my course on breaking into magazines, I'm still offering it -- just not through AW.

Linda

--
Linda Formichelli * http://www.lindaformichelli.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/LFormichelli
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/716/478
Renegade Writer Blog: http://www.therenegadewriter.com

MacAllister · Mar 9, 2009

Hi Linda -

I've sent you several emails, and so has my webmaster - none of which YOU'VE responded to.

I'm perfectly happy to leave this post stand, although there are some discrepancies between your records and mine.

I've been pretty frank about AW no longer soliciting any articles or offering classes because we finished 2008 quite deeply in the red. I've been paying off that debt out of pocket, as I can -- although I'm only too aware that no one is being paid nearly as quickly as they'd like.

As for further discussion of the details of what AW owes you, you're cordially invited to PM me here, since your emails don't seem to be reaching me.

Mac

Fenika · Mar 9, 2009

Reported for non-payment, yes, but I see the first one was resolved professionally.

I hope everything is resolved to satisfaction soon.

MacAllister · Mar 9, 2009

Meh.

In the interests of transparency because you guys deserve that from me or anyone else in a situation like this, (and because I'm currently doing paperwork for taxes) AW finished out 2008 just over $8K in the red. I've so far paid off between 5-6K out of pocket, through personal loans, and otherwise as I can.

In this case, I strongly suspect an email screw-up has exacerbated the situation, and I can only imagine how frustrating and upsetting this must be for Linda--I know it's both frustrating and appalling for me.

We're also not soliciting any paid articles, or offering classes (although we are still advertising for instructors offering their own classes) and haven't done for months. The business model that worked just fine before simply wasn't working in our brave new economy.

Linda has PMed me, and I have every confidence that this will be resolved satisfactorily. I certainly had/have NO intentions of stiffing anyone.

IceCreamEmpress · Mar 10, 2009

Thanks for being up-front about this, Mac. I appreciate your willingness to share details with the rest of us.

And, Linda, I hope you and Mac work this out to your mutual satisfaction.

victoriastrauss · Mar 10, 2009

What IceCream Said.

Thank you, Mac.

- Victoria

Kasey Mackenzie · Mar 10, 2009

MacAllister said:
In the interests of transparency because you guys deserve that from me or anyone else in a situation like this, (and because I'm currently doing paperwork for taxes) AW finished out 2008 just over $8K in the red. I've so far paid off between 5-6K out of pocket, through personal loans, and otherwise as I can...

...The business model that worked just fine before simply wasn't working in our brave new economy...

Thanks for the transparency, Mac! As soon as I get my first advance check, I am planning to donate some money since I get so much use and enjoyment out of AW. I am appalled that you had to pay so much out of pocket, and hopefully others who enjoy AW will chip in whatever they can (I know that in this economy it's hard to make ends meet for a lot of us).

sassandgroove · Mar 10, 2009

I'm sending money soon. I've been slammed money wise these last couple months.

sassandgroove · Mar 10, 2009

Are we ever going to be able to have donation auctions again?

MacAllister · Mar 10, 2009

The forums aren't what cost the most, guys, by a long ways -- so please don't interpret the above as a plea for more donations. (Although donations towards board support are always deeply appreciated.

)

And I completely understand that people are taking a beating right now, with the economy like it is.

sassandgroove · Mar 10, 2009

Does money we give support all of AW or just the forums?

MacAllister · Mar 10, 2009

Money donated towards the forums goes just to the forums. We have server bills, software licensing fees, etc.

KTC · Mar 10, 2009

Sent my latest donation in yesterday. I figure I eat up most of the server space...

sassandgroove · Mar 10, 2009

So how does AW generate income? was it classes and such? Ads? How does one support that part?

MacAllister · Mar 10, 2009

Mostly ads and affiliate programs, Sass - and ad-supported online sites have been solidly pounded this last year.

If you earmark your donation towards something else, I'm happy to divert it to that. I'm just uncomfortable diverting board support to something like paying newsletter bills, without prior knowledge and consent.

sassandgroove · Mar 10, 2009

Cool. I ask because I love AW so much.

Saskatoonistan · Mar 10, 2009

MacAllister said:
Mostly ads and affiliate programs, Sass - and ad-supported online sites have been solidly pounded this last year.

If you earmark your donation towards something else, I'm happy to divert it to that. I'm just uncomfortable diverting board support to something like paying newsletter bills, without prior knowledge and consent.

I will happily offer myself as a male prostitute to pay this bill for AW. Whether AW makes any money from this venture is highly suspect, but being the community minded dude I am, I thought to take one for the team.

Gravity · Mar 10, 2009

Cue the pr0n guitar: Bow-chicka-bow-WOWwwww.....

brainstorm77 · Mar 10, 2009

Saskatoonistan said:
I will happily offer myself as a male prostitute to pay this bill for AW. Whether AW makes any money from this venture is highly suspect, but being the community minded dude I am, I thought to take one for the team.

I'll give ya a dollar

Greenwolf103 · Mar 10, 2009

Soon as I's get paid for ongoing job that will hopefully bring in what was promised, I'sa throwin' in a donate jus' to do mah part. :hat:

I love AW, too. And we know you wouldn't stiff anyone, Mac. :Hug2:

happywritermom · Mar 10, 2009

I've told my husband several times that when I finally sell a book (and I'm very close), I'm donating to AW. You folks have saved me from some nasty mistakes!

KTC · Mar 10, 2009

Gravity said:
Cue the pr0n guitar: Bow-chicka-bow-WOWwwww.....

What do you get when you cross a brown chicken and a brown cow?

Brown-chicken-brown-CoWwwww

BenPanced · Mar 10, 2009

Saskatoonistan said:
I will happily offer myself as a male prostitute to pay this bill for AW. Whether AW makes any money from this venture is highly suspect, but being the community minded dude I am, I thought to take one for the team.

brainstorm77 said:
I'll give ya a dollar

Two dollars and cab fare home.

Birol · Mar 10, 2009

MacAllister said:
Money donated towards the forums goes just to the forums. We have server bills, software licensing fees, etc.

Now, you see, I just always assumed that any money donated went where it was needed -- and that was your call -- unless it was specifically earmarked for something by the donor. For example, if I donated $20.00 through the PayPal button up top, I assumed you would use it where it was needed for all of AW since they are all interconnected in my mind and you are the only one who knows where the most pressing deficits are.

The only exception to this would be if, for example, there was a donation drive to buy a new server and I donated $20.00 with a note "for new server," then I would expect it to go to the new server fund.

Saskatoonistan · Mar 11, 2009

BenPanced said:
Two dollars and cab fare home.

So cruel. You cut me and I am deeply wounded by that... snif....

AW listed on Whispers & Warnings--for 2nd time

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