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I've been working as a freelance writer for nearly 10 years. I work almost exclusively for one content company, and when there are few jobs available I fall behind with my financial obligations (bills). Writers on other forums say it's important to have a number of "eggs," but I've had quite a bit of bad luck. Assisting other writers with their jobs usually turned out well, but finding "extra eggs" elsewhere has not. While I've figuratively kicked myself over not following two bits of advice- get everything in writing; and keep copies of all your work- even when I followed this advice to the letter it hasn't made any difference. So I'm posting to ask if anyone here might know what, if anything, can be done when editors, etc., screw you over?
A few examples, in no particular order:
- An individual frequently posts on forums under a fake name, asking for writers to do projects. She said she liked the first project I wrote for her, and offered me three more. She said while they had a base rate for pay, I'd receive a bonus if it involved any extra work. However, while she requested and I completed "summaries" for each article in the last three sets, I was not paid the bonus. I initially let this go because she said she'd have more jobs for me in the future. When she didn't come up with more jobs, I asked about the bonuses- and she posted on the forum that I'd never done the extra work at all, plus lied and said I had the habit of missing deadlines (although she never gave me deadlines). Although she had posted my articles & summaries on some of her websites, when my computer blew out I couldn't locate the sites and the copies I had on my desktop vanished.
- An individual posted on a different forum, asking for writers for her company's wide range of websites. She insisted on a phone interview, during which we discussed and agreed on the terms. She also asked me to connect with her in "Google Chat," where she said this would be a long-term job. We also had email communications.
However- the job involved writing a certain number of articles each week day, based on assignments she was to provide every Monday. As she did not get the assignments to me on time, I was in the position of completing full weeks' worth of work near the end of the week. After this pattern occurred a number of times, I explained as politely as possible that I could not do the work on time if I did not receive the assignments. She replied since I 'wasn't being patient' I could 'look elsewhere for work until future notice.' I said it wasn't right to withhold work- and she responded by causing me to lose the job entirely.
In addition, she claimed we never had any contract, and that she'd never promised me any work; when I brought this to the attention of the company owner (phone agreement, Google chat agreement, emails), instead of doing his job and resolving the problem I was simply 'let go.'
- When I was desperate for a few extra dollars to cover my phone bill, I found an online 'company' that was actually one guy and his sidekick. I didn't like the fact that he asked a lot of personal questions (how many kids I have, why I need the money, etc.), but the topper was when he insisted on talking to me on the phone- it had nothing to do with the job, just his ramblings about his ex-wife and his drinking problem. I said I didn't have time to spare for that- one-way 'conversations' spanning more than 2 hours each time- so he wrote an email to his sidekick, sent me a copy, and it was various lies and character-assassinations. When he read the first article I wrote for him, he said he wanted me to write ebooks- I still have the emails with all the details he brought up. Yet in the email he said I was a 'psycho,' that I was 'begging him for money,' and that he'd never said he wanted me to write anything else for him.
- I believe it was Oct. 2013 when an individual was posting all over the web, asking for articles for a new company. I was eventually paid for the first article, but he said I'd have to wait til the following January to be paid for the other two articles. Later, another person from the company told me the guy had vanished. This January, I managed to locate a person who was allegedly in charge of the company. He said he had other business ventures going on, that 'funding' wasn't yet completed for writing projects, and that I should be paid 'within a month or so.' When April came and I still had not been paid, he said it shouldn't take much longer, and I'd have an ongoing place in their company. He added that I should direct future communications to his editor- did; no reply from her at all. So I still haven't been paid for two articles the first guy accepted well over two years ago.
So it seems it doesn't matter if freelancers have agreements in writing, have copies of their work, etc., because, unless I'm missing something somehow, there's really nothing we can do about "deadbeats" and other jerks. If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it.
A few examples, in no particular order:
- An individual frequently posts on forums under a fake name, asking for writers to do projects. She said she liked the first project I wrote for her, and offered me three more. She said while they had a base rate for pay, I'd receive a bonus if it involved any extra work. However, while she requested and I completed "summaries" for each article in the last three sets, I was not paid the bonus. I initially let this go because she said she'd have more jobs for me in the future. When she didn't come up with more jobs, I asked about the bonuses- and she posted on the forum that I'd never done the extra work at all, plus lied and said I had the habit of missing deadlines (although she never gave me deadlines). Although she had posted my articles & summaries on some of her websites, when my computer blew out I couldn't locate the sites and the copies I had on my desktop vanished.
- An individual posted on a different forum, asking for writers for her company's wide range of websites. She insisted on a phone interview, during which we discussed and agreed on the terms. She also asked me to connect with her in "Google Chat," where she said this would be a long-term job. We also had email communications.
However- the job involved writing a certain number of articles each week day, based on assignments she was to provide every Monday. As she did not get the assignments to me on time, I was in the position of completing full weeks' worth of work near the end of the week. After this pattern occurred a number of times, I explained as politely as possible that I could not do the work on time if I did not receive the assignments. She replied since I 'wasn't being patient' I could 'look elsewhere for work until future notice.' I said it wasn't right to withhold work- and she responded by causing me to lose the job entirely.
In addition, she claimed we never had any contract, and that she'd never promised me any work; when I brought this to the attention of the company owner (phone agreement, Google chat agreement, emails), instead of doing his job and resolving the problem I was simply 'let go.'
- When I was desperate for a few extra dollars to cover my phone bill, I found an online 'company' that was actually one guy and his sidekick. I didn't like the fact that he asked a lot of personal questions (how many kids I have, why I need the money, etc.), but the topper was when he insisted on talking to me on the phone- it had nothing to do with the job, just his ramblings about his ex-wife and his drinking problem. I said I didn't have time to spare for that- one-way 'conversations' spanning more than 2 hours each time- so he wrote an email to his sidekick, sent me a copy, and it was various lies and character-assassinations. When he read the first article I wrote for him, he said he wanted me to write ebooks- I still have the emails with all the details he brought up. Yet in the email he said I was a 'psycho,' that I was 'begging him for money,' and that he'd never said he wanted me to write anything else for him.
- I believe it was Oct. 2013 when an individual was posting all over the web, asking for articles for a new company. I was eventually paid for the first article, but he said I'd have to wait til the following January to be paid for the other two articles. Later, another person from the company told me the guy had vanished. This January, I managed to locate a person who was allegedly in charge of the company. He said he had other business ventures going on, that 'funding' wasn't yet completed for writing projects, and that I should be paid 'within a month or so.' When April came and I still had not been paid, he said it shouldn't take much longer, and I'd have an ongoing place in their company. He added that I should direct future communications to his editor- did; no reply from her at all. So I still haven't been paid for two articles the first guy accepted well over two years ago.
So it seems it doesn't matter if freelancers have agreements in writing, have copies of their work, etc., because, unless I'm missing something somehow, there's really nothing we can do about "deadbeats" and other jerks. If anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it.