Article dropped b/c I no longer blog

Arisa81 · Jan 28, 2009

Interesting thing happened today. An editor asks me for my blog address (I guess to put with my byline along with an article I wrote which is about blogging). I politely reply to her that I actually don't blog anymore (this article was accepted many months ago and since then decided not to blog anymore, it just wasn't for me). She writes me back with "you wrote an article about blogging and you don't actually blog. Amazing." I took it at first as being snarky, but couldn't be quite sure. Second e-mail comes in 40 mins later with her telling they were typesetting the article, but can no longer use it.

Really? Because I don't blog anymore. Is it just me or is that a little odd? I know it would be nice to have a blog address there, but because of that they won't publish it.

It's a pay-on-publication, but trust me, the amount is so little it won't be missed whatsoever. I am happy to not work with this editor (who's been snotty in the past) again.

Anyone else had something like this happen over something so small?

novelette · Jan 28, 2009

I've never had this happen to me, but I have noticed that a lot of job ads will ask for blog addresses (I guess they assume that everyone has a blog nowadays). Maybe the editor thought the article wouldn't have as much "weight" if the author doesn't have her own blog, although you had one when the article was written. Editors are just like regular people...some are nice, some not so. Since the money wasn't much of an issue, consider yourself lucky -- you might not have to work with her again.

Arisa81 · Jan 28, 2009

I was thinking along the same lines, though she never did ask about me having a blog (she probably did assume, and at the time I did blog). Things change, that's life. Especially after almost a year of holding my article.

What gets me the most was her first e-mail, she acted like I'd done something completely unacceptable (she even left my sentence "I don't blog blog anymore" in her e-mails back to me, removing all the rest, lol.)

twnkltoz · Jan 28, 2009

Uh...I just helped my husband with an article about colorectal cancer. Neither of us have that, either.

Bizarre.

samcollie · Jan 29, 2009

That's just what I was thinking -- of all the zillion topics I've written about, I don' t claim to have or do all of them. Strange. I think your first instinct was right, be glad not to work with someone so fussy and don't worry about the lost fee!

RobJ · Jan 29, 2009

You should blog about this.

Cheers,
Rob

twnkltoz · Jan 29, 2009

RobJ said:
You should blog about this.

Cheers,
Rob

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

JNLister · Jan 29, 2009

It's possible that when she commissioned the piece, she assumed she'd be getting some good publicity for the magazine on your blog.

However, you shouldn't suffer for her assumptions.

veinglory · Jan 29, 2009

I know that when I read 'how to' articles before implimenting change I often check out the authors own examplars--so I think this issue is not entirely moot. e.g. 'how to be a best selling author' is more compelling when written by a best selling author.

Arisa81 · Jan 29, 2009

Veinglory, I totally understand that point of view. Of course, as others have mentioned (like the cancer) you can write about without having done it/had it. That's what research is all about.

Of course, I was blogging at the time the article was written and sold. And this editor was quite nasty about it. No negotiation, no talking about it. She made it sound like I had never blogged and suddenly had no idea what I was talking about, lol. Oh well! I thought she was a bit rash about the whole thing.

I haven't responded to her (and don't think I will).
Do you guys think I should bother saying anything or just leave it alone?

Arisa81 · Jan 29, 2009

RobJ said:
You should blog about this.

Cheers,
Rob

LOL

twnkltoz · Jan 29, 2009

I would be tempted to be snarky right back, but then I would just walk away. Not worth burning bridges over, but I wouldn't submit to her again.

Arisa81 · Jan 29, 2009

My thoughts exactly, thanks!

black ink · Jan 29, 2009

Definitely take the high road. You'll feel so much better in the long run

Can you find another market for your piece?

herdon · Jan 30, 2009

I don't blame the editor. They want to show that the writer has some expertise in the field, and for blogging, that means blogging.

I also think it is silly to compare having a disease like cancer to an activity like blogging -- of course someone that has cancer isn't an expert, it is one of the most complicated diseases in the world.

Codger · Jan 30, 2009

Havlen said:
I don't blame the editor. They want to show that the writer has some expertise in the field, and for blogging, that means blogging.

I also think it is silly to compare having a disease like cancer to an activity like blogging -- of course someone that has cancer isn't an expert, it is one of the most complicated diseases in the world.

I once wrote a well-received book review on a subset of computer programming for a technical magazine. I've never been a programmer. I did my reading/research and wrote the review. This included corresponding with the book's author.

I don't have a blog, but I'm certain that I could write an interesting piece on blogging. It's not brain surgery.

twnkltoz · Jan 30, 2009

Codger said:
I once wrote a well-received book review on a subset of computer programming for a technical magazine. I've never been a programmer. I did my reading/research and wrote the review. This included corresponding with the book's author.

I don't have a blog, but I'm certain that I could write an interesting piece on blogging. It's not brain surgery.

Exactly. I write all kinds of articles on subjects I'm not an expert in. I use quotes from experts and research from reliable sources. That's what being a freelance writer is all about! While it would be nice to end this article with a link to the author's blog, it's hardly necessary. When I read magazine articles, I never to look up the author's credentials...half the time, I don't even know who wrote them.

herdon · Jan 30, 2009

Codger said:
I once wrote a well-received book review on a subset of computer programming for a technical magazine. I've never been a programmer. I did my reading/research and wrote the review. This included corresponding with the book's author.

I don't have a blog, but I'm certain that I could write an interesting piece on blogging. It's not brain surgery.

And I wouldn't have blamed that editor if they didn't publish your book review.

It isn't a matter of whether or not you can do it. It is a matter of what the editor wants. If they want a writer to go out and do some research, fine. I do that stuff all the time myself.

But griping about them because they want someone with a little experience in the field that they are writing about? I think that's the height of silliness. It honestly sounds like sour grapes to me.

twnkltoz · Jan 30, 2009

Havlen said:
And I wouldn't have blamed that editor if they didn't publish your book review.

It isn't a matter of whether or not you can do it. It is a matter of what the editor wants. If they want a writer to go out and do some research, fine. I do that stuff all the time myself.

But griping about them because they want someone with a little experience in the field that they are writing about? I think that's the height of silliness. It honestly sounds like sour grapes to me.

But, did the editor in this case ask up front if the author was a blogger? Also, the OP does have experience.

Codger · Jan 30, 2009

Havlen said:
And I wouldn't have blamed that editor if they didn't publish your book review.

It isn't a matter of whether or not you can do it. It is a matter of what the editor wants. If they want a writer to go out and do some research, fine. I do that stuff all the time myself.

But griping about them because they want someone with a little experience in the field that they are writing about? I think that's the height of silliness. It honestly sounds like sour grapes to me.

Some editors are oriented toward a quality writing result, and focus on the results.

Others prefer to hide behind "platform" requirements and author credentials.

The editor I worked with on the book review never asked me if I had been a programmer. He had seen samples of my work and evidently thought I could produce the result that they wanted... I did.

veinglory · Jan 30, 2009

I think in many cases a platform is required--not something to "hide behind". If their readership expects it, they need to deliver it. I personally would assume that a person writing about blogging blogged, and blogged well. Before taking any technical advice that is out fo my personal depth I always check that sort of thing. Because when you change your blog you have no idea if it will go well or not unless there is a model example--and a misstep may cost a lot of money.

KTC · Jan 30, 2009

Um. That sounds dumb. I have written about dentistry and I am not a dentist. I've written about optometry and I am not an optometrist. I've written about home improvement and I couldn't point out the difference between a hammer and a saw. I've written about blah, blah, blah. See my point. I just don't get why it would matter that you don't have a blog.

I hope the pet care people don't find out I'm not a vet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

veinglory · Jan 30, 2009

Have you written a guide how to do a root canal for people likely to do one? Or how to safely use huge power tools you are unfamiliar with?

Writing about something is one thing--writing how to do it is another. you don't have to be a vet to write about pet care--but I would be skeptical of an article of that nature from someone with no pet or just a recently dead pet buried in the back garden.

Put it this way, how do people respond on these forums (typically) when newbie says they want to be an author but they don't own books and don't enjoy reading as a leisure activity?

KTC · Jan 30, 2009

But it's only an article about blogging. I think a root canal manual from a non-dentist is too far away from the example we're looking at here. They were going to publish the article, which speaks for its content. They must have thought it was good. To later find out the author wasn't blogging and pull it? I just don't get it. Might be a platform thing as mentioned above, but it just doesn't make sense to me.

KTC · Jan 30, 2009

And I really don't think it would be a stretch for a freelancer without pets to write about pet care. (note: I have a pet)

Article dropped b/c I no longer blog

Arisa81

novelette

Arisa81

twnkltoz

samcollie

RobJ

twnkltoz

JNLister

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Arisa81

Arisa81

twnkltoz

Arisa81

black ink

herdon

What's up?

Codger

twnkltoz

herdon

What's up?

twnkltoz

Codger

veinglory

volitare nequeo

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

veinglory

volitare nequeo

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live