For any of you out there that have had short stories published in magazines, have you ever been charged for the cover art if your story was a feature? (Nothing that has happened to me, something someone told me... pretty sure it was not true.)
Charged for cover Art?
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LOL, yes, the old familiar phrase. In my mind and heart I knew it was ... um... bullocks, but it was very hard to think of someone padding their 'referenes' so to speak. And so unnecessarily as well.
She didn't even pick a little limp rag either... she picked one of the leading names in sci-fi/fantasy publications to boast on.
Thanks for the response.
She didn't even pick a little limp rag either... she picked one of the leading names in sci-fi/fantasy publications to boast on.
Thanks for the response.
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I've actually heard of something similar to this happening -- ONCE. It was a major print publication that ordered a double-spread, very specialized piece of art costing thousands for what was going to be the lead story. The author apparently changed his mind about selling it when it was too late to fill the slot with a different story. The publication threatened to sue for breach of contract, for the price of the art. The author apparently contacted an attorney, discovered he might be liable (I presume), and agreed to publish the piece.
But another real situation is what often occurs. An author friend of mine who normally writes westerns was contacted by a magazine that specializes in tattoos. The editor for the mag used to be the author's editor at a small house. He explained a similar scenario -- thousands of dollars out of pocket for the art and the writer pulled the story (or refused to edit it, etc. Can't remember for sure). Anyway, the pub was going to have to eat the cost of the art AND put out an inferior mag that month. The editor asked my friend if he could write up a story (WAY, WAY outside of his normal genre), using the art as the inspiration, over the weekend. Otherwise, the editor was TOAST. He did it, and got a good fee and a friend for life.
But charged for the art for no good reason? Nope.
But another real situation is what often occurs. An author friend of mine who normally writes westerns was contacted by a magazine that specializes in tattoos. The editor for the mag used to be the author's editor at a small house. He explained a similar scenario -- thousands of dollars out of pocket for the art and the writer pulled the story (or refused to edit it, etc. Can't remember for sure). Anyway, the pub was going to have to eat the cost of the art AND put out an inferior mag that month. The editor asked my friend if he could write up a story (WAY, WAY outside of his normal genre), using the art as the inspiration, over the weekend. Otherwise, the editor was TOAST. He did it, and got a good fee and a friend for life.
But charged for the art for no good reason? Nope.
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Yes, Cathy. I see those possibilities. Much different than the problem at hand, but I'm grateful for the pointing out of them... I even gave this person an honest shot at either a) explaining, or b) simply saying (in private with me) that it was ... um.. incorrect. But they insisted. They did say that the magazine in question (again, very large scifi pub) asked them to get their own cover art, for which the publisher charged them (see minor inconsistancy there). It just doens't ring true for a major pub on just a regualar feature story.
There are other inconsistancies, and impossible to verify little nigglers that have come up over the course of a few weeks time with this person.
The ONLY reason I am even worried about it, besides having lost a (once called friend, now lets just say writing commrade), is that this person is reeling in newbies (couldn't get away with it with me, been around the block a few tired times, lol) and develop a following based on many unverifiable 'credits'... and many boasts. I just happened to grab this one out of a group chat and say.. uh huh, gotcha. BUT I did do my best to verify the possibility, even asking at another very highly respected scifi mag where it is possible to ask the writers and editors via a message board, and got pretty much a gaffaw if you will, and a pat on the head, with the truth.
I just wish people would understand it is not necessary to pad your credits, or even have credits to have commrades in this silly game of writing. This person doesn't really want commrades though, it would seem they'd prefer devotees... so
I'm okay now. Never have been much of the devotee type anyway.
There are other inconsistancies, and impossible to verify little nigglers that have come up over the course of a few weeks time with this person.
The ONLY reason I am even worried about it, besides having lost a (once called friend, now lets just say writing commrade), is that this person is reeling in newbies (couldn't get away with it with me, been around the block a few tired times, lol) and develop a following based on many unverifiable 'credits'... and many boasts. I just happened to grab this one out of a group chat and say.. uh huh, gotcha. BUT I did do my best to verify the possibility, even asking at another very highly respected scifi mag where it is possible to ask the writers and editors via a message board, and got pretty much a gaffaw if you will, and a pat on the head, with the truth.
I just wish people would understand it is not necessary to pad your credits, or even have credits to have commrades in this silly game of writing. This person doesn't really want commrades though, it would seem they'd prefer devotees... so
I'm okay now. Never have been much of the devotee type anyway.
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So, what -- the "friend" was saying something along the lines of "Well, I WAS going to be published in such-and-such magazine, but the b*stards insisted I PAY for my cover art! So, of COURSE, I said no!" <insert smug tone>? Thereby raising their standing and blaming the "big guys" for picking on the poor authors?
Hate it when people do that!!
Hate it when people do that!!Cathy C said:So, what -- the "friend" was saying something along the lines of "Well, I WAS going to be published in such-and-such magazine, but the b*stards insisted I PAY for my cover art! So, of COURSE, I said no!" <insert smug tone>? Thereby raising their standing and blaming the "big guys" for picking on the poor authors?
Close. LOL.... said: Oh we were published by (big mucketty muck) and had to pay for the cover art, guess what they chraged us? $2500.00, that's half (yeah, right) of what I made for the article.
Go ahead and laugh at that amount. This magazine they quoted pays 3-5 CENTS per word and only accepts stories of under 15000 words... the math isn't there even just for the sale.
Oh, and of course, they 'always' published under a pseudonym, and aren't willing to divuldge the 'name' or point out any actual articles. But they are published all the time, oh, and Hugo award winners, and have won the Hubbard award as well.
So, yeah, there were lots of 'nigglers', but really I didn't care all that much, it wasn't the 'credits' that was important to me, it was just a casual friendship between writers. (My credits are verifiable. LOL) But as I watched the way this person was sort of 'working' the group for dominance, and how some of the newbies who were desperate to publish began to be awed... it had started to bother me some... then that brick above was like, okay, no question now.
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Wow! The Hugo AND the Hubbard?! Oh, heck no! We wouldn't want to tell anybody about THOSE details! 
Man, if I even FINALED in the Hugo I'd have it tattooed on my forehead!
I find people like this so frustrating -- but it's not even the people like your friend so much as those who would believe every snarky thing about magazines and publishers and agents without a smidgen of proof. The ones who brag without back-up just have big egos that need to be stroked and are easily discounted. But the ones who follow blindly will probably remain forever in the slush and be angry. It's sad, really...
Man, if I even FINALED in the Hugo I'd have it tattooed on my forehead!I find people like this so frustrating -- but it's not even the people like your friend so much as those who would believe every snarky thing about magazines and publishers and agents without a smidgen of proof. The ones who brag without back-up just have big egos that need to be stroked and are easily discounted. But the ones who follow blindly will probably remain forever in the slush and be angry. It's sad, really...
Cathy C said:Wow! The Hugo AND the Hubbard?! Oh, heck no! We wouldn't want to tell anybody about THOSE details!
I find people like this so frustrating -- but it's not even the people like your friend so much as those who would believe every snarky thing about magazines and publishers and agents without a smidgen of proof. The ones who brag without back-up just have big egos that need to be stroked and are easily discounted. But the ones who follow blindly will probably remain forever in the slush and be angry. It's sad, really...
It is sad.
By the way, I love your 'kids'. Wish we lived closer, I wouldn't mind buying a few of them on occassion for ... um... nutritional purposes. Are they percentage boar?
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Since we're slightly off topic--I've got to agree that those goaties are adorable! Every time I notice your sig I smile. I can't wait until I can move to somewhere with some land and have goats again.
And back to the actual topic, I've met one or two writers like the one WriteStuff describes. What's just as sad are the professional amateurs who profess to know everything about writing (one woman I know even teaches a class in writing at a local community college) when their writing credits read like the "pays in copies" section of any given market list. There's nothing wrong with writing for low or no pay, but if you're claiming to be a big name you'd better have sold to at least a few big markets.
And back to the actual topic, I've met one or two writers like the one WriteStuff describes. What's just as sad are the professional amateurs who profess to know everything about writing (one woman I know even teaches a class in writing at a local community college) when their writing credits read like the "pays in copies" section of any given market list. There's nothing wrong with writing for low or no pay, but if you're claiming to be a big name you'd better have sold to at least a few big markets.
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