No discussion of edits...

Harlequin

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Is this okay to post here? I'm quietly fuming about a zine atm. I don't want to say which one on a public forum but I guess people who know me will be aware of which one I mean.

History:
  • Subbed in August.
  • Told in October on consideration, decision end of Nov. Fair dos.
  • Nudge mid December; told decision forthcoming soon. Again, fair dos.
  • end of December - acceptance letter! hurrah! Zine asks me to sign contract ASAP and they'll have edits; I return the same day.
  • Two weeks (in Jan) later I nudge about edits and whether they got contract
  • In Feb, zine says they got contract, to be patient with edits as it will take awhile, but they'll contact closer to time, and that publication is "probably" in June
  • ........ March
  • ........ April
  • ........ May
  • ........ June

In June I get an email saying congrats, your story is out, thanks for contributing.

I know this story needed edits, they mentioned typos at hte very least in one of the earlier emails, and a quick skim suggests it has been cut down. Now it did need cutting, but I'd done a lot of that myself (well, I've had plenty of time since December!) My own revisions reduced the story from 7800 to 6200 words. It needed it. But obviously that hasn't made it in.

Like, I don't object to changes. I've done edits with three other zines now and it's never been this uncommunicative. With the others, there was at least one lot back and forth emails (actually, in excess of 3 rounds for all of them) or at least confirmation, or SOMEthing.

I guess I should be pleased with publication and just chill but I can't help feeling exasperated. The story could be a lot better than it is, and hey, they'd even get to pay me less cause it'd be fricking shorter. Or at least let me SEE what's going in before publication even if it's not negotiable. Am I being unreasonable to expect that, or are other zines just overly nice etc?
 
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mrsmig

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Does your contract have language regarding edits? Does it state that you'll have the chance to review and approve them prior to publication?
 

Harlequin

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I think it just says subject to edit, so I probably don't have a leg to stand on. I would have to check but I suspect they'll be covered.

The emails strongly implied they'd send edits for me to look at, though. Or at least contact me before publication, since they weren't sure what issue it would be in.

It's just very different from the other zines I guess.
 

Polenth

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I think it just says subject to edit, so I probably don't have a leg to stand on. I would have to check but I suspect they'll be covered.

The emails strongly implied they'd send edits for me to look at, though. Or at least contact me before publication, since they weren't sure what issue it would be in.

It's just very different from the other zines I guess.

What someone might vaguely imply in email means nothing if it isn't in the contract. This is something that would be good to mention in the bewares thread for the market, as there is a difference between keeping rights to light editing (correcting spelling and the like) and doing major cuts.
 

Old Hack

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That's disgraceful. It's out there with your name on it, but you didn't first approve the changes they made to it. I'd be fuming. You could mention this in Bewares if you feel able to, but otherwise I don't think there's anything to be done about it now.
 

Harlequin

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yeah, I might mention it in Bewares. Give it a few days and/or an anonymous account lol >.> They're a good mag in terms of content and nice enough people, but getting communication from them has been like pulling teeth; there's just a general sense of disorganisation.
 

DanielSTJ

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I'm sorry to hear about this Harlequin. Not optimal, that's for sure.

Still, you're published! :)