Hoping to catch the eye of anyone that write freelance for mags / websites please. I have just discovered I have had an article I emailed to a magazine published, hooray! Much joy, etc. However... They have said 'thanks a lot, we'll send you a free copy' No mention of any fee. I thought, from google (so no extensive research), I would be sent a contract with terms and payment info, this has not happened. I sent the article in full, by email and did not mention a fee at this point - I thought that would be negotiated / sorted later. Was I wrong in this? I assume they have sniffed me out as a rookie, but it doesn't feel right. What are people's thoughts? I'm still delighted to be published, and can add it to my bio, but I am wondering what went wrong for next time, if there is a next time of course! Thanks so much.
Did you check their submission guidelines to see if they pay in cash? Some places pay in copies because they can't afford to pay cash. That's perfectly normal.
Hi, thanks a lot for replying. I couldn't see anything on their website about submissions / payments other than an email for sending pieces in. I hadn't realised I might be paid in copies. It is a national magazine, albeit specialist. In your opinion, is it the done thing to publish something without first confirming that there will be no payment? Their response was basically, thank you, we've published it. I just want to check as I am a complete novice! Should I also have made it clear in the first contact email that I expected a fee, and should I have not sent the full article? By doing this was I giving permission to publish without any agreed terms? Thanks a lot for your help.
Payment is usually mentioned in the submission guidelines, but it's not unusual for magazines to not mention it. The way I see it, the act of submitting something suggests that you accept their guidelines and give them consent to publish the piece. In the future, if payment isn't listed, you should contact them before submitting and ask what their policy on payment is. Or do a quick Google search to see if you can find the information that way.
There are MANY magazines that do not pay for stories. I'd venture to guess that there are likely more that do not pay than there are that do. Usually the submission guidelines I've seen mention payment, if the magazine does pay. So I kind of assume that they do not pay unless they specifically mention that they do. I would also be surprised if any that do pay negotiated a fee independently with each other. Those sorts of things are usually decided in advance and are standardized (unless the payment is in conjunction with some sort of contest, with higher payouts for stories that win or place).
Thank you both for your replies, very helpful. It turns out I completely missed a fairly big section on their website stating guidelines and that they pay for experienced writers. I am indeed a true rookie but will know for next time! I'm obviously still delighted to be published, and my bio will be included as well so all in all it's a good day! Thanks again.
Don't jsut sent the entire write-up without negotiating with them. Also, go thoroughly through their norms.
Personally, unless you are a professional writer, I would be pleased with an article in a national forum. Who cares if they give you a few pennies per word? That is peanuts compared to the prestige of being published. If there is no agreement made, you can ask to withdraw your article, and I am sure they will remove it from their system. I would not do that, personally. Better to have your name 'out there' than enough cash to buy a six pack.
What @Mike Kobernus said. Good grief, take advantage of the bragging rights, build on that and consider it a lesson in negotiating the market place.
I write for a magazine and depending on the quality of the article some authors only get paid in copies of the magazine. The one I write for has payment structure that is not printed in their submission guidelines, but basically, if it's a short article or just filler, you get three copies of the magazine and Steve's thanks. If you get to be the cover story, feature article, or spotlight, then yes, you get paid. But cover stories and feature articles are planned ahead of time so that each issue has a specific "flavor." The editor will have a list of authors in mind to write those and there are deadlines that must be met. My advice is continue to submit. The magazine obviously liked your work and if you continue to improve you may end up on their short list for being asked to write a spotlight or featured article. And those typically come with pay, though not all magazines pay as was mentioned above.
Getting published, even if in just copy, moves you down the road. Technically, it makes you "an experienced writer." That's good, right?
While getting paid in copies is still considered paid experience, I highly recommend starting at the top (highest paying, most prestigious market) and working your way down. That way, you're not selling yourself short. For a list of markets, check out Poets&Writers (free) or Duotrope ($50/year but has more features).
There is nothing wrong with starting at the top and not selling yourself short, but there is also something to be said for enjoyment in writing. I don't think anyone should try to force themselves into writing something for a "more prestigious" publication if it's not the kind of thing they typically write. I believe a person should write the things they would like to read. I think it's helpful to ask yourself, "Would I subscribe to this magazine?" before attempting to submit an article. If you like the outdoors, spend a good deal of time hiking through designated wilderness areas, and tend to write nature related non-fiction, then something like Backcounty Magazine might be a better choice than some highly prestigious literary magazine you've never heard of. And as I perused the link, magazines like Backcountry, Backpacker, Nature Conservancy, etc, didn't even make the list.
I agree that looking for a good fit is important, and that was implied in my previous post. I'm certainly not saying you should force yourself to write for a particular market. What I meant to say was that once you've polished your manuscript and narrowed down the list of potential markets, start at the top of that list and work your way down.
On the bright side (if I may be so bold) you could sign the copy they send and after you become a famous and wealthy writer, sell it on eBay. I believe that constitutes delayed gratification, but better late than never, right?
If the publisher is monetizing this in any way but not paying the writers, you should avoid it except in very limited circumstances.
