Comments on: On Being Late

By: Cedric Solidon

Cedric Solidon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:57:00 +0000

It always sucks to not get paid on time especially if your bills are starting to pile up.

@Angie: Good thing I have a lawyer in the family. Hehe.

By: Susan Johnston

Susan Johnston — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:21:00 +0000

When I have several emails that go ignored, I pick up the phone and call them. Usually they're very sweet and apologetic and I don't feel I have to use my angry voice. Then nothing happens for several days and I call them again.

Often they have some silly excuse like "yes, your invoice got flagged because there was an issue with your mailing address." Notice that it was not an issue with my EMAIL address that would prevent them from responding to my emails or sending an email on their own to get the confusion cleared up.

This has happened several times in the past few months, and I just don't understand how accounting people think that an invoice should go into a black hole just because they can't be bothered to look up my mailing address or email me to verify it. I feel your pain, Lori, really I do. Even if our work isn't drying up, we're feeling the pinch because accounting is short-staffed and they're not on top of their invoices.

By: Avid Writer

Avid Writer — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:47:00 +0000

Late fees – I haven’t been doing that, Lori, but I will from today on. Thanks for that tip.

What would you say about a client who pays the downpayment on a project a month ago, yet still hasn’t sent the project? How annoying.:(

By: Carrie Wilson Link

Carrie Wilson Link — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:14:00 +0000

I could not agree more, “common” business courtesy has grown far too uncommon!

By: Angie Ledbetter

Angie Ledbetter — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:08:00 +0000

Oh, I've used those and similar lines, all to no avail. (I guess they know some of us po writers can't afford to pay an attorney to sue them, or even to drag them into small claims court!) This is where having a lawyer for a sibling would be nice.

I put a notice in comments about this article, as all writers should read it —

Angie Ledbetter has left a new comment on your post "Strange Growth":

P.S. to the writer folks:
Lori has an important post today about getting ripped off on your work —>
http://loriwidmer.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-being-late.html

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:21:00 +0000

They’ve gone down the toilet, as have some of the so-called employers’ ethical standards.

I have one line that works like a charm, Angie – “Please pay within 10 days to avoid litigation.” To this day no one has stiffed me after I use that one. And I fully intend to back it up with action every time I use it, too.

By: Angie Ledbetter

Angie Ledbetter — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:34:00 +0000

Late, and even worse, non-paying clients make me want to scream. Is there something about freelancing that makes clients think we don’t have bills to pay? Do they not pay their energy bills or phone service providers? I just don’t get it! I’ve used the late fee process too, and sadly, the results aren’t very good. Can’t tell you the number of articles (some involving lots of research) that have been commissioned, then go unpaid. Then there’s the magazine editor/publisher who still owes me for s.e.v.e.n. articles, but went belly up. Arghhhhhh!

Professional business practices, ethical treatment of employees (including contract), and plain ol’ human decency –where have they gone?