I think this time my friend finally decided to sever times completely with the Slow Payer. She’d gone a year or more, but finally caved and accepted an assignment. She was hoping that he’d gotten his act together. He hadn’t. I told her if he approached me about writing for him again I’d demand 50% upfront, if not payment in full. But one of the tricks he uses to slow down the payment process is promising that EVERY word will be counted and paid for, and they round up. So if you were assigned 1,000 words and turned in 950, you’ll be paid for 1000 words, but if you write long you’ll be paid for every other published word. Sorry, dude. They extra $20 or so I MIGHT get is not worth waiting an extra 30-60 days to be paid.

It’s the “alternative means of collection” that got him moving, I’d bet. Clearly he doesn’t care about owing you anything, but he does care about being chased by a lawyer or collection agency.

Good for your friend. See, you both hit his ego (and his wallet to some extent), and it moved him. It shouldn’t have to come to that, but damn, I applaud you for it!

I told the gatekeeper—and emailed the client the same thing—that even school kids who are home sick have to do their homework. Apparently he won’t allow anyone else to sign checks, so I told them he either needed to delegate someone to can pay the publication’s vendors or someone needs to take the invoices and checkbook to his sick bed, hand him a pen and say “Sign these,” then pop the checks into envelopes and send them out.

That got his attention. As did the bit about perusing “alternate means of collection” if I didn’t have a check within the week.

A friend had a similar issue with that place not paying a $600 invoice. She finally emailed him, and cc’d the editor, and added a comment along the lines of, “Surely, a successful business shouldn’t have trouble paying such a small invoice.” They overnighted her check.

Then here’s a little trick I learned from Anne Wayman (I think? Maybe Cathy Miller?): have them confirm in an email the terms. Without a “Yes, that’s the plan” kind of response, I don’t lift a finger to the keyboard.

The more they insist I don’t need a contract, the more I know I do. And the less likely I’ll work with them. I hate having to approach each new negotiation expecting the worst, but it’s saved my arse more than once. And it’s just good business. Any client who would get offended by it isn’t necessarily a client who understands the business side.

Sorry. Off on a tangent! LOL