How an Unpaid Writer Got Revenge on a Publisher
Jillita Horton
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A publisher owed me $1,800 for two articles I wrote for her online e-zine. The contract, which she signed, stated 25 cents per word. Period. It didn't mention any contingencies, or "You will be paid 25 cents per word UNLESS..." 
It was strictly, "25 cents per word," PERIOD. So I sent in the two stories and they got published. The contract stated that payment would be "within 60 days of publication date." Before I signed the contract and decided to write these articles, I received an e-mail from someone - let's call her Michelle -who was somehow connected to this e-zine, warning me and all other new writers (it was a global message) that this publisher-let's call her Steffie-had a track record of not paying her writers.
I decided to go ahead with the articles because I felt confident that if she didn't pay me, I'd be able to sell them to other markets anyways; and also, just what if...what if Steffie DID come through for me? I couldn't risk losing out on $1,800.
Michelle had given me a Web site address that had a thread devoted to this publisher's unscrupulous practices. One writer said she owed her $5,000. Still, I had some hope. In the interim, Steffie had sent me an e-mail telling me I would get paid, in response to my asking details about payment; but I did not let her know that I had received that warning e-mail. I also did not tell her I had read the thread.
Then, a few days short of the 60th day, I received a global from Steffie informing all the writers that she could not pay anyone because the e-zine had not gotten sufficient subscriptions. She would pay us when enough subscriptions were paid.
I contacted another writer, her e-mail address taken off the mailing list that was part of Michelle's global, to see if she had ever been paid. This second writer said she, too, was aware of the warning, and she never got paid.
It was strictly, "25 cents per word," PERIOD. So I sent in the two stories and they got published. The contract stated that payment would be "within 60 days of publication date." Before I signed the contract and decided to write these articles, I received an e-mail from someone - let's call her Michelle -who was somehow connected to this e-zine, warning me and all other new writers (it was a global message) that this publisher-let's call her Steffie-had a track record of not paying her writers.
I decided to go ahead with the articles because I felt confident that if she didn't pay me, I'd be able to sell them to other markets anyways; and also, just what if...what if Steffie DID come through for me? I couldn't risk losing out on $1,800.
Michelle had given me a Web site address that had a thread devoted to this publisher's unscrupulous practices. One writer said she owed her $5,000. Still, I had some hope. In the interim, Steffie had sent me an e-mail telling me I would get paid, in response to my asking details about payment; but I did not let her know that I had received that warning e-mail. I also did not tell her I had read the thread.
Then, a few days short of the 60th day, I received a global from Steffie informing all the writers that she could not pay anyone because the e-zine had not gotten sufficient subscriptions. She would pay us when enough subscriptions were paid.
I contacted another writer, her e-mail address taken off the mailing list that was part of Michelle's global, to see if she had ever been paid. This second writer said she, too, was aware of the warning, and she never got paid.