So a particular market offered to buy my story. This would be my first sale, so I was quite excited. A contract was to follow later that day. It did not. That was three weeks ago, and I have heard nothing else from them, despite three follow-up emails.
This is frustrating.
Posted by Captain of my Sheep (Member # 10362) on :
I'm sorry, wetwilly, it must be frustrating.
I wish I could offer more comfort.
Posted by Disgruntled Peony (Member # 10416) on :
That's really crappy, man. *big, big hugs* I hope they get their butts in gear. I don't know what the protocol is for how long to wait, but I do know there's a point where you should move on to other markets.
On the upside, if they didn't want the story they wouldn't have offered you the contract in the first place. I don't know what the reason for the slowness is, but I'm sure it's due to something on their end.
Posted by extrinsic (Member # 8019) on :
I want to think the best of people and organizations; how often I'm disappointed.
Recently, a very important to me form needed to be submitted online. The form had a required field dropdown selection that wouldn't populate, gave a required field not entered error message when I did attempt to submit. I read the page source code; what appeared to be an unintentional and tiny code flaw for the form field. Or a mistake on my part.
After hours, so no one to reach for help. Other possibilities manically raced through my thoughts. Worst of which is the form was intentionally corrupted because the institution was not accepting submissions at the time, though no notice posted that was the case. That was the case when I called in for help the next business day. And no clue given when they'd open. Another two weeks before submissions opened.
The thought behind the corrupted code was that's the easiest way for the organization to have a closed submission period but appear welcoming and like they were on the job. The reason for no notice was the office that processed submissions didn't want to appear slothful to their superiors while they took time off to recuperate from a perceived previous onslaught.
A benefit of online submission is ease of submission management through automation, including an automated submission received message and, possibly afterward, timely semi-automated batch review pending messages. Not to mention, ease of open, closed, suspended, parameters notices posted.
That was a bad week or two, poor communication channels all around. At a doctor's appointment, the doctor kept me waiting in an examination room for an hour and not one person notified me of a delay. I was out the door to locate someone to see if I'd been forgotten when the doctor came; and in a state the doctor was, defensive and dismissive and patronizing, borderline insulting.
Dropped calls, e-mails undeliverable, neighbors hard of hearing and hard-headed, grouchy receptionists, bureaucrats, sales clerks, and staff, aetheric disturbances. The aether cleared up, again, after a few weeks. I encounter dead-air transmission channel static about four times a year. The summer episode is longest and most frustrating.
Siege mentality frustrates me no end.
Effective communication is a two-way thoroughfare.
[ August 12, 2015, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: extrinsic ]
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Way, way back...somebody promised to pay me ten bucks for a short story, payment on publication. It hasn't been published yet and I haven't been paid.
That's as close as I've ever gotten to earning something from my writing.
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
My personal opinion: ignore them and seek a sale elsewhere. If they ever do get back to you, tell them to sod off! It might be considered cutting off your nose to spite your face but I call it principle.
Phil.
Posted by wetwilly (Member # 1818) on :
Phil: already sent it to the next place, brother. As for telling them to sod off, we'll see. Cross that bridge if I get to it.
Posted by wetwilly (Member # 1818) on :
They eventually got back to me and I sold it to them. A bird in the hand, you know? Anyway, it's my first sale ever, so despite the frustration, I'm excited.
Posted by Meredith (Member # 8368) on :
Congratulations!
Posted by Disgruntled Peony (Member # 10416) on :
Congratulations! Sorry for the wait, but it's still awesome that you made the sale. I knew you could do it! Posted by wetwilly (Member # 1818) on :
Thanks!
Posted by Grumpy old guy (Member # 9922) on :
Congrats!
Phil. (Checking to see if nose is still firmly in place)
Posted by babooher (Member # 8617) on :
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Sorry for the wait, but it's still awesome that you made the sale. I knew you could do it! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)