If you ever for-a single moment- thought that ‘writing’ is without any hazards, think again! It’s like a mine field without pathways!
Hazard-1 You write a piece! You bask in an editor’s acceptance! But this euphoria is not for long! What is published does not read anything like your piece! Strangely it bears your byline! Did I really say it ‘like’ that; could I have actually written it ‘that’ way, you wonder disappointedly. What is sad is that your perfectly written pieces are probably being edited by not the editor (who should hopefully know better!) but by some young intern who is anxious to start earning her keep. With good intentions in place no doubt, she wants to put her stamp on it! A rather inept stamp! Learning to ignore it and carrying on is a lesson well learnt.
Hazard-2 You just might find your already published piece with another byline on another website or magazine. Here again there is very little you can do bar writing to the new name on the byline or informing that editor. If you make enough noise, your name will be posted as part of the article if it is online! But you are lucky if you get an answer.
Hazard-3 Not every one is a Kavya Vishwanathan but there are definitely many serious wannabes. Other than bringing it to the notice of those who have perpetrated it, again nothing can really be done. Just feel flattered they chose to copy your paras and move on. Plagiarism is something that has been around since the cuneiform was invented and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon in a hurry
Hazard-4 “…..You will be paid 100$ a 1000 word piece. We require eight articles per month.” Thrilled you begin writing. You send one. Then the next one. No payment comes. You remind them. And again .Silence. And more silence. The bitter truth dawns on you. You’ve been had! But you have the ‘joy’ of seeing them published alright. Yes if you are in the US, you could get help .In India ‘the hoot.org’ is prepared to come to the rescue.
Hazard-5 Nothing is more demeaning than having to repeatedly remind/ask for payment. Even asking how much an editor usually pays, sometimes, evinces annoyance. After all isn’t he doing you a favor by publishing you? Either you develop a thick hide or cut your losses after a few attempts and chalk it up to experience.
Hazard-6 You also find your pieces promoting something you had no intention of doing so. With a few cleverly inserted lines here and there you suddenly find yourself singing the praises of a particular site! This usually happens with newsletters.
Hazard-7 SEOs and content developers also ask you to send in test assignments of 123 words on xyz topic. Samples that find their way to the net with nary a word or rupee to you!
Hazard-8 Scams on the web! Check out new sites for fraud or ask how much they pay, upfront. Warning bells should start to ring when a web developer is rude or terse! More so when its time for the dole out! A site for e.g. like academia research apparently genuine suddenly appears to have a lot of disgruntled writers. So scam or not, only time and experience will tell!
It is also assumed that the editor, however wet behind the ears he might be, knows best! And you the freelance writer who wrote the piece in the first place, knows no better!
Suffice it to say that other than cringe and do a slow burn there is very little, you the hapless writer can do to counter all this effectively.
But would there be editors/web content developers if there were no writers?
- Sreelata Menon
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