It could be just my lack of experience, but I would really appreciate some feedback from writers who are more familiar with magazine publishing. I am just wondering whether my situation is normal, or whether I am doing something wrong:
A few months ago, I pitched a nonfiction article to a reputable horror magazine. The editor responded very quickly, said he loved the idea and wanted me to get started on the article at once. He promised me $50 and a free copy of the issue my article would appear in.
I was very happy, finished the article within a couple of weeks and sent it to him. It took him much longer to respond this time and I even thought he had forgotten about me altogether. Over a month later, he wrote that he though the article was 'brilliant' and would publish it in next month's issue.
Next month's issue came out and the article wasn't there. I contacted the editor to inquire whether he was publishing the article in a later issue, or had decided not to use it after all. I received no response.
Finally, a month later, the next issue came out and my article was there. I was thrilled and expected to be contacted by the magazine about my address and payment details. No contact was made, so I emailed the editor myself to thank him for publishing the article and send him my invoice. Again no response.
I found the email address of the financial manager on the website and emailed him my invoice. It has been almost a month since the article was published and I have heard nothing about my payment or the free issue.
Is this normal? I am really uncomfortable with the fact that I am unable to get in contact with anyone from the magazine. They are definitely still active and it is quite a popular magazine. Is it possible that they have just randomly decided not to pay me and intend to ignore me until I go away? Has anyone encountered a similar situation?
Thanks in advance!
A few months ago, I pitched a nonfiction article to a reputable horror magazine. The editor responded very quickly, said he loved the idea and wanted me to get started on the article at once. He promised me $50 and a free copy of the issue my article would appear in.
I was very happy, finished the article within a couple of weeks and sent it to him. It took him much longer to respond this time and I even thought he had forgotten about me altogether. Over a month later, he wrote that he though the article was 'brilliant' and would publish it in next month's issue.
Next month's issue came out and the article wasn't there. I contacted the editor to inquire whether he was publishing the article in a later issue, or had decided not to use it after all. I received no response.
Finally, a month later, the next issue came out and my article was there. I was thrilled and expected to be contacted by the magazine about my address and payment details. No contact was made, so I emailed the editor myself to thank him for publishing the article and send him my invoice. Again no response.
I found the email address of the financial manager on the website and emailed him my invoice. It has been almost a month since the article was published and I have heard nothing about my payment or the free issue.
Is this normal? I am really uncomfortable with the fact that I am unable to get in contact with anyone from the magazine. They are definitely still active and it is quite a popular magazine. Is it possible that they have just randomly decided not to pay me and intend to ignore me until I go away? Has anyone encountered a similar situation?
Thanks in advance!