Same freelance story for two papers?

Is there a rule against this? Writing a story and having two papers use you for it? Just wondering ... thanks.

 

would you pay for a story someone else got?

write two stories.

 

Even if it weren't against the law or officially against some code of ethics, it's just plain wrong. And it makes you look bad.

Write two stories.

 

I should have been more clear. What I meant was, do you think it's really decent or possible, with a deadline, to crank out two stories about one game for two different papers?

 

AP stories are like that. I don't do it, but wouldn't you be a personal news service at that point. It seems to me there are different standards for a wire service and some guy trying to make a few bucks. All of this also depends if the two papers are in the same market.

 

I've cranked out two stories for two different papers in non-overlapping markets for a game that was still going on as the first deadline passed. I came back with the writethrough for both papers later on.

It's possible. Do it. Don't be lazy - and don't screw the papers.

 

i'm with stitch. write one story if it won't run in the same city or circulation area.

it's not like you're going to get paid before the middle of april any way.

and what are you getting paid, btw?

 

I've written late stories for both my paper and a national magazine - on deadline. They were not the same. It's possible.

And thanks, Stitch, for telling me what the AP does. :

 

you get mad when a paper on the other side of the state runs the same ap story as yours?

 

Doesn't feel the same to me, Tom. Plus, are you going to tell the newspaper that you're going to write the same exact story for someone else. I don't imagine they'll like that too much, since they're paying you to write the story for them - meaning they own that story.

 

No, but I do tend to respect those "This material is first-run for the purposes of this newspaper only, etc." statements that I sign.

 

AP is a multi-faceted service. Some stringer getting paid twice for one story is a scam, especially if the papers think they're getting their own story.