Turning down a freelancer?

Write: Understood on all. You're right, the media entity does have the power, and being a freelancer full time is a tenuous existence.

Just saying that if you want the work, check your e-mail a lot and be reachable. I wrote a lot more here and then deleted it all, because that's the pretty simple bottom line.

And Stitch, you take me back the other way. OK, the freelancer is helping me out. I'm not going to let that empower him/her to do a crappy job of keeping in touch with me, doing the work I need and blowing me off. I'll look elsewhere in a hurry, or I won't cover the event.

I'm paying pretty well for an 18-inch game analysis; if you want the work, you need to meet me halfway.

 

Whether he realizes it or not, he is in business. The customer service business. And he's already stumbled on two fronts. You asked for clips, and a simple link to a piece or two would have sufficed. (Do I suspect that no such clips exist?). Often when guys (and gals) solicit me for freelance work, I do a simple news.google.com search. Usually, what I see is good stuff. No, it's not rocket science. And Lord knows a lot of editors showed me a lot of grace when I first wandered into the biz (and still do). But if he can't fulfill the requirements of his first client (himself), how's he going to take care of yours?

 

I think this is painting with a pretty broad brush. In my case specifically, I can do as much writing as I want myself and get paid for it. That's not a bad deal. In this economy, I'm happy to spread things out a little and wanted to help this guy out. I hear what you guys are saying that it doesn't hurt to look at his clips (assuming he ever sends them) and to give him a chance if they're halfway decent. That said, as some of you have noted, the "are we going to talk" e-mail also rubbed me the wrong way. Just not getting a good vibe from this guy, and I think my overall feelings are closest to what Hickling just described.

 

I've had editors write "Are we going to talk?" as well.

Had one that wanted me to submit an application to be a freelancer. I've had editors when I was stringing tell me how important commitment is to them and then fail to get back to me when it's time to pay up. Freelancing is a two-way street. The great thing for editors is that there isn't much of a commitment to make.

 

No worries, SF. We are often/usually on the same wavelength, and you are, doubtlessly, someone with whom I'd like to work....probably even as a just a freelancer.

Really, I say that in all seriousness...