What Assignment Not to Take

I saw complaint about a publisher in WritersWeekly.com. Between the end of 2005 and spring 2006, the writer in question claims to have written three articles for a publisher without getting paid for a single one.

Writers often focus on finding, taking, and completing assignments. Not much of a wonder, as that's the way they make their livings and get their work out into the world. but there are times to focus on not taking an assignment:

• You are wroking with a publisher that is new to you and that wants to give you several assignments. You're excited - but don't be. Professional publishers rarely assign multiple pieces to new writers because they don't know how the first one will turn out. Writers should work in a similar way. Do you want to be ethically and legally obliged to an editor who turns out to be a nightmare?


• You've completed one assignment for a new publisher and haven't yet been paid. This is similar to the first situation. Wait on another assignment until the first check clears. You can plead a full schedule (which helps battle Writers Puppy Syndrome) and be sure that the check comes in ... and that it clears.


• If you've been doing business with a publisher that suddenly slows in making payments, has a rapid exodus of editors, or otherwise shows signs of instability, financial or other, consider taking a break. Wait a month or two and see whether things straighten out. At worst you've shown that your work can't be taken for granted, and at best you avoid dealing with a corporate meltdown.


• Skip an assignment that rquires you to significantly compromise your business model. There are always other clients and even other ways of making money, so unless your back really is to the wall, don't arrange your business to suit the client.


• Always - always - heed assignment red flags. They may be false indicators of problems, but living through one actual disaster more than makes up for a half dozen times of avoiding false alarms.


• Pass on assignments that don't fit your brand and specializations. Unless it's a topic that is fascinating to you personally or represents a new direction you want to take in your business, don't get distracted.


• Don't take work that you can't do well. Stretching yourself is great, but there are ways to do it and ways not to. If you don't have the background or detailed knowledge necessary for a certain task (for example, knowing enough about disclosure regulations to write an annual report for a publicly-held company), don't pretend.

Avoiding these situations doesn't mean that you'll avoid all problems with clients, but it's going to reduce unnecessary grief - and think of the assignments you could take in the time you've just saved.