Courtesy Lost in the Digital Age…
Over the years, I’ve had bad experiences with clients. I’m sure we all have and we move on and forward, take it as a lesson learnt and not repeat it. Most of the time it works, however when COURTESY is lacking then I will take a stand. It doesn’t take much to message someone who you were working with to produce a book and let them know you’re going to use someone else.
We all lose jobs or clients at times, though when you’ve worked hard for them including FREE work, then surely it would be a COURTESY let me know they are going to use someone else. I’m upset at the lack of a message, especially after all I did for them. I feel bruised and USED. Like I said another lesson learnt. From now on I won’t be doing any FREE or CHEAP work for those caught out by SCAMMERS mainly because I don’t want to find a post on Facebook saying BOOK LIVE on a manuscript I was waiting to format without realising I wasn’t getting it this time…
No they don’t have to chose my business to do the work even though I’ve redone three books at cost, organised an new illustrator and redesigned several books due to copyright infringement, where they could’ve gotten sued. However, to find them using someone else for interior design without even messaging me is just bloody rude. They could at least tell me WHY?
Finding out why… apparently they didn’t like my FEES for Book three. Get this… I sort out one book making sure DPI was correct, formatting was situated correctly, checking each part for approval, then once approved I make an ebook and I’m asked to upload to their distributor. Then the paperback. No charge. Then we come to the first and second book in a series both of which had copyright issues for which the author could’ve been sued. I find an illustrator, we redo both books and I upload to distributor in ebook and paperback. All approved by client. I only charge $20 USD for uploading due to author being scammed. Now the third book is sorted the same way. I put in real charges this time and yes they knew this. Consultation, sizing of images, formatting of words, approvals, uploads…making ebook and paperback and more. I charged $180 USD. I should’ve been more with an hour rate, though I was still trying to be nice due to them been SCAMMED. I’m not sure how the illustrator feels, though I’m sure they are out of pocket as well.
Now I feel like they SCAMMED me…All the hours I worked on these books and I get paid $220 USD. Way below the minimum wage in the USA and in NZ if I add up the actual hours of work.
DISILLUSIONED IN BUSINESS
5 Responses
Reblogged this on Claire Plaisted – Author and commented:
Please make sure you communicate with those who work with you when you’re making your books. Courtesy is a must.
Reblogged this on Campbells World.
Thank you Patty.
WOW, that is terrible, Claire. You know, some people are dishonest and no matter what you do in kindness for them, they will turn on you – just because that is how they do to others. I think the client should be pay it up front – at least 1/2 of the total estimate of charges. This is how most publishers work – 1/2 to begin the project and the other 1/2 when the project is 1/2 completed – this way you know immediately if this person is serious and respects what you do. This person was probably not scammed at all – but did another dirty deal to another editor – and then lied about it. That makes more sense – if something does not sound right, it usually isn’t.
I wish I could say that was true…however, I think they are just thoughtless and perhaps a bit of a user without realising the full extent of what they do. It saddens me that everything something like this happens I have to withdraw from helping because I can… Of course my time is worth money too…especially if we want our business to be a success.. Thank you for your comment.