People who are paying way too much attention to my ongoing story will remember the sustainability journal that’s starting up here in Philly. I talked to the guy last summer and was very enthusiastic about it, not just to write for them but maybe even get the job of editing it.
That didn’t happen, but I’ve done some writing for them, blah blah, there have been several installments to this ongoing story. In December, I submitted a story I’d gotten the go-ahead on, and heard back from the replacement for the editor who’d okayed it that they’d changed their minds, but they’d give me a $50 kill fee, and also that they might want to use the photos I’d taken to go with it, although in a different context.
This was in early January, so at the end of January, I emailed this second editor to say, “Just wondering when I can expect the kill fee. Also, will you be using the photos, and if so when, and how much are you going to pay me?”
Two weeks later (yesterday), I hadn’t heard back, so I wrote again, said “I saw the Feb. issue, it looks great, I understand why you didn’t want that story, and, BTW, what about my money?”
Got an email from her around 6 tonight, saying “I am no longer the editor here – talk to Alex, who’s now going to be editing this.” (Alex is the publisher – the idea guy – the entrepreneurial type – the guy I’d met with last summer who I was so enthusiastic about working with.) Now the one thing Alex had made pretty damn clear was that he doesn’t want to edit this puppy.
And neither of the two people he’s tried out in that position has worked out.
So I’m thinking two things:
- I should write him and say “Look, what you’re trying isn’t working, you need someone who may know a tad less about the subject matter but knows how to put together a magazine – like, say, me.”
And 2) do I really want to hitch my wagon to this particular star?
Of course, given the serious paucity of stars in my life at this moment, how much worse off would I be if I get thrown under the wheels in three months like each of the last two editors?
(Elsewhere in the news: Got a call yesterday from a PR type who I’ve had some dealings with on some freelance work I’ve been doing, sounding me out about writing a major article [2500 words] for one of the publications at Drexel’s business school. This is the first time I’ve had someone contact me and say “I know you’re a writer, is this an assignment you’d be interested in?,” so that was very cool.)
Name is also completely made up as well - you know the details, I know the tactics. 