Re: What does $3 a page mean to you?

["Ned Bedinger" <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andrew Plato" <gilliankitty -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Cc: <doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 2004 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: What does $3 a page mean to you?


>
> "Ned Bedinger" <> wrote
>
> > If this sounds like I am blowing sunshine, well, yeah.
Much
> > as I'd like to be able to generalize, publishing is a
big
> > industry.  Do your metrics, scope your projects, and
then
> > you're doing what you can to predict what you can do and
> > what you need to get it done.  If anyone keeps you from
> > doing that, sue 'em.
>
> Gaaaah...
>
> Litigating against clients for a misunderstanding is
rarely a wise course of

Define wise.  Wait.  Probably not necessary, its been
covered elsewhere.

> action. Just because you're right, doesn't mean you win
lawsuits. Corporations
> have a LOT more firepower than an individual. And you
could be right

Not in small claims court.

> ten-thousand ways until Sunday and STILL LOSE. And then
you're little "rage
> against the machine and show 'em how it is" lawsuit is
suddenly a gargantuan
> debt that ruins your life - forever. The company could
counter-sue you, and
> tack on damages, legal fees, and everything else. Then
your $1000 dispute is a
> $100,000 problem.
>
> A lawsuit is evidence of a failure - of all parties. If
you have to sue a

What alternative mediation does the legal system provide?  I
don't know, except in some cases where mediation is provided
by government.

> client for money, then its clear that you didn't do what
was necessary to
> protect yourself or you didn't read or clarify the fine
print. Yes, companies
> screw people all the time. Some companies count on hiring
amateur writers who

The word spreads like wildfire, at least among my cohort.

> lack business skills. They get them to do a lot of work
and then screw them.
> Yes, that's evil. But that's the way the world works. Its
brutal and
> unforgiving. And its not an employer's job to coddle you
or protect you. If
> this bothers, offends, or angers you - then you're free to
NOT be an
> independent consultant.
>
> Furthermore, if you're going to hawk your services as an
independent
> consultant, you had better know how to protect yourself.
Otherwise, frankly,

What sort of bond do you have to carry?  It is huge to do
1099 work around here.

> you have no right to complain when you get screwed. If you
don't know what to
> do, then plan on a lot of hard-learned lessons. Like the
one Bonnie just
> learned.

Contracting is especially like that, a new project in a new
company every few months...

>
> Moreover, there are no established rates for how editors
or tech writers are
> paid. If writer A takes $10 an hour and you demand $40,
the employer does not

Follow the light.  Call me back when you get out of the
tunnel.  Cell phones, feh..

> have some right to pay you $40. So you're whole "living
wage" discussion is
> just nonsense.
>
> Suing your clients is RARELY in your best interests. Its
almost always better

Yep.  Anything involving more advice than I can get in the
newsgroups is probably more than I want to deal with.  When
I advise 'sue', I myself would only get as far as making a
call to get free advice from an advocacy group.  Or the
Attorney General's office, because in this state they are
there for us, good listeners, sincere advice.  By all
accounts, that isn't true in all 50 states. Litigation big
enough for any editing contract I've had can be done by me
with no lawyers in small claims court <ahem>.   Dammit, now
I have to go look it up.  Not sure how big a claim you can
take to small claims.

> to just forget it and move along. Unless you have a
situation of egregious
> contract violation where a lot of money was involved -
lawsuits almost always
> cause more pain then they solve.
>
> Andrew Plato

If you ever need a reference, I'm your man.


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