Thanks for another great post.

Thanks H.C. Yes, I completely agree. There *is* a danger in being too persistent. As someone who has also sat in the editor’s chair, I know what you’re talking about. The PITA factor can definitely go the other way. The key is hitting that balance and having the right approach. Because as with most everything else in business, it all boils down to relationships and building/maintaining them. Your suggested note and wording is a good one … and an approach I’ve used successfully. Thanks for the perspective from the other side. :-)

Obviously, the contracts included more than info about the assignment; they also included information about rights, plus timing and methods of acceptable payment, as well as penalty clauses lat payment and possible revocation of rights for severely late payments.

Never heard another word from either editor. Won’t answer emails. Won’t answer the phone.

These are the types of scenarios (with names of guilty parties and pubs) which are being posted more and more frequently on writers’ discussion boards and inside industry chatrooms.

Info like this won’t MAKE you any money, but it sure can save a lot of time and potential headaches.

Susan, I know what you went through recently—so thank you very much for this information. I’ve never heard of an official check, so now I know.

Jennifer, you are correct about the fallacy of making assumptions. In this business, assumptions can get you into really big trouble—especially right now.

Thanks Zach and Nicole for dropping by too. Zach, the due by date is crucial. Contracts and assignment letters—also important tools.

A few more ideas I’ve picked up from other freelancers… If your client is not paying due to cash flow issues, then you could ask them to pay by credit card (thank you, Michael Stelzner) if you’re able to accept CCs or set up a payment plan so at least you’re getting PART of the money you’re owed.

And if the client or editor goes MIA, I’ve found that a registered letter almost always gets their attention. If they’re dodging phone calls or emails, you should ask them to reimburse you for postage, because registered letters are not cheap. Always, always get the person’s contact details before starting a project. These days with so much business conducted over email, sometimes a physical address can be hard to track down.

Thank you so much for writing this post. There are some great tips in here, and I’m taking them to heart. I got into freelance writing last February, and so far have only had one client give me the old runaround when it comes to payment. Luckily, like you, I eventually prevailed in the end. But let me tell you, before that last check finally arrived in my mail box, I was really sweating.

I just wanted to share one lesson I’ve learned in my meager eleven months of freelancing: Don’t make assumptions when it comes to getting paid on time! I had one client who started out very professional, then became cagey and uncommunicative. I was sure something was wrong and I wasn’t going to get my payment. But he paid just as soon as he received the invoice.

Conversely, the client who gave me so much grief worked in the corporate HQ of a household name company with offices all over the US. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t rely on your instincts, but in my experience, be prepared for all kinds of surprises when it comes to clients and paychecks.

I’ve only been in the game full time for a few months, but at the very least, I always send a confirmation email stating the terms, payment amount, and payment date.

I’ve already been able to use said email as ammunition to get full payment when a client tried to reduce my rate.