Comments

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  Jeannine Crooks October 10, 2011 at 12:54am

  Nancy, I had to deal with a murder in my family five years ago.  In our society, we always automatically ask "why" so we can understand and try to fix something, but in this case there is no why and no way we can change anything.  Time provides distance, so one day you can breathe again, and even though it never goes away, ultimately you'll reach a point when the "why" doesn't haunt you as much.  It won't ever make sense, but the understanding that some questions don't have answers does bring a little peace.  God Bless.
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  Nancy M. Dickinson October 9, 2011 at 6:42pm

  It's a small, family oriented upscale magazine out of Tampa.  She and I cover the travel section but she's always looking for family type articles of various nature.
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  Stacey Wittig October 9, 2011 at 6:08am

  Nancy, I would be interested in knowing more about your friend's publication. If her mag fits my interests, I would consider doing an article for no fee. BTW, I was in Hereford, AZ on assignment last spring. The hummingbirds!
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  Susan Frost October 9, 2011 at 4:20am

  Dear Nancy, just returned from a beautiful fall day here in Oregon after photographing a college football game. I am so very sorry to learn about the senseless and tragic murder of your grandson. My heart goes out to you and your family. I have experienced the loss of all of my immediate family members, except for my remaining brother. In my experience, the time to die is not under our control and most of the time it doesn't make any sense. But in the whatever it's worth department, I believe our loved ones are in a better place now and I'm thankful for the time they shared with us in this world. I am fortunate that I do have a son and two grandchildren, even if they live far away. Take care of yourself. Just do what feels the best during this time period and I know you will feel better in time. Cheers!
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  Nancy M. Dickinson October 9, 2011 at 3:08am

  And I wish this site had a "like" button on each post so I could let others here know while I might disagree in some form with what they're saying (via the written word as a post) I still give them a +1 for what they are saying.
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  Nancy M. Dickinson October 9, 2011 at 3:06am

  I can agree, Allan, et al, that there are too many magazines out there wanting something for nothing.  While I don't believe I'm the end all, be all for freelancers, I do feel my resume demands more than $15 an article, which seems to be he going rate as we move more towards digital media.

  My biggest gripe is exactly that - the online media crowd.  Um, correct me if I'm wrong but, just because your overhead is lower (meaning it's being done from your basement, you don't pay for printing or distribution) doesn't mean MY work is worth less.

  In the writing biz, and I wish the online media crowd would figure this out as well, you get what you pay for.  $15 for an article?  You'll get a $15 article from someone who doesn't value their own work and probably for a good reason.

  Pay me $500 plus buy the photos from me and I'll give you the best article you've ever seen.  There's a reason I work for magazines like AAA.  Because they value what I give them because I appreciate the standards they have.

  I really love helping out new magazines in their quest for more ad dollars but my benevolence does only go so far.
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  Paul Berardino October 9, 2011 at 3:02am

  Nancy, my condolences on you grandson's death.  I will pray for your family.

   

  Paul
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  Julie McElroy October 9, 2011 at 2:01am

  Wow, these are the same discussions going on in LInked in - about pay, etc..  It seems to be the topic of conversation.  :) 
  
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  Candice Sabatini October 9, 2011 at 2:00am

  Nancy,

  I'm horrified and saddened to hear about your grandson. It's beyond my comprenhension and I'm so very, very sorry for your family.

  (no obligation to reply. i know you'll see this)
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  Hal Peat October 9, 2011 at 12:25am

  @Edie Jarolim - "I figure if someone is setting up a business, which a magazine is, they need backers, not writers to subsidize them unless those writers are getting shares in the business."

  I so agree.  Who told anyone that writers are the Patron Saints of Startups, pray to us and we'll miraculously give you a handout?  If you want to start a relationship, if you want to start a business, if you want to start a magazine, then don't shortchange the lifeblood of the enterprise which is the words that give that magazine the substance.  It's really as simple as that. Personally I don't pay attention to these people when they stonewall about their rates.  If they have the capital to go to the printer - and how much is that for a run of around 50,000, say about $15,000 they did manage to come up with already? - then they should have figured out where they can get another lousy $1,000 - $2,000 to pay a very low but at least token amount to contributors.  Otherwise, go and panhandle outside a community college English class - but psst... even Gen Y will ask for the....$$$.