Shakespeare has a message for editors
COMMISSIONING EDITORS at UK national papers received a birthday card from the NUJ on April 23 — not for their own anniversaries but for the 444th of William Shakespeare.
The card had a graphic of the playwright weighing up whether or not to sign an all-rights contract. Inside was a laminated card with guidelines outlining key points of good commissioning practice when dealing with freelance contributors.
April 23 is also World Copyright Day, and the NUJ freelance office reckoned the birthday card, signed by freelance organiser John Toner, was a neat way to mark the occasion. Extracts from the guidelines are below.
A commissioning editor is entitled to expect
A concise pitch that is suited to the publication.
Copy delivered by deadline.
Copy that meets the brief.
A willingness to make any necessary changes promptly.
In return for this professionalism, the freelance is entitled to expect professionalism on the part of the client. With that in mind, good practice requires the following:
Respond promptly to a pitch whether you are accepting or rejecting. If you don’t want it, perhaps someone else will.
A brief explanation of why a pitch is unsuitable would be helpful. Next time, it might be just what you need.
Don’t reject the idea and then get a staffer (or another freelance) to do it. You know this is wrong!
Traditional business payment terms are 30 days. Remember — a freelance has bills to pay, just like you. Please don’t keep them waiting.
Please offer to cover reasonable expenses or at least, when a freelance raises the subject, agree a list of items or a figure to be covered.
Work should be by-lined or credited. A freelance relies on previous by-lines to obtain work.
Be clear about which rights you are buying. Be prepared to negotiate extra payments for extra rights, beyond basic first use of the material.
Wherever possible, put the terms you have agreed in writing so as to minimise confusion and avoid disputes.
Finally, if you decide not to use a commissioned piece, do not try to fob the freelance off with a ‘kill fee’. The same amount of work goes into a piece whether it is published or not.