I debated on whether to name this piece “Not Getting Paid, Part XIVXXIV”, or “Clown Company Part Deux” or some other clever, pithy title. In the end it boils down to the same thing; writer beware. Some regular readers of this blog have already noticed that of the two contributors here (Catherine L. Tully and yours truly,) I am the one who tends to post in a more reactionary style. Which is to say that when I am going through something particularly vexing as a writer, I tend to rant about it here. I try to stay professional about it, not naming names or giving traceable details.

Some might criticize me for doing this, saying that by not naming names I leave the door open for other writers to find the people I grouse about and become entangled in their shoddy business practices. To these readers I simply offer this; I haven’t got the money for a legal team.

That’s why I write about my experiences in the way I do–if you can spot the telltale signs of a clown company, a bad editor, a shoddy publishing house, you don’t NEED me to name names. You’ll be onto the game quickly enough and can steer clear of these buffoons for future reference. And warn all your friends.

And with that over-long intro, let’s get to my current gripes–er, advice.

Beware a noticeable lack of details in an arrangement. This can mean a lot of things, but let me give you a specific example from my experience. If you have to meet with a client, editor or the “author” of a book you are ghost writing, who pays for your travel expenses? Does the company agree to fly you out and put you up in a hotel? Here’s the trick—you need to get some kind of commitment in an e-mail for reimbursement. As in, details.

It’s not enough for them to IMPLY they will pay you by asking to see the potential cost of your airfare and hotel room. “Let me see the amounts before you book” seems to indicate you will be reimbursed, right? But read that sentence again and note the utter lack of promise. Write back and ask directly. “Here are the costs for the flight and hotel. Will Company X reimburse me for these expenses?” Or some other polite but direct question.

If you can’t get a firm commitment on this in an e-mail, you risk taking the loss. It’s as simple as that. Sure, you can write it off on your taxes. But can you afford the burn at this moment? I couldn’t. Yet I am still waiting 45 days later to be paid back for business travel, a gig that looked legit and quite promising. I may yet still be paid, but I’ve gotten a silver platter full of excuses and hot air. What happens when you are 45 days late paying your credit card bill? Or your electricity bill? Yet there is little recourse for those of us in this position. As Miles Jaffe says in his utterly hilarious Hamptons Dictionary , If you need a lawyer, it’s already too late. How true that is for a freelance writer!

Beware the company that won’t give you specific details in writing about your duties, your expected output or your schedule for compensation. Sometimes this lack of direction can work to your advantage, but it’s a double-edged sword that you’ll get sliced to ribbons on sooner or later. A lack of a job description means any misstep or lack or satisfaction on the client’s part gives them the excuse to dock you, fire you or treat you like dirt. Yes, writers are work-for-hire creatures in many instances, and we can easily lose a gig without warning. But your client cannot legally withhold payment for lack of performance if you have a list of deliverables and you can prove you met those expectations.

Beware the company that forces you to chase them down for details on a project or your work. This doesn’t mean they are shady, but it does indicate low manning, overburdened staff or people in critical positions that are planning to quit and don’t care about much in their old job. Could you be the victim of a sudden departure in the editorial department? Yes, you can. Do you LIKE this editor or client who seems so distracted that you suspect they are close to quitting? Get in touch with them BY PHONE (never by their company e-mail addy which is subject to forwarding, monitoring or other no-privacy terms) and let them know you value working with them personally and no matter where they might end up, you’d love to stay in touch.

This list could go on and on. Freelancers have so many different types of writing environments available to them that much of this might not even apply to your situation–TODAY. Give it a couple of months and you could change your tune if you start looking around for a different kind of writing work.