The honest freelancer
Recently one of my editors assigned me two features based on pitches I’d sent to her over the last year. She asked me to get back to her with some recipe ideas to go along with them by the end of the week. I looked the pitches over; one of them was very familiar to me, the other not at all. The unfamiliar feature used a cooking technique I don’t care for, and the recipe suggestions didn’t fit my style of cooking. However, my editor often gives me her own ideas to work with, so I shrugged and assumed this was the case here. I came up with several ideas for both features and sent them off. However, I did write in my e-mail to her, “Just so we’re on the up-and-up, this X idea doesn’t look familiar to me at all — I hope it’s not from another writer?”
My editor looked into it, and yes, the idea had come from another writer. Whew! My editor thanked me for being honest and speaking up. I was a little bummed I’d “lost” an assignment; on the other hand, I would have felt horrible taking another writer’s idea, even if I had done so in error. (I pitch so much that half-the-time I don’t remember my own ideas when an editor calls with an assignment.) I consoled myself that at least I wouldn’t have to have to use the cooking technique the feature called for — another whew!
I believe when writers start cutting corners with honesty, they might gain in the short-term (a $1K assignment), but lose long-term (editors who no longer trust the writer, ergo no work). My word as a professional is worth something. Plus, I feel better when I’m honest and I don’t ever have to think about what to do — the path of honesty is always right there. What about you? Would you have spoken up or not and why? Has being honest with an editor ever hurt you? How has it helped your career? Add your comments below. [dianaburrell]
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Apr 28, 2008 Editors, Ethics, Observations, Personal yammerings
Diana, I think there are a few things at work here — one, of course, is how comfortable you are with yourself and your own conscience — I too wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I didn’t own up! The other, of course, is that you absolutely saved the editor from complete embarassment, or worse, some kind of legal action on the part of the pitcher. My assumption? She’s forever in your debt!