Re: RC: Re: Re: Donna Snyder-Smith's columns

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

I could not help but chuckle at Susan's comment about Trailblazer
subscriptions.  I don't subscribe to Trailblazer because...some years
(way back) ago, I sent in my form with a check...nothing
happened...called then and "they never got it".  Sent them another
subscription form and another check...never got an issue. Finanally,
just gave up.  However, couple of months later they cashed both
checks...have never yet got an issue! THAT'S OK...maybe they needed the
money to pay Angie for her articles. :) Never tried again.

I beg to differ with Randy on compensation for articles.  Whether it is
a "magazine" or a "trade publication", you need writers....good ones
that are knowledgeable and respected in their field.  I would be happy
to contribute for free but I don't think my stuff would be appropriate. 
My field is networking and I am VERY good at it..being doing it for over
30 years.  I get paid for what I KNOW...not what I do...in MY field. I
expect to be compensated for my time in some way...either monetarily or
otherwise in MY field.  I doubt EN would have a need for my expertise or
be willing to pay me for an article...be it Networking or Endurance. 
They don't need the networking and I certainly cannot compete with
Angie, Susan, Genie, or Donna in Endurance articles.  I would not expect
to be paid for that....I would be grateful that they published my
pitiful attempt at all. Not ALL writers need to be compensated in an
equal manner. However, THESE folks are the ones we want writing
articles, not me....and they should be compensated at least in some
small way. OK, Susan....write for free if you want to....we will still
read it! :)

The point here is if you are a "publication" you need writers.  If you
are a "network designer" you need installers.  Individuals who write as
part of their livelihood, even when they "give" their articles for free
should expect a byline.  Even the local Blue Ridge, GA redneck paper
(circulation probably 200) recognizes authors, who they are, their
expertise, and how to contact them. This is only common courtesy to all
authors and is standard throughout the business world....if a
publication won't do that....they won't get any words from me.  For
example...this is my byline...

Jim Holland is President of LANCONN, Inc.
He is a K-12 Technology Advisor for Waters
Network Systems and provides specialized
Consulting Services and LAN/WAN Design to
the K-12 industry. Jim has over 30 years 
experience in computers and networking.
He can be reached at......

I believe this is all Donna was asking for.  Randy, perhaps you can
establish a "budget" amount that you are willing to pay for articles per
year? Per month? I'll betcha John Lyons wouldn't do an article for EN
without compensation....and I would rather read one by Angie, anyway. I
already have all John's stuff...and I PAID for it.  If you are not
willing to give them at least credit at the bottom of the article and
contact information, then they should justifiably not write a line for
EN. We need an equitable and fare (pun intended) method of compensating
writers who are exceptional in their field and willing to share their
expertise at a mere pittance.  I feel strongly about this...perhaps the
membership should be polled on this issue....I, for one am not going to
let this decision stand without some kicking and screaming.  I don't
care how good EQUUS is....as they say in the South...they "don't know
nothin'" compared to people like Susan, Angie, and Donna....and many
others. I wanta read THEIR stuff! 

Hmmmm...maybe I'll try Trailblazer again....wonder if AERC would agree
to not sending me EN and deduct my subscription costs from my AERC dues?
<grin>

Naaaah...too expensive. Have a Happy Turkey Day, Y'all!

Jim Holland AERC 4074
 





Susan Garlinghouse wrote:
> 
> Thought I would add my two cents to the "paying for articles" thread, as I
> can appreciate it from both sides.  Whether or not you get actual
> compensation or ad space or whatever from it, you do get return for having
> published something.  If nothing else, some name recognition---"Oh, you're
> the one that wrote that nice article about <enter topic here>".  You get
> some personal satisfaction out of helping some riders work through problems
> you might know a little something about, and if you have a product or
> service to sell at some point, hopefully it will give you some credibility
> (or not, depending on what you had to say).  When and if I ever get a book
> finished, I'm counting that enough people will recognize my name and buy the
> book based on something else of mine they've already read and found
> worthwhile.  Writing a reasonable article does take alot of effort, it's
> definitely not something you can rip out in a half hour. At least, I sure
> can't.  Like Angie described, sometimes you have to sweat blood over them to
> make it all work.
> 
> >From AERC's point of view, I can see that you have to be careful about where
> you spend your pennies.  I don't think it's a big deal to provide some ad
> space to Donna, but OTOH, if EN does that for Donna, then every other
> contributing author has an equal right to ask for ad space as well, and they
> would have a legitimate gripe if EN said no to one author and yes to
> another.  Do I *need* ad space?  Nope, not at the moment.  Can AERC offer ad
> space to everyone that contributes an article?  No way, it can really add
> up.  When and if I ever need ad space, I'll pay for it same as Sundowner and
> Sportack do.  In the meantime, if I found out that EN was truly paying for
> articles from one author, but not offering compensation to me for an article
> of equal quality, I'd start to seriously rethink whether or not I would
> continue to write for them for free (and therefore, at all).  I don't mind
> writing for free, but I better not be the only one doing it.  If it's not a
> consistent policy, it's not fair (and that should go for the honorariums
> offered convention speakers as well).  Having said that, twenty words at the
> end of an article saying that such-and-such offers clinics and can be
> reached at this phone number or website seems equitable for everyone.
> Whether that's enough for the author is up to them.
> 
> To some extent, EN already has to make some concessions with the unpaid
> articles they get.  If I'm going to contribute something, I need it in by a
> certain date, but they wouldn't be in a position to really gripe if I said
> not to expect it until the January issue.  They don't dictate to me what I
> want to write about, and they don't have exclusive copyright to it.
> They're flexible about how much space I can have to say what I have to say.
> That's an advantage to me for a variety of reasons.  So it's definitely not
> all stacked in EN's favor.  I can appreciate Kat's opinion that EN shouldn't
> try to compete with the big magazines like Equus and should be just a
> newsletter.  But I think EN is filling a gap otherwise left unfilled by
> providing some technical endurance information that you won't get from
> Equus, or Chronicle of the Horse or wherever.  Maybe you can get it from
> TrailBlazer, but after ten years of trying to convince them to keep my
> subscription straight, I gave up even trying.
> 
> Sorry that Donna won't be continuing the regular feature, but can certainly
> understand it, it's a big commitment.  I'll be looking forward to the
> special articles she submits throughout the next year.
> 
> As usual, too much rambling.  JMO.
> 
> Susan G
> 
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-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland                 Phone:  (706) 258-2830
LANCONN, Inc.                            FAX:    (706) 632-1271
Three Creeks Farm			 INTERNET:  lanconn@tds.net
175 Hells Hollow Drive                   
Blue Ridge, GA 30513