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Blessed
09-18-2008, 08:52 AM
I started blogging earlier this year and that got the writer in me revitalized and I've started looking for a couple of low-demand (one article a month type things...) writing gigs to diversify my income streams a bit.

My first newspaper article is over on my blog - there are a few more minor revisions to the final draft that will be printed - basically grammer corrections, one of them one of my commenter's caught and the rest I noticed on the re-read. It has received good reviews from the editor and her husband it will come out later this month and we'll see what everyone else has to say about it :p My compensation for that is an ad in the paper for my graphic design business and it is one article a month - I can handle that arrangement.

A local magazine also posted an ad looking for writers that I responded to and they responded back that they are considering me for the position. It will also be one or two articles a month and will actually pay about $80 an article. I hope it comes through, it's a women's magazine and I think I'd enjoy writing for that audience. My dilemma is that as I was reading an article in the current issue of the magazine about Food Blogs I found a couple of glaring mistakes - the writer gave a blog author's name and location incorrectly. It was about the blog The Pioneer Woman Cooks (http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/) whose author is Ree and who lives in Oklahoma. The writer of the article said that her name was Bri and she lived in Texas. Also the writer used an old URL for the website, I believe it still works, but Ree recently updated her blogs (within the past 6 months) and the URL's have changed.

My initial reaction is to contact the writer and the editor and point out the mistake (kindly of course) however... I don't want to be seen as a nitpicking troublemaker - so... what should I do? :confused:

KristineS
09-18-2008, 10:43 AM
I would definitely call and point out the mistake. Number one, the information should be correct. Number two, if you're going to write for this publication you want to be sure what you write is published with the correct information. It could just be they don't understand blogs or the Internet very well and made an uninformed mistake.

I'd definitely let them know. If they choose not to have you write for them because you corrected a mistake, you probably wouldn't want to write for them anyway.

Blessed
09-18-2008, 11:38 AM
Kristine, I knew I could count on you -

That's what I finally decided and I emailed the lady I've been corresponding with and let them know. I haven't heard a response to that email - we'll see what happens.

The bad thing is the writer of the article also blogs, I haven't contacted her directly, but I've thought about it.

KristineS
09-18-2008, 03:39 PM
You'd be surprised about how many people have blogs or run web sites and don't understand how links and such things work. You might give the writer a heads up. It could be that she just wasn't aware, or it might not be her mistake. Plus she could be a good source of information about how it is to write for this magazine. Can't hurt to ask.

KarenB
09-19-2008, 03:55 PM
My initial reaction is to contact the writer and the editor and point out the mistake (kindly of course) however... I don't want to be seen as a nitpicking troublemaker - so... what should I do? :confused:

I agree with Kristine. My gut instinct would be to do the same. Perhaps they can post a correction in their next publication.

My situation is different from yours in that I am a virtual assistant and not a writer. But whenever I have been totally honest with my observations up front (in a kind and polite way of course) I have usually landed the job, simply because I was the only one who dared to do so. That showed my potential client that I sincerely cared about their business and would pay the same attention to detail going forward.

Karen

Blessed
09-19-2008, 04:51 PM
Well I contacted the person I've been dealing with on the possible employment (not the editor) and have had no response.

After 24 hours of that I contacted the writer of the piece and she responded quickly and thanked me for pointing out the mistake.

We'll see what happens from here....

Paul Elliott
09-19-2008, 08:27 PM
Well I contacted the person I've been dealing with on the possible employment (not the editor) and have had no response.

After 24 hours of that I contacted the writer of the piece and she responded quickly and thanked me for pointing out the mistake.

We'll see what happens from here....

Be careful how you run your campaign, Jenn, you may get elected editor! :D

Blessed
09-19-2008, 08:35 PM
Be careful how you run your campaign, Jenn, you may get elected editor! :D

hmmm - I wonder if the pay is any good? I enjoyed my editor position!

Paul Elliott
09-19-2008, 09:42 PM
hmmm - I wonder if the pay is any good? I enjoyed my editor position!

Salary and benefits negotiable. :D