#lib file ID
4 messages in this thread
Apologies, Brad. Didn't _mean_ to offend.
Thanks. Hope someone will pick the thing to pieces and let me know. Maybe
it's not worth much attention. I did it from scratch, just trying to think
of everything to cover and be very businesslike; obviously neglected to
include a cutoff date!
Um…I wasn't offended. Funny thing is, I never knew how important those 50
character titles would end up being, what with the LIBSUM.CAT file and the
mentions of new files in the News Flashes.
I haven't looked through your proposal thoroughly enough to "pick it to
pieces" but what I saw of it looked very well done and professional. I've
also used a combination of job description/proposal/contract with some
customers, especially new ones and those whose willingness to pay on my
terms may be questionable. So far, I haven't had anybody get offended or
refuse to sign it.
<BW>
Problem with my proposal is that it doesn't contain a _contract_, that is a
place for _them_ to sign and commit themselves. At present all I have on
book is _my_ proposal (ancient as it is) and the edited manuscript in hand.
Publisher has been very pleasant in all phone conversations, but
considering that they didn't get manuscript marked up until after their
publication date according to contractual commitment to author was passed,
I really have grave doubts as to what I (little ole contractless, dumb me)
can expect. Not used to dealing with big city slickers I guess.
So, ALL, get a contract!
Hmm…contract or no contract I'd sure suggest deciding what the job is
worth to you and letting the cutomer know. Obviously, {f you need the work
you can meet them part way between the old agreement and the new number you
come up with; I deal with "big city slickers" every day, and not one of
them has given me more than a little grief over a rational explanation of
why I can't do a job for the originally agreed upon price. There are a
couple of things you can tell them:
1. Your prices have gone up in the last two years to reflect market
conditions and demand for your time;
2. Since the job wasn't delivered on schedule, you've taken on other work.
That work will now have to be pushed aside, or done simultaneously, thus
putting their job in a "rush" status (type shops charge _at least_ 25%
surcharge for rush!);
3. Your costs for supplies has gone up (say drastically) since the time the
original quote was made.
A good friend of mine always reminds me that I shouldn't do a job for a
price at which I'll be miserable throughout the duration of it. There will
always be more jobs: Publishing is (I believe I've read) the single largest
industry in this country!
Good luck….
<BW>