Kicking Butt and Naming Names—Outing a Non-Paying Freelance Client

I admit it; I’m a bi*ch. When it comes to not being paid for the services I’ve performed, you’re darned right I’m a bi*ch. Case in point, I just engaged in a war of words with a client who is 90 days past due in paying me. The company: Pre-Press Company, Inc. That’s right, I’m still following through with my naming names promise but this one I’m particularly anxious to reveal before my sparring partner tries to make me sign a gag order. So, if you perform educational writing of any sort I strongly caution you to avoid PRE-PRESS COMPANY, INC. like the plague.

Now, let’s go back to the beginning. Early June of this year, I contracted with Pre-Press Company to write math worksheets for a major educational publisher (which I am not at liberty to name). The project was a nightmare from the beginning. After round after round after round of revisions, I wrapped up the first two chapters I was assigned then told my contact at Pre-Press Company that it was time for me to walk away from the project. By that point, I already felt I was being way under-compensated for my time and it was fully within the terms of my contract to terminate at any time.

My contact told me she needed one LAST revision before she could give me the go-ahead to invoice Pre-Press Company for work completed. I begrudgingly performed those revisions then invoiced as instructed. I thought that would be the end of my dealings with Pre-Press Company, but I thought wrong.

Fast-forward to last week, when, after my summer from hell, I reviewed my records and discovered that to date I had received absolutely no compensation from Pre-Press Company. I fired off an email to my contact person asking for a FIRM date on when I could expect payment. I’m given the vague “We’re checking into your invoices” in response.

From there it becomes a big song and dance. “The client has requested a rewrite of 50% of the content, blah, blah, blah, so we’re willing to pay you 50% of what you invoiced as a kill fee.” Come again? I DON’T think so, and this is precisely what I tell Pre-Press Company. I immediately whip out the contract and discover several breaches on the part of Pre-Press Company:

1. “Should termination occur, Pre-Press Company, Inc. will pay you for your work performed up to the point of termination, provided that such work does not contain costly or pervasive MISTAKES (emphasis mine) for which Pre-Press Company, Inc. would reserve a portion of payment to remedy.”

Okay, first of all I don’t make mistakes, especially when it comes to math writing, which is what this project entailed. Let’s just assume for amusement’s sake, however, that I did. Well then, hello? Shouldn’t Pre-Press Company have alerted me to this fact before giving me the go-ahead to invoice. Any reasonable person would assume so.

2. “…payment could take up to six weeks.”

When I point out to Pre-Press Company last week that it’s now 81 days and counting I’m met with no response. I suppose breaking the terms of your own contract is cause for the silent treatment.

3. “Should the Publisher express concern about your work, Pre-Press Company, Inc. reserves the right to hold your invoice until concerns with the customer have been resolved. Accordingly, Pre-Press Company, Inc. will contact you to let you know an invoice has been held and will provide an explanation of the problem.”

It’s this clause my phone opponent is clinging to as he tells me he’s not just going to "lie down and slink away from my threats.” The only problem is, Pre-Press Company never contacted me to let me know that my invoice was being held. It was only when I contacted them and asked them where the hell my money was that it was explained to me there was a (manufactured) problem. I add “manufactured” because in the interim I’ve been in contact with another person who worked on this project and I’ve discovered s/he has also received nary a dime in payment. That bit of information was the final straw for me, and I drew my weapons of mass destruction.

Details of what prompted today’s war of words and more details about what was said will have to wait until tomorrow, as this post is already running far too long. Until then, Screw you!, Pre-Press Company.