Yep, but we had a new "editor" who had no experience and did not realize that she was signing off on a final proof. She also had no idea that some shops retype the submitted material rather than using the actual text submitted.
We sat down with the bozos who screwed up our job and explained how unprofessional we thought their participation in the entire project was and how disappointed we were not only in the type setting (retyping of our seriously edited, edited, and reedited material) without telling us they were doing so, but also in their layout (large blank spaces on every page no text or ads). It was the magazine from hell. We did not request either a reprint or a discount, just that the next job be done right and better -- that they not retype anything we sent them or if they did that they be responsible for any typos and that they give us a proof with a professional layout.
The beginning of the next job began just as the last one had left off. The typesetting contained many errors and the layout had the same gaps. These folks obviously had little to no clue what they were doing and it really ticked me off at myself for having been a nice guy ($$ wise -- I was far from nice about how poorly they had done) about the first order. We immediately terminated the arrangement and have refused to pay the initial $3000+ bill they have submitted. We have been fighting about how much, if any, of that bill we will pay. Because we chose to begin the second project, we will have to eat some of the bill and there will come a point where it is no longer worth fighting about. My initial offer to pay them $250 (with a go-to-hell take-it-or-leave-it letter included) pissed them off, which actually felt pretty good.
Our new "editor" has also been told that she can longer sign off on the final proof until several other folks have approved it. We also found a new publisher who has produced the next issue in less time, for less money, with lots of professional graphic and layout, and without any mistakes. They are also helping to teach the new "editor" how to be a good editor (i.e., delegate to those who have some strengths in editing).
I am glad Bob and Matt are dealing with much better and more professional folks.
Troy
Those who shoot from the hip usually end up just shooting themselves.
Plan the grub and grub the plan.
Where is the party tonight? Who is bringng the drinks?
AI
