Just FYI about the industry -
Here's some negotiating I've been doing with Mario Medina, who's the head/managing editor at Prism. He is really a great guy, but they are just not paying enough for the time that the projects sometimes require. The one magazine, Southeast Marketing, that we're referencing was an absolute clusterf--k when I worked on it last time. I felt so sorry for Haley, the cute young new editor -- It was her first project to manage and I wrote a couple of pieces for it. The client company's owner, Robin, even complained about me -- among other things. (The first time that's happened that I know of in my years doing stuff for Prism.) She is a certifiably crazy person and I frankly can afford not to have to take on work right now that is insulting.
So, we'll see if he lets me do this without that one project.
Will keep you posted!
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
Karen Lancaster <lancaster.karen@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: Availability for rep books
To: Mario Medina <
mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com>
OK, flattery gets you everywhere -- I'll do it for $55/ hr.
And I'd prefer to do just the Darrah & Co., Cliff Price and/or Southern Link projects -- not Southeast Marketing.
I don't think I could handle Robin at that price -- my liquor bills/therapist fees would be WAY more than that.
Do I sound unappreciative? I really DO appreciate the work, Mario. Thanks!
On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 9:42 AM, Mario Medina
<mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com> wrote:
If you go over, you'll get paid for it, but you'll ruin my life. These rep books are slim margin, so it's very important to keep time low. That's why I'm looking for someone with your project management/people skills....so you can keep the client under control.
Yes, but the $100/ hour is not 40 hours a week :)
Back to Prism - what I'm concerned about is keeping each project at 25 hours. What if I go over?
(I saw some of the activity with that last Southeast Marketing deal. Looked like a gajillion hours to me.)
On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 9:30 AM, Mario Medina <mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com> wrote:
Holy cow, I want your job. When the Second Great Depression comes and I'm out work, I'm going to beg you for help finding freelance work.
OK, back to the subject. Unfortunately, I can't even get close to $75. The best I could do and even this is busting the budget is $55/hr.
On 8/6/08 9:26 AM, "Karen Lancaster" <lancaster.karen@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm frankly getting $100 an hour from another client.
So I could propose $75? Is that anywhere close to something that works?
On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 9:18 AM, Mario Medina <mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com> wrote:
What rate would work for you?
Southeast Marketing isn't a good fit for any sane person.
On 8/6/08 9:12 AM, "Karen Lancaster" <lancaster.karen@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi, Mario -
Would LOVE to handle three of the four projects for you (not Southeast Marketing, though -- that was not a good fit for me).
But I frankly don't think I can afford to take them at that fee scale.
Is there any wiggle room in your budget?
Boy, do I sound like a prima donna today, or what? Sorry if I'm coming off that way, Mario -- because I really do love to work with you guys!
Best, K.
On Wed, Aug 6, 2008 at 8:43 AM, Mario Medina <mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com> wrote:
We do four small publications twice a year for manufacturers rep companies (Darrah & Co., Cliff Price, Southern Link, Southeast Marketing). These are companies that exhibit in markets, like DMC, and have multiple lines of products from a variety of manufacturers. These companies have sales reps, who sell the manufacturers lines to retailers. The publications we do are generally about hot products and selling tips, and they usually have around 10 pages of editorial each.
Would you be interested in doing the editing on one or more of these projects, with pay at an hourly rate? The project would involve working with the company to brainstorm story ideas, assigning the stories, editing them, sending them to the company for approval, arranging a cover photo shoot, retrieving artwork from article subjects, and working with the artist to get the books designed.
We generally spend about 25 hours per project to get this done, and we would pay $45 per hour. It's a relatively straightforward project. The most challenging part will be keeping this moving along on schedule, as the company contacts (the owners) are busy and, sometimes, flaky. They'll suck up way too much time if you don't keep them reined in (as you know from working with Robin).
Please let me know if you're interested in one or more of these four projects. You'd start working on them roughly in mid-September and finish sometime in November.
Mario Medina
Editorial Director
PRISM Media Group
1321 Valwood Pkwy, Ste 600
Carrollton, TX 75006
mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com
Phone: (972) 488-4435
Fax: (972) 488-4486
Mario Medina
Editorial Director
PRISM Media Group
1321 Valwood Pkwy, Ste 600
Carrollton, TX 75006
mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com
Phone: (972) 488-4435
Fax: (972) 488-4486
Mario Medina
Editorial Director
PRISM Media Group
1321 Valwood Pkwy, Ste 600
Carrollton, TX 75006
mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com
Phone: (972) 488-4435
Fax: (972) 488-4486
Mario Medina
Editorial Director
PRISM Media Group
1321 Valwood Pkwy, Ste 600
Carrollton, TX 75006
mmedina@prismb2bmedia.com
Phone: (972) 488-4435
Fax: (972) 488-4486
--
KAREN LANCASTER, WRITER/EDITOR
3419 Westminster Ave., Box 25
Dallas, TX 75205
(214) 914-0455
lancaster.karen@gmail.com