Hard Line.

[ellenmillion]

I've put my foot down.

Stomp.

When I tell you about deadlines, I don't mean - tell me a week later that you're working on something. Or mention unofficially that you'd like to do something and then send it to the wrong email a few days late. I don't mean ask that you should ask for submission information, then not READ the submission information, and send me an email the day after the deadline asking where to send stuff.

Look, I understand crisis and hassles and woopses, and that's FINE. Just ask for an extension BEFORE the deadline. Hours before - I don't care, just BEFORE.

I'm not accepting any of the above work, or the half dozen other similar cases. They're friends, they're compatriots in crime. They're people I adore and I know their work would be an asset to the 'zine. But dammit, I'm done frittering around and wasting my time and acting like this is all Pretend Work.

It is not pretend work. It is not oh, Ellen will make exceptions. It is not la la la skipping through the forest don't need to commit crap.

I am not running a charity network or a home hobby. I am not doing this for fun and light exercise. I am running a business, and a serious publication. I have a commitment to my audience, to my business, to the contributors who make their deadlines and are a pleasure to work with - and a commitment to MYSELF. I will not let you run me into the ground following after you, cleaning up your messes and making allowances that are unfair to the people who actually DO put in the effort to meet me halfway. I'm through with that. I am starting EMG-Zine on that strict, hard-ass line, and I'm continuing with it for as long as the 'zine is in publication. That I give extensions at all is a remarkable concession in the professional world - that I demand the request for extension before the deadline is so minor in the scope of things that I don't feel the slightest bit bad about enforcing it.

Okay, so I do feel bad. REALLY bad. I feel guilty and cruel and unfeeling and bitchy. I feel like I've probably hurt feelings and fear I've ruined friendships and all kinds of insecure stupidity.

But I'm still not budging.

Please be keenly aware that the deadline for the February issue of EMG-Zine is Jan 1. Not Jan 2 or Jan 23. The theme is romance. If you need submission information, you go the webpage - http://www.emg-zine.com - and you fill out the form. I will send you submission information.

If you feel I'm being unreasonable, you are more than welcome to file a complaint with the management.

Comments

[hippiechic567.livejournal.com]

Ellen, doing your job and being professional about it should not lose you any friends. If it does, they weren't your friends to begin with.You shouldn't feel bad about trying to run things the way they should be run.
Now....I'd like to file a complaint with management....! ;)
I am going to read your submission guidelines and I will probably submit when time allows. I promise to make the deadline or I won't bother you with my procrastinating. :)

[ciri.livejournal.com]

Yay for hard-assed-ness! Seriously. People do not take deadlines seriously when it comes to online stuff, especially when friends are involved. It was hard enough with WW and I wasn't even being as hard-assed as I would have liked.

I'm going to post my own bit of proofing hard-assness on the forum, if that is OK. (I can send it to you first if you'd like.)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

That would be fine! Go for it!

[dewgeist.livejournal.com]

The only complaint I have is: You are just too damn hard on yourself!
Your compassion, effort and dedication is abundantly clear in your endeavors- and I hope to reflect that in my dealings with you.
Should I eff-up...that's on me.
Try not to stress over-much about doing what needs doing.

[elfies.livejournal.com]

(((((((HUG)))))) Ellen!!!!
I hope I was in time! Please dont feel bad - it is completely understandable. I will be working on submission for the next one already......

[flasher.livejournal.com]

Do what you need to, Ellen. One of the drawbacks of being so friendly and approachable is that people tend to think of you more as a friend than as a business partner. You have to be thinking of your business cause the rest of us probably won't.

[ex-ladyninia764.livejournal.com]

I wish someone like you was in charge of my newspaper's sales staff. We did a gift guide recently and sales turned in 30 extra ads a week after they were due, and nobody chastized them for it. Well, except for us in the design and print department, but they don't listen to our "whining". :P

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

You aren't being mean or unreasonable; you're being professional! I didn't have my stuff done on time, and I accept that. I'll try again next time and do better. :)

[frigg.livejournal.com]

Don't feel bad! You're running a business and you're more than fair. :)

[renatus.livejournal.com]

You're being dead reasonable. I know you're taking this quite seriously, and I'm very glad you are, as it will keep the 'zine to a certain level of professionalism that will be very good for all of us. That's why I was worried I was being too slow and late! *L* The 'zine will take work to be good, and keeping things to a deadline ensures that the work will get done.

[waltzingdog.livejournal.com]

I would like to offer my kudos and support to the management...

[jenelycam.livejournal.com]

*applauds Ellen*

It's your zine!!! You do what you want HOW you want!! And for professionalism's sake, deadlines are deadlines!!

[mersades.livejournal.com]

Good for you. You work your butt off as it is!

[redrevvy.livejournal.com]

Don't be too hard on yourself! If people want to be part of a professional publication, then they themselves need to be professional as well.


And with this post I have discovered EMG-zine (where I have I been huh?)

I'm also curious about the Celtic Fae theme... any way I can get specifics or are you accepting most work to review that is Fae and Celtic in nature?

[jewelz-star.livejournal.com]

Well said Ellen!!! *cheers* I'm sure noone would hold anything against you for taking control. The world needs more Ellen Millions!

[dormantdrake.livejournal.com]

good for you!

[klawzie.livejournal.com]

Absolutely reasonable! The only reason I didn't submit to Phoenix-January was because I wasn't feeling well and I knew I couldn't make the deadline - and with writer's block, I wasn't sure if I could even really make an extension.

Deadlines is deadlines is deadlines. If a grace period is there, I'll use it if I have to, but it's only professional to let someone know before the deadline.

Creative types are often fluffy-wishy-washy types - I'm one of them! - which is why enforcing deadlines is the only way you'll keep this thing on a schedule at all.

[amchristian.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* I'm so proud of you! It might have been hard (kind of like getting a tooth pulled) but it must feel so much better now. :) You *are* running a business and anyone working with you should be cognizant of that and respectful of that. Bravo!