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| Image source: Canadian Magazines, cover of the 2008 Respect and Remuneration study |
At last. A draft of a Best Practices Guide (download the draft) for the Canadian magazine industry has been developed to address the various obligations writers, editors and publishers have to one another.
I'm sure every editor or
publisher can describe a misunderstanding or disagreement with a writer, and
the same goes for every writer. I've heard plenty from both sides and have had
my own share of grievances. Part of the problem is that we're not all on the
same page. This guide will help to clarify how we should treat one another and
make clear that things like contracts, copyright, timely payment and reasonable
working conditions are not afterthoughts, but should be part of every exchange
between a magazine and a contributor.
This guide aims to provide
that "same page" for everyone to work from so there are fewer
misunderstandings and disagreements, or at the very least, to provide some
basis for discussion.
Please take the time to
review the draft and give your feedback to edickson[at]magazinescanada[dot]ca
or by commenting on the Canadian
Magazines blog.
For any of you going to
MagNet, you can also participate in the session Yes, We Can
All Just Get Along (WR2, Wednesday June 6, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)
The hope is that the
guide, once finalized, will be adopted like the advertising-editorial
guidelines were, and act as a set of agreed professional standards. Of course,
there will always be exceptions, but at least we will have something to
reference, to know that we are in fact making one.
--Colleen Seto
