Venting on Publishers

[ruhar]

Is anyone freelancing with a publisher or two for the Content Market who is as frustrated with grammar and layout errors as I am? Do they not know how to check grammar in Word? How about creating a macro or, even simpler, a template that they copy and paste from for the layout? It's bad enough dealing with it as a consumer but when you have to deal with it as a job and you're trying to have layout consistency you wonder if they are paying you enough money. Arruuggh!

Sorry, just needed to vent.

[daplunk]

Haha. Just create a google docs list and add to it as you go. I've done this and put in status's for tracking of completion of the fix.

[Acenoid]

When you deal with them, you should have some kind of contract that specifies these sorts of agreements and expectations of each party?
I mean that maybe you're trying to do too much for them

[ruhar]

Originally Posted by Acenoid

When you deal with them, you should have some kind of contract that specifies these sorts of agreements and expectations of each party?
I mean that maybe you're trying to do too much for them

You're right. It's my first gig so I went in a bit blind. I will be ready next time.

I got the impression the publisher didn't know how much editing was needed and I assumed (yes I know what that means) the document was finished. I started finding a few error but the errors started increasing the further I got into the document, by then I was knee deep in the project. I started muttering to myself when I reached hip deep. I finally said something when I was shoulder deep and past the deadline, it got me a little more money. Unfortunately, I'm treading water, gulping air and can see a very faint flicker of light at the end of the tunnel, but I think it's really a ship about to ram over me. LOL I keep telling myself I'm doing this for the love of RW, RPG, and experience not to make money as a career; it's just some pocket change to feed my gaming habit.

I have learned that my OCD is layout continuity so if anyone is hiring full time I'm looking.

[kbs666]

I did some RW data entry for a company a while back, I'm under NDA so I can't say much.

The owner clearly had not edited or perhaps even looked at the products he expected me to enter. Or if he had he and I have very different views of what is worth someone's cash.

But he was certainly willing to keep piling more work on me and to keep trying to change the terms of what I was doing while I was doing it, without changing what I was being paid. Checking around with friends who have freelanced in the RPG industry that apparently is par for the course.

I suggest you do just the data entry you are contracted to do. I know you want to do a good job and want RW to look good but you'll drive your self nuts trying to polish someone else's mess.

[ruhar]

Good advise. Unfortunately about half of it I can't ignore because it affects what I'm putting into RW and where I place things. But I will try your advise for future projects. Thank you.

[ErinRigh]

Originally Posted by kbs666

... you'll drive your self nuts trying to polish someone else's mess.

just remember, no matter how much you polish a turd it is STILL a turd!