Freelance writers should be wary of BAI Banking Strategies magazine. The magazine’s ad at WritersWeekly.com, which asks for freelance submissions, states “This is a rather esoteric field, so you have to have a certain amount of expertise to give our stories the sophisticated polish we require.”
Editor Kenneth Cline asks contributors to provide a bio and clips, which is what I did — a bio that regular readers includes substantial expertise in the payday loan industry. Indeed, my bio states quite clearly that I invest in the sector. My pitch for a story was therefore not surprisingly about the industry. After pitching the idea, Mr. Cline wrote that he couldn’t promise publication but would be glad to read the article. Normally, I wouldn’t write on spec, but at a very generous $1.20/word, I felt confident the article would be published and worth my time.
Upon receiving the article, Mr. Cline said he might be able to use it, but would not compensate me for its use because magazine policy allegedly doesn’t permit payment for articles written by someone with investments in the sector.
HUH?
Just so we’re clear, Mr. Cline mentions in the original ad that one better be an expert if they want to be published — which I am. However, he suspiciously failed to mention that if your expertise should actually extend to having investments in the sector that this would disqualify you from writing compensation.
Never mind that this suggests that a regular reporter — who would actually lack the expertise I have — would get paid for his work.
What I found most interesting was that my bio clearly stated I was an investor in the sector.
Which means Mr. Cline is, at the very least, a lazy and inconsiderate schmuck for not actually looking at the bio that was attached in the original pitch –
Or, at worst, he is yet another fraudster masquerading as a legitimate editor, attempting to screw writers. After all, who wants to go through all the trouble to write an article, and not have it published? “Gee, you went through all that work, why not let us publish it….for free?”
Mr. Cline, some writers have enough self-respect not to fall for your questionable tactics.
All that remains is for Mr. Cline to come clean.
Which are you, Mr. Cline: lazy, inconsiderate schmuck…..or clumsy fraudster?
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2 users commented in " Is BAI Banking Strategies Magazine Running a Scam? "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackHmm, I’m not so sure this is a freelance writng scam. I think that perhaps the editor did indeed not read your bio.
“Which means Mr. Cline is, at the very least, a lazy and inconsiderate schmuck for not actually looking at the bio that was attached in the original pitch .”
Editors are quite busy people, and if your pitch was very interesting, it’s quite possible that he didn’t go past that.
Did you ask him directly? You should also write him back and turn down his “offer”– tell him you are keeping the copyrights to the piece and looking to sell it elsewhere. Just so everyone is clear and you have proof if the article does show up in print.
Fine, then he’s lazy. Which he should admit. However, after repeatedly attempting to get a clear answer as to what exactly transpired, he has decided not to respond.
Therefore, I felt it was imperative to alert other writers about this issue. Until Mr. Cline chooses to make it clear exactly what transpired, however, he is rightfully deserving of suspicion.
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