tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post4277353648935418603..comments2024-01-28T21:33:18.654-08:00Comments on VANESSA GEBBIE'S BLOG: Writers, beware bureaucracy...The Story of not getting £150Vanessa Gebbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09088301040602803489noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-89317336910104706572011-12-17T12:03:11.174-08:002011-12-17T12:03:11.174-08:00The form, with it's (refrain?) "to be&quo...The form, with it's (refrain?) "to be"s read like a comedy script.<br /><br />To be continued...get your money back - good luck!Rachel Fentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10046917627054462214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-82283699848650463242011-12-17T06:05:14.357-08:002011-12-17T06:05:14.357-08:00Thank you for your support here, all. I have heard...Thank you for your support here, all. I have heard from the university, who tell me it was a case of the invoice taking a long time to get from a to b to c to d--- and not the fault of the finance directorate who just sent the form when they are aware a payment was due - the day I got it, this week. <br /><br />But the point is surely this - these people are teaching something called writing, at various levels. Part of that, surely, is to deliver a realistic sense of where writing will fit in to the world of earning a living - that every penny will count, if you can earn pennies at all. One would have thought, anyway. And part of being a writer is either fitting it in round the edges of a 'day job', or taking the plunge and trying to make it work as a main career, or as in my case, being supported by an 'earning other half', at least while learning. Who then retires, loses half a pension to the recession... blah blah.<br /><br />So, logically - they would treat an invoice from a freelance they have invited to work with them, as a matter of priority,. Not push it to the ' I'll deal with this when I can be arsed - next week, or maybe the week after - or how about month after next....' pile. Meanwhile, happy and secure themselves, with a monthly injection of salary...<br /><br />whichever way you look at it - it doesnt add up, and smells strong.Vanessa Gebbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09088301040602803489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-51819077064226127382011-12-15T06:47:50.813-08:002011-12-15T06:47:50.813-08:00I think my comment must have been swallowed - but ...I think my comment must have been swallowed - but I echo everyone else saying, Don't give up! Don't give the uni your money. I've a lot of experience dealing with ridiculous university payment systems, but this one is ludicrous and if it's designed to bedfuddle then show them you won't be befuddled. Makes me despair about the education of our young people in these places.Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-13049954394137222722011-12-15T06:11:06.032-08:002011-12-15T06:11:06.032-08:00That form is so classic. Gave me a good laugh. Yes...That form is so classic. Gave me a good laugh. Yes, payment...hmmm... headache. You want to be supportive but it's not nice to feel used. Sorry you had to go through it. Good warning for others though.Laurihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11112458658109887868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-13550827141062836742011-12-15T03:59:54.423-08:002011-12-15T03:59:54.423-08:00How can they not be ashamed of this?How can they not be ashamed of this?The Divorced Lady's Companion to Living in Italyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15202093107784073194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-35358665597036332142011-12-14T09:47:48.155-08:002011-12-14T09:47:48.155-08:00I have had similar problems with Manchester Univer...I have had similar problems with Manchester University in the past. Very similar. We should charge them for the time. <br /><br />As one who has been the recipient of your generosity and trusting nature in the past I am sorry that you've had to go through this. Lemnlemnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08700988500718442719noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-11462121657220760662011-12-14T07:07:52.706-08:002011-12-14T07:07:52.706-08:00Oh. My. God.
Sadly, I too am chasing a uni for pay...Oh. My. God.<br />Sadly, I too am chasing a uni for pay. Unanswered emails so far...Group 8https://www.blogger.com/profile/07924947352624027079noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-14537789398582249402011-12-14T01:59:16.218-08:002011-12-14T01:59:16.218-08:00Sadly, since I'm often dealing with the univer...Sadly, since I'm often dealing with the university finance office, this is fairly common in academia - though your form seems much worse than the one I have to fill out, each time. Don't give up! As Ossian says, there must be someone on Matter staff - who will be mortified to hear about this - and who will sort this out for you. You are owed that money for the work you did. That's important. And yes, as womag writer says, it's on behalf of the rest of us too. Not sure it's a delaying tactic, I do believe it's academic inefficiency and craziness, which does make me worry about the future of higher education!Tania Hershmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15781460794034586895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-80364620097459200152011-12-14T01:54:35.336-08:002011-12-14T01:54:35.336-08:00My thought, Vanessa, was that if your work was in ...My thought, Vanessa, was that if your work was in the book and you hadn't been paid for it, you might legally be able to request that they either pay you or stop using it, which would mean selling no more and pulping what they had. They'd pay up fast enough.Sheenagh Pughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02735299981866333316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-33238484895338396152011-12-13T12:20:31.422-08:002011-12-13T12:20:31.422-08:00That's disgusting. Don't give up though - ...That's disgusting. Don't give up though - on behalf of other writers we should always ensure we are paid what we are owed. Otherwise if the delaying tactics work what's to stop the defaulters doing it again?Kath McGurlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02526923882402757423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-14309902002711172922011-12-13T12:19:57.410-08:002011-12-13T12:19:57.410-08:00Very shabby. I'm sorry to hear you were so bad...Very shabby. I'm sorry to hear you were so badly treated. Bah!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00597852661913928616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-64103802882734597572011-12-13T11:25:39.466-08:002011-12-13T11:25:39.466-08:00Blimey and I thought my university could be hopele...Blimey and I thought my university could be hopeless at paying people in a timely fashion. I'm with Sheenagh on this one. I don't think you should give up. You deserve the money far more than Sheffield Hallam or in this instance Northgate Information Solutions do assuming it's them that SHU uses. <br /><br />http://www.northgate-is.com/item/449<br /><br />Fill in the form. Heck I'll complete it for you if you like - add all your additional costs - travel to launch, cost of Anthology etc. Send it to them with another copy of your invoice stating that they have 28? days to pay otherwise you (or your representative Caroline) will be making a submission to the small claims court.Caroline M Davieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01277831689690791429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-88250149244199019392011-12-13T11:22:06.894-08:002011-12-13T11:22:06.894-08:00Three words: Small Claims Court.Three words: Small Claims Court.nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415222406280230021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-55875338570324879092011-12-13T09:42:27.215-08:002011-12-13T09:42:27.215-08:00Hi Sheenagh, The anthology had been printed alread...Hi Sheenagh, The anthology had been printed already - so no chance of removing my work. However - its a good point - <br /><br />I like that novelist - good egg!Vanessa Gebbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09088301040602803489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-60087993967992279392011-12-13T09:10:34.216-08:002011-12-13T09:10:34.216-08:00Why did you give up? In those circs, I would have ...Why did you give up? In those circs, I would have demanded my work be removed from the anthology. That'd make them think twice, cos it would cost them...<br /><br />I also know a novelist who, after 6 weeks have passed, sends a warning letter about the amount of interest she charges on late payment...Sheenagh Pughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02735299981866333316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-42224654069329449002011-12-13T07:05:56.348-08:002011-12-13T07:05:56.348-08:00By heck that's a form and a half! Amazing that...By heck that's a form and a half! Amazing that they can get away with such nonsense. Things like this happen FAR TOO OFTEN! Good on you for writing about it.adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15826710558292792068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-1690769738236176892011-12-13T06:53:45.568-08:002011-12-13T06:53:45.568-08:00Ludicrous!Ludicrous!K J Bennetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00950583635695002771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598558136160705007.post-43769530066016257802011-12-13T06:21:56.295-08:002011-12-13T06:21:56.295-08:00Dreadful. My feeling about this is that there shou...Dreadful. My feeling about this is that there should be one person who has overall responsibility for the anthology and that person should make it their business to ensure that the contributors get paid. I don't think being creative lets them off that responsibility.Ossianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12095236313068093836noreply@blogger.com