Over 2 months ago I was asked if I'd like to contribute to the Sharpener's weekly rant. I duly emailed them an article. When after two weeks I didn't hear anything, I assumed they weren't going to use it and so I put it up here on my own site.
A few weeks ago they contacted me again and asked if it was still ok to use. I made a few minor changes to the original and said that it was ok.
At no time did they ask me whether I had used the article for my own site. I naively assumed it didn't matter and besides I want as many people to see my articles as possible, so I was pleased with the extra coverage. As it turns out most of their readers there hadn't seen the article so I don't really understand what the problem was.
I certainly didn't realise that because I had put it up on my own blog, it meant it was barred from inclusion. In hindsight maybe I should have realised this but it just never occured to me. I apologise for any misunderstanding.
Just out of interest here are the original rules they sent me for entering the rant;
ReplyDeleteThese are the rules:
"1. Open to anyone, blogger, commenter, whatever. Even journalists.
2. 300 words maximum.
3. Any subject at all, as long as you have an opinion. Not that there’s a shortage of those here usually… We won’t censor it, beyond the usual caveats.
4. Links or quotes are fine, as long as they’re just to illustrate your point, not to make it for you."
Nowhere does it say that it can't be already on your blog. I should havee assumed this I know. But it wasn't my intention to put it on my blog, it was just I hadn't heard from them so assumed they wern't going to use it.
"Nowhere does it say that it can't be already on your blog. I should havee assumed this I know.
ReplyDeleteWhy should you have assumed it? Not sure I would have.
Well you and me both. I accept I made a misjudgement but it was unintentional.
ReplyDeleteIf they had emailed me and said; "We will use this and want to use it exclusively but it is in a queue and might take over 2 months before we do."
I probably would have said 'forget it'. I'm not au fait with the etiquette of the media world. When I've written something, I'm eager to put it out there. I didn't realise putting it on my blog would be such a problem. And besides when they didn't reply I thought they weren't going to use it.