What would you do?

[desayunoencama]

I'm not able to make an LJ-poll, but I'll ask this question anyway and feel free to kibbitz in comments:

If a publisher still hasn't paid the on-signing part of the advance by the time the manuscript was supposed to be delivered, would you turn in the book as scheduled or wait until you had the check in hand?

Sigh.

Comments

[oldcharliebrown.livejournal.com]

Wait until you had the check.

[pantryslut.livejournal.com]

I would hold the manuscript, and tell them why.

[janni.livejournal.com]

I'd wait for the check, too.

Only ran into this once. Went ahead and sent in the first draft, but when I'd finished the second and still didn't have even a contract, said I wasn't sending anything until the advance arrived. In retrospect, I think I should have hung on to that first draft.

(And then the whole project fell messily apart, but that's another story, and at least I had my signing money!)

[wild-irises.livejournal.com]

Depends on so many things. How late is the signing check? How good is your relationship with your editor? How financially solvent is the publisher?

Basically, if the relationship is good and the publisher is fairly solvent, I send it in with a very irritated note. If either the relationship or the publisher is troubled, I probably hold it back.

[rosefox]

If the publisher has been affected by, say, a recent bankruptcy, I would certainly say hold it.

Actually, I can think of just about no circumstances under which I'd send it, unless the editor or publisher was my bestest friend and able to reassure me that the money would come on X date, and I would be looking over my contract for ironclad-ness.

[geekturnedvamp.livejournal.com]

Have you already asked them for the money (and if so, how many times)? Because that would affect my decision. It sometimes seems like fully half my time at work is spent calling publishers asking for payment for clients, so I would probably call them first and ask when you could expect the signing money, or talk to the editor, before deciding. If you've already talked to them six times and they've promised to send the check and still haven't sent it, then I might advise you to consider not delivering the manuscript until they pay you, but it really depends on the situation.

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

I would politely and pateintly remind them every 3-4 weeks.

I honestly think it is nothing more than general publishing incompetence.

Vexing though it was!

[aerialscribe.livejournal.com]

I don't have much experience in this area, but I'll suggest that open and clear communication would be best.

First contact them one more time regarding the on-signing (I assume you've already been in communication with them) and see how they reply. If they say it's on the way, just hold the manuscript until the check comes and let them know that.

If the reply is something besides the check is on the way, it might depend somewhat on what their reasons are, but I think I would definitely hold the manuscript and tell them why.

Be polite, but very firm in that they need to meet their end of a signed agreement. I would disagree with the "irritated note" advice previously (no offense to wild_irises), I think it's always in your best interests to maintain a high level of professionalism.

[scottynola.livejournal.com]

Absolutely not. They have already breached the contract and have no leverage.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

as long as there was a contract, or correspondence agreeing to the terms, there is NO WAY I would deliver the contract. No no no. They are in breach, allowing you to step away.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

"deliver the mss," not the contract.

*headdesk*

too much wine!

[lynnejamneck.livejournal.com]

Hold on to the ms, and wait for the cheque before you deliver, definitely.

[n8an.livejournal.com]

Polite inquiry, but hold onto the manuscript.

[stephen-dedman.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Remind them that the cheque has not arrived, and make sending the ms. contingent on payment or a satisfactory explanation for the delayed payment.

[timothyjlambert.livejournal.com]

I would hold the manuscript in one hand and dial my agent with the other.

[desayunoencama.livejournal.com]

Alas, but I be my own agent.

[timothyjlambert.livejournal.com]

I guess you could take yourself to lunch, allow yourself to pay for it, and then advise yourself not to send in the mss. until you figure out what's going on.

[beauty-seeker.livejournal.com]

i agree with what others have said: talk to someone if you can, but follow up with something in writing and explain that you can't submit the rest of the manuscript until you receive the cheque, assuming there was nothing in the contract that said otherwise. best of luck !