tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post3316646896839415468..comments2024-03-19T07:10:27.303-07:00Comments on Quark Soup by David Appell: True/Slant abuses writersDavid Appellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03318269033139447591noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-79758994676364357382010-03-24T02:58:23.122-07:002010-03-24T02:58:23.122-07:00Does the contract also involve having to savage a ...Does the contract also involve having to savage a certain number of T/S critics and heretics every month?akarlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08322298490656235467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-91024922370766862482010-01-26T13:55:10.930-08:002010-01-26T13:55:10.930-08:00Perhaps this thread's self-appointed scold, Ba...Perhaps this thread's self-appointed scold, Barrett "Leo Rooster" Brown, would like to ask Lvewis about Thanksgiving expenses.<br /><br />Not everything, perhaps, but much would be, as they say, illuminated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-78635900741034943152010-01-25T12:56:36.524-08:002010-01-25T12:56:36.524-08:00Thanks so much for the great post. I've been s...Thanks so much for the great post. I've been searching for blogs like this now for 30 minutes and i finall found one<br />that's worthwhile. I'm really into video games, do you have any information on the new Call of Duty? I know this<br />is off topic, but I thought I'd ask. Thanks...oh also, I have some video game writings if you want to check them <br />out. Here are a few of them<br /><br /><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1891988/world_of_warcraft_beast_mastery_hunter.html?cat=19" rel="nofollow">Beast Mastery Hunter PvP</a><br /><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1927756/world_of_warcraft_survival_hunter_pvp.html?cat=19" rel="nofollow">Survival Hunter PvP</a><br /><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1798954/world_of_warcraft_elemental_shaman.html?cat=19" rel="nofollow">Elemental Shaman PvP</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-14722019100533522632010-01-25T12:33:12.933-08:002010-01-25T12:33:12.933-08:00In your original post you said that T/S terminated...In your original post you said that T/S terminated you because you asked them to pay you correctly. But you never included the fact that they <i>did</i> pay you the remainder. So there could be a whole host of reasons why they decided to terminate your contract...none of which appear to be "slimy."<br /><br />Do know I appreciate you for putting the rest of the information out there, especially since it makes you look bad. That's brave. But you really should have thought more before publishing this post. <br /><br />And, again, using the word "abuse" is now even less appropriate given the circumstances.<br /><br />Best of luck to you.Justin Gardnerhttp://trueslant.com/justingardner/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-85699485465483820422010-01-25T11:38:32.468-08:002010-01-25T11:38:32.468-08:00Try submitting an expense report for $50 worth of ...Try submitting an expense report for $50 worth of Thanksgiving supplies. That might get his attention.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-88400099137569385722010-01-25T09:24:15.925-08:002010-01-25T09:24:15.925-08:00Just to add to the commentary here. Mr. Appell, my...Just to add to the commentary here. Mr. Appell, my experience with True/Slant has been nothing but smooth sailing. My traffic has gone up, I get paid on time, I always get immediate and practical technical advice when something is weird with the site. Like someone pointed out, this is a start up doing it's best and doing well at that. I am not sure why you are trying to start a firestorm over 50 bucks, especially when they offered to pay you the following month.Nick Obournnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-74110200215714055552010-01-25T09:19:33.509-08:002010-01-25T09:19:33.509-08:00Being a Dutch journalist, T/S not only gave me an ...Being a Dutch journalist, T/S not only gave me an opportunity I would never have had without, it also always paid me generously and on time. It's great writing for them.brewbarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07957124038567205620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-84923290410689884782010-01-25T06:50:58.687-08:002010-01-25T06:50:58.687-08:00I've been writing for True/Slant for about 6 m...I've been writing for True/Slant for about 6 months and have had a thoroughly positive experience. The staff are courteous, responsive and professional and a pleasure to work with. The organization is top-notch in my book, especially for a start-up. Your allegation of "abuses writers" is offensive because you're claiming to speak for other writers, most of whom it seems have had experiences nothing like yours. You're certainly not speaking for me. If you’re going to make serious allegations like that, you should be careful not to generalize—and get the facts straight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-77591358731940340652010-01-25T05:28:18.790-08:002010-01-25T05:28:18.790-08:00And the guy's name is Coates Bateman. So in ad...And the guy's name is Coates Bateman. So in addition to publicly accusing a company of abuse based on the fact that you yourself had trouble getting $50 from them and had your contract terminated after God knows what sort of bitchy e-mail you addressed to Coatamon Dvorkinbate Katerson the Impaler or whatever, you've managed to flub two different names in the space of, like, two hundred words.Barrett Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090847901520138473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-63386436261358746752010-01-25T05:20:34.094-08:002010-01-25T05:20:34.094-08:00I've been with T/S for a few months now and ha...I've been with T/S for a few months now and have rarely been happier with a gig. For one thing, they pay via Paypal, automatically, without requiring invoices and contracts and all that obsolete 19th century bullshit that Conde Nast pulls on you. I haven't had any problems getting paid from T/S. And, frankly, based on the rather irresponsible and sensationalist manner in which you've tried to express your particular grievance as somehow endemic to the outlet without having any evidence of that whatsoever other than the anecdotal, single-serve sort, you should be happy to have had the chance to write for them to begin with.Barrett Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090847901520138473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-74504697729536592862010-01-25T00:35:20.284-08:002010-01-25T00:35:20.284-08:00I have been screwed in so many ways by so many med...I have been screwed in so many ways by so many media organizations that I have lost count. My experience with T/S has been the complete opposite. They have treated me with a tremendous amount of respect and clearly care about the work that I do for them. Sure, it's not a lot of money, but it IS enough to keep me in Scotch every month, and that means a lot.P.J. Tobiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14345228154140404580noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-30047996359861298272010-01-24T22:17:57.994-08:002010-01-24T22:17:57.994-08:00My experience is similar to Paul's, but I'...My experience is similar to Paul's, but I've been able to get a fair amount of traffic to my T/S blog so I've been able to make more.<br /><br />One thing you have to consider is that T/S is a start up and sometimes things can fall through the cracks. That's not an excuse for you not being paid the amount that was agreed upon and in a timely fashion, but I think they have over 250 writers now and all checks are still hand written. If anything, they need to figure out a way to streamline that process.<br /><br />Last, I hope you'll take more care in the future when accusing somebody of "abusing" writers. They didn't pay <i>you</i> on time, but unless you can point to others who had a similar experience, please don't paint with the broad brush.Justin Gardnerhttp://trueslant.com/justingardner/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-59184765744870850002010-01-24T22:09:46.900-08:002010-01-24T22:09:46.900-08:00True/Slant is what it is. It's never promised ...True/Slant is what it is. It's never promised anything but the opportunity to have an extraordinarily supportive and productive community to be a part of. I'm twenty-five years old and write/blog for free for other pubs all the time. No, TrueSlant does not pay the rent, but it pays me enough to keep caring about my art and to defend it in all terminals, spheres, and petty blogspot forums like David Appell's. Our industry is going through some SERIOUS changes right now-- both on the technology and art side. Is True/Slant the answer? I don't know. But it's working in so many ways, and in one way that seems to make people care enough to rant about... and hey, isn't that where blogging/writing/journalism gets off?COURTBEANhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07572354854985052042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-92091709755384092232010-01-24T21:35:27.623-08:002010-01-24T21:35:27.623-08:00I think it's crazy that any T/S "blogger&...I think it's crazy that any T/S "blogger" or "writer" would consider writing fora site that pays you pennies.<br /><br />Come on, you're worth more than that.Mike Melanesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-5223992496250788982010-01-24T17:20:30.688-08:002010-01-24T17:20:30.688-08:00I'm a T/S contributor and yours is the first c...I'm a T/S contributor and yours is the first complaint like this I've ever heard. My own experience with the site has been uniformly positive. So while I don't have any first-hand knowledge of what happened between you and T/S, it doesn't sync up with what I know about the site and the people who run it. And the blanket accusation that "True/Slant abuses writers" is, frankly, silly.Bill Barolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15627245775230972147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-48385222272944030232010-01-24T17:03:15.982-08:002010-01-24T17:03:15.982-08:00Not only have I received all the payments promised...Not only have I received all the payments promised in a timely fashion, when I changed my email of record for payments through PayPal they contacted me to let me know there was a problem. They chased me down to pay me!<br /><br />Accusing someone of abusing YOU is a serious allegation. Even if the events you recounted happened exactly as you said, to my ear it does not rise anywhere near a level to justify and allegation of abuse. But you said T/S abuses writers, plural. I challenge you to present other writers who can claim abuse, and in the absence of that I humbly request that you offer an apology.Todd Essighttp://trueslant.com/toddessig/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-76462881342318248042010-01-24T16:53:01.535-08:002010-01-24T16:53:01.535-08:00Maybe Leonard Dworkin did not return your emails b...Maybe Leonard Dworkin did not return your emails because there is no such person. It's Lewis DVorkin. Your experience may have been better had you known the name of the Founder and Editor in Chief.<br />I've had a great experience writing for True/Slant and hope to do so for a very long time.Rick Ungarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02272418851161104569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-24245137424858422312010-01-24T15:51:50.802-08:002010-01-24T15:51:50.802-08:00Sorry your experience hasn't been positive. Mi...Sorry your experience hasn't been positive. Mine has been quite different. I think the word rate is ridiculously low, which is why I only post when I have nothing else to work on or I am really pissed off about something; other hand it's more than HuffPo pays, they've promised more when their revenue ramps up, and I get more hits there than I was getting on my own blog. They actually paid me one month when I didn't meet my contractual obligation.ttestblogg1https://www.blogger.com/profile/06309938530962923241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28837843.post-87421672992527479812010-01-24T15:50:31.862-08:002010-01-24T15:50:31.862-08:00It's Lewis DVorkinIt's Lewis DVorkinblisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17738621049003351937noreply@blogger.com