Friday Speak Out!: The Train that Almost Derailed My Writing Career

by Ann Goldberg

I was devastated.

I’d already written a few travel articles for this publication; my first serious acceptances in my nascent writing career. Now I had just written another one about a train ride that operated twice a day and took twice as long as the journey by car or bus because the train tracks still wound gently round the surrounding hills, unlike the new straight roads which had been built .

This was a tourist’s train ride. It gave a leisurely look at the glorious countryside . To prove how trivial the journey was considered, every station was in the middle of nowhere, with infrequent public transport connections to the nearest town.

The train ran twice a day: 8am and 4pm.

A few weeks after I sent off the article, I heard that the 8am train had been cancelled due to lack of interest. I wasn’t at all surprised. Most tourists are still asleep at that time.

The article was published.

The blow came ten days later.

An email day from the editor stated that he had been informed by his local correspondent that the 8am train no longer operated and therefore my article was factually incorrect and misleading to their readers in suggesting a service which didn’t exist. They were therefore printing a correction and apology in the next edition and of course I would not be receiving any payment.

I was mortified, humiliated – I just wanted to shrivel up and disappear down the space between the letters on my keyboard.

After a few days of beating my chest and wishing I’d never ever thought about being a writer, I suddenly came to my senses.

How dare the editor claim that I didn’t deserve payment? How dare he print an apology and correction about my article! Almost nothing was incorrect. I wrote a scathingly indignant reply.

“Do you realize that there are exactly two incorrect words in the entire article – those words are: (The train runs at ) 8 am and (4 pm).” The 8am train was never used by tourists, or anyone else and that’s why it was cancelled. Every other word in the article is correct.

I see no reason why you had to write any apology, and I certainly see no reason why I should not be paid the full amount.”

A few weeks later I received as close to an apology as an editor will ever write. They had checked again with their correspondent who admitted that it was true that the 4pm train still ran and that was the one that tourists probably use.

Under the circumstances they were going to print another correction confirming that the original article was in fact correct and the train service still operated – and of course I would be receiving my payment in full.

I learned two valuable lessons from that episode.

Always keep your editor informed of any changes in the information you sent, however small.

Editors aren’t always right.

* * *

Ann Goldberg is a writing coach helping writers and potential writers get published. She works together with you to write the best possible essay or article suitable for the market you are aiming at.
Anna also writes essays and memoirs as well as articles on Judaism, parenting, writing,home and time management and Israel travel.

For more details see http://anngoldbergwriting.com/blog/  and
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anngoldberg1.
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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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5 comments Ann Goldberg, collecting payment, dealing with editors, Friday Speak Out, travel articles