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Published March 2007, SCBWI NY Metro Newsletter PUSHING BACK! (part 2) Like the studios, we are competing for the work being assigned. Reps do have more leverage of course. Studios definitely come to reps early to fill their illustration needs. We have many qualified professional artists to offer to help fill the assignments. We can get prices increased for a variety of reasons (but we take a commission too)! We simplify the contract negotiation and invoicing end of things. We can even ‘manage' some assigning programs with our artist groups, or combining with other rep groups to fill the art needs. Reps do have our charts of ‘suggested market norm' prices and we certainly try to PUSH BACK to maintain these prices. I seldom turn down work for artists however without trying to assemble the best package I can for them. Rights, fees, deadlines, commitments of time and energy… every individual artist has his or her own set of reasons to accept or reject offers , and I completely support their decision. I do tell the studios if the rejection is due to price (or other negative factors ) and hope they pass this information on to the publisher. But if we refuse the program due to prices, they will go to other reps or artists. They have to fill their needs at the price they have bid. Some artists/reps might be just fine with any prices as long as they get the largest share they can of the work assigned. The choices are rarely easy. There should be a legal way that reps and artists can work together to PUSH BACK. I've always felt that communication is the key. We can hold the line with prices, demand better sketch and finish deadlines, faster pay, and push for SRO as I mentioned. We can remind studios that offering BETTER services can allow higher prices . Yes, we are all in competition for the same work and jobs, but it benefits us all to keep our industry the fair, delightful one it still has the reputation of being. We need to talk, share and support one another…artists and reps. We can not ‘price fix', but we can talk to one another! We can draw the line…and we have to decide for ourselves where that line is. We do want to work after all! The work is fun…the people we work with are fun as well. But this is our BUSINESS. We do need to be realistic and PUSH BACK for the health, integrity and future sanity of our industry!
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