I don't recall

As a freelancer I have to cater for a range of commissioning styles. Some are fairly open-ended - "write whatever you want as long as its 1,000 words" - while others are prescriptive to the point of telling me what I should be wearing while sat at my keyboard banging out their demands.

One of the commissioning editors that adopts the latter approach likes to send me a big list of questions and a big list of contacts. All I have to do is email the contacts the questions, wait for them to email back their answers then get out the cut and paste kit. Hey presto, £1,000 please.

We all know that, ideally, a face to face or phone-based interview is the best way to get answers, but we're all busy people. And what with every PR under the sun now demanding to see their quotes first, sometimes it is just easier to let them email their illuminating insights - particularly when the article is 3,500 words long and you have 25 people to interview.

After sticking to this formula for a couple of years now I've built up a decent enough relationship with the regular contributors - hell, I even put some of my own questions in now and again. But then, today, a PR had to go and ruin it all. I'd already sent the contact the questions and he'd already replied to say he'd send the answers next week. SO WHY ARE YOU GETTING INVOLVED, PR????

"I noticed that you contacted Mr X for your X feature."
"Yes"
"We can put you in touch with him and sort out an interview. When is a good time for you?"
"Er..."

I explained the way I like to work for these features and left it at that.

And then this morning I got this email from the same PR (who I have never met I should add) that was addressed to the contact and presumably sent to me in error:

----- Original Message -----
From: xxxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxxx
Cc: xxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 11:16 AM
Subject: RE: article for xxxxx magazine on xxxxxxxxx


Hi xxxxxx,

Hope you are well – just wondered if you had started these responses? We know xxx xxxx well and he does have an available interview slot on Thursday 14th at 10.00 EST if that would save you writing?

I know xxx is looking forward to xxxx’s input and as he is a freelancer it is good to establish a relationship over the phone.

Best wishes,

xxxxx

It doesn't matter whether I'm a freelancer or editor of The Times. Once someone has agreed to do all the work for us, you don't go and undo that work. Ever. And I tell you now, if we do have this interview I will be making my unhappiness as clear as possible through the medium of a slightly sulky tone of voice and lack of opening pleasantries. Then you might learn.

The email was swiftly followed by that familiar warcry of the hapless PR. XXX would like to recall the message 'RE: article for xxxxx magazine on xxxxxxxxx'.