From the Circular File #2: But Will Your Book Be Free?

In the first installment of From the Circular File, I shared a story that started with an editing friend of mine and ended up in the midst of a group of professional editors. This week's story is my very own, from the ever-interesting DMs of Instagram.

I love Instagram. I love seeing literal snapshots of people's lives, whether they're putting their best face on or they have a mess of a house and crying children in the background as they attempt to video something completely unrelated to the house and children. I love sharing the things I think are funny, and I love the interaction with like-minded people that I can follow or not follow.

I've met authors on Instagram who have become clients, and I've so enjoyed the variety of the work and getting to know the writers a little better.

But . . .

There's always someone—or a bunch of someones—who move from person to person, seeking what they can get from strangers for nothing. I got an interesting request one evening in my Instagram direct message. The person started off by saying she wrote a book and "the publisher" said she needed editing but that she had great potential. She then said Those Words. You know, the ones that raise the red flag nice and high: "I'm a student and don't have much money."

Lovely person that I am, I did what I do best: I played dumb.

I knew the answer before she said it, but I had to ask because Mean Lynda had to make a point. If you are asking someone for free services, surely you must be a giver. The type of philanthropist who will give away the completed product for other people who "don't have much money." Right? No? Hmm.

So I did my best to patiently explain the obvious. To her credit, she didn't get hostile. But I'm sure she was wishing I'd just ignored her.

"Insulting" was actually the mildest word I could come up with to describe her request. And as much as I wanted to really let her have it, it's just not my style to be horribly rude to strangers, even on the internet. Even when that stranger has already been rude to me by approaching me only to ask if I'll do free work for her. So I turned on my mama/mentor section of my brain before I allowed the conversation to come its natural conclusion.

Of course, she disappeared right after giving a perfunctory "thanks." Never saw her around before that night, never saw her afterward. I'd love to think maybe I gave her food for thought, but most likely, she moved right along to someone else. I can only hope she ran into a lot of people just like me.

After I shared Circular File #1, I heard from a lot of authors who were disgusted with the behavior of the person I wrote about. Some of them were victims themselves, with friends asking them for free books so they could "read it and pass it around to all [my] friends." Another author said his friend told him he might [might!] read it if his buddy gave it to him for free. It's enough to turn good people suspicious and bitter about the very thing they love.

I'd love to hear from all of you on this topic. If you're an editor or a book designer or a cover artist, have you ever had someone ask/expect/demand free work? If you're an author, has anyone expected a free book from you and gotten upset if you've declined? I know some great authors who generously give books for the sheer enjoyment of knowing someone is reading their work—but it's always their choice, at their discretion, and never because a stranger was arrogant enough to demand it.

I'm sure I'll continue receiving queries like the one I've just written about, but if you have a similar story, I'll be happy to share it. Just leave me a note in the comments and we'll talk!