Magazine published unpaid illustrations

[criseleslao]

Hi,

I was commissioned by a magazine to create eleven illustrations for a fee. It's been 5 months after completion of work. The illustrations have been published in the December 2009 issue and I still haven't been paid. I regularly communicate by email to the Editor in Chief regarding my cheque. They keep reassuring me I will be paid, I keep getting asked for various requirements that I speedily submit, including a contract that I *must* sign before my check can be processed a few months after the project has been finished. Yet, until now I still havent been paid. What do I do?

Thank you.

 

[mightymoose]

Sue them.... OR... send them a letter indicating your intentions to sue over your unpaid work plus whatever other reasonable damages there might be. They might be inclined to speed things along if they think you are going to slap them with some legal problems.
I wouldn't be signing any contracts at this point either.