Demanding emails....

Those of you who know me, know my persona is not the kind to make demands of. Ask yes, request certainly, negotiate by all means, demand best not, it gets quite emotional, the kind of emotional where you:

  • Wonder why your head has been detached from your torso
  • Suffer a torrent of verbal GBH
  • Cannot comprehend why I am rolling on the floor in laughter

So, with considerable amusement an editor from a long standing publisher relationship sent an email, three weeks ago.

            X needs doing, do it now, the deadline is Y

My out of office, for this period gives accurate information on my availability (none), and I see no retraction from the email.

I get another demand, demanding why I have not responded. I send an email saying ‘ahem one is busy’.

The reply comes with an edict to get it done if I have time, I don’t have this luxury, so choose not to do anything.

Come a couple of days ago, aggressive email comes in, basically demanding to know why I have done nothing.

Lets think ...

Wait a couple of days, choosing to reply at leisure, making it clear that ...

  • I have been away for three weeks, on different commitments, of which this is the last day and I am snatching a moment to catch up on email
  • I am very busy, but cannot give it my immediate attention
  • I don’t appreciate demanding emails with deadlines and no negotiation
  • When I am back in the loop, I will have a long list of ‘demands’ all having considerable precedence.

Impressed at how thick skinned the protagonist still thinks that I can be cajoled by force, following the tone of their last email. I will do the corrections, but when I have a peaceful time/place to do them, ironically anyone with 1/2 a neuron can do these corrections.

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