A writer I know suggested I relate the following true story. This is probably the first in a series of postings that will convey the following advice: "When something is late, don't always assume you know who is at fault." Here is but one example…
Some years ago, an artist friend of mine (a very talented, popular guy) was approached about drawing a mini-series for a major publisher. The artist had other commitments so he said to the editor who called him, "Look, I can fit it in between my other assignments for this other publisher. I can draw an issue for them, then an issue for you, then an issue for them and so on."
Everyone agreed on a timetable and work began on what we'll call The Deluxe Mini-Series. The plan was to have the first issue out in July, the second issue in August, the third in September and the fourth in October. Based on when the artist would be completing each issue, that left ample time to get each one to press on time.
The artist had just completed the first issue of The Deluxe Mini-Series when the company suddenly decided they needed the series to come out earlier. Some other big project had fallen through for May and they felt they needed to give their retailers a big event in May. So they solicited orders for #1 of The Deluxe Mini-Series to ship in May, meaning that if it kept to the expected monthly release schedule, #4 would be out in August.
On the old, agreed-upon timetable, the artist wouldn't even be drawing #4 until August. To get it out that month, he'd have to draw it by the end of June…which he couldn't do and still meet his obligations to the other publisher. When he pointed this out to his editor on The Deluxe Mini-Series, he was told, "Then you'll have to get out of what you're doing for them or postpone it." He said no, he wasn't going to leave them stranded like that.
Various pressures were applied. Various veiled threats were made. The artist refused: He would adhere to the timetable they'd agreed upon in the first place…and he did. As a result, the later issues of The Deluxe Mini-Series shipped late. When its publisher was asked why it was late, the answer that was given was: "We were waiting for the artist to deliver." That was technically true but everyone who heard that assumed that meant the artist had blown his deadline.
A year or so later, I was talking to another editor at the same company about a possible project. I mentioned this artist as someone who'd be great for it. The editor, who had been uninvolved in The Deluxe Mini-Series but around at the time, said, "Oh, no. Not him. He couldn't meet his deadline on something here last year."
I have more of these stories.