I was owed about $5,000 from late-paying publications. I tried to hold them all accountable. Here's what happened.

hadn’t worked much in about a month and — perhaps against my better judgment — I looked at my checking account, hoping that all my outstanding payments had been made in the time I was away.

They had not… Looking at my bank account statement, I was first shocked, then panicked, then livid. After I cycled through those emotions, I decided to take action.