I know some writers who don't send copies of their published articles to publicists or sources, but I always make an effort to do this. I figure it's a nice courtesy, especially if I want to use the source or publicist again in the future. I'm usually on top of my articles when they come out so I can use them in query letters, and it only takes a few extra seconds to email a link to someone. If it's a print article, I'll even mail it at my own (business) expense with a short thank you note.
On the other hand, some writers point out that by the time they finalize an article, it's in the editor's hands and they've moved onto the next project. They figure that if a publicist really wants a copy of the magazine, they'll buy it off the newstand or contact the publication themselves. Plus, what company doesn't have Google alerts set so they already know when they're mentioned in the media? Valid points.
I've probably spent more time than I should contacting niche publications to request copies of my article (when it's not available on newstands) so I can share them with my sources. In fact, editors who never send me a copy of the issue is a pet peeve of mine (sometimes I have better luck with the distribution department, sometimes not). Not only do I not have the clip for my portfolio, but I worry that an inability to show the finished product to a source potentially raises some credibility issues.
What do you think? Should the writer take it upon his/herself to send copies of the article?
Flickr photo by bravenewtraveler