UGH I don’t understand people. I keep getting job “offers” or so they call them to get me interested and then find out that they aren’t going to pay me.
Look-would you ask your doctor to work for free? Or the mechanic down the street? A handyman, school teacher, advertising exec? NO-so stop asking me to.
I admit that I have collaborated with people in the past and it’s only bitten me in the ass-but I was building my resume so it’s okay that I wrote for one person for FREE for 6 years only to get tossed under a bus and never any money from the promised sales of the book-but the project was fun and I got credit on some of it. Still I gave this person everything and then they not only dropped me professionally when they didn’t need me anymore, I never got paid-it is what it is so I won’t do it anymore.
I have posted on FB, Stage 32, LinkedIn and Twitter that I am looking for work, and I keep getting asked to write for FREE.
The only way I am going to work for free is on my own projects-period-or it isn’t worth it to me. I don’t ever want to go through what I did with that one person again, so I am just not doing it anymore. If you want to collaborate-then it’s a partnership, and only if I have time.
In any case, that’s my mini-rant today because it just doesn’t stop.
I also get asked to draw for free or super cheap-I am doing a super cheap logo for a FRIEND, but I offered to help her out and she will promote me, but I don’t make a habit of it.
Steph Olivieri Bourbon ~ Writing Coach 
You are doing the right thing. Don’t feel guilty about it.
Why do they keep asking? Everyone can sense your good heart.
Take it as a compliment, speak your sincerest regrets with a smile, and they will all forgive you, and respect you more for saying, ‘NO’!
🙂
Ruth
People love to take advantage. I don’t mind friends asking me to do free coverage for them, or maybe do a quick sketch or collaborate, but people who I don’t know seeking me out on a social network in the guise of paying work and then after everything is set and done-“oh yeah, no pay just credit”. I understand, but I just don’t have time. I always decline nicely though-cuz I understand how hard it is these days. I think because I got so burned by that other person (6 years of free writing), that I am just sensitive to the “you’ll get money on the back end”. It’s really hard to prove that someone is making money, so you know.
As for friends I only help out when I can afford to. 🙂
It’s hard to draw those lines in the sand, but you’ve just got to. I’ve had issues with helping people out who were only recreationally/conversationally interested in doing things, and insisting on being paid dried that problem up pretty quickly.
I agree with Troy! It’s like getting married. Are you willing to suffer for me, too?
Hey Troy!! Thanks for following and commenting! 🙂
I am so behind you on this, I hear way too many horror stories about that. And by ‘work’ they seem to think that you’re not looking for pay!!
Idiots. I keep hearing to ask how much the advance is and suddenly all the cheapskates disappear while the legit offers still stand.
I’m currently involved in a contest that does not offer money, but a production deal. To give them credit, they tell me upfront that I won’t be getting any money from residuals (I’d be essentially giving my baby up for adoption), but they only accept registered scripts so if I ‘lose’ the right revert back to me.
This isn’t ideal, but I have very little weight on my belt so this would be good opportunity for a budding screenwriter. And imdb credit lasts longer than cash!
I honestly believe that people think that drawing or writing is so much fun we should want to do it for free. Again, I have no problems if someone approaches and asks me to collaborate on a project, but if I post that I am looking for work-that means I need a paycheck not another credit. Thanks for reading and replying.
Not a prob, I look forward to more of your articles!
Thanks!