Comments on: Crowd-Sourcing, Contests, & Spec Work http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/ A Creative Soul Inspired Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:27:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeremy http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-25 Jeremy Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:46:30 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-25 That's a great observation Kiren. I think you are right, spec work/stock sites aren't going to go away anytime soon, but what we can do as designers is separate ourselves by offering quality, well researched work. Adapting to industry changes is just a part of the process. That’s a great observation Kiren. I think you are right, spec work/stock sites aren’t going to go away anytime soon, but what we can do as designers is separate ourselves by offering quality, well researched work. Adapting to industry changes is just a part of the process.

]]> By: Kiren http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-23 Kiren Thu, 01 Oct 2009 23:25:14 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-23 It's really sad but true. The only thing we can really do is hope that people are still looking for quality stuff and know where to look. I feel spec work is not going away anytime soon, it's up to us to adapt and continue producing quality work. It’s really sad but true. The only thing we can really do is hope that people are still looking for quality stuff and know where to look. I feel spec work is not going away anytime soon, it’s up to us to adapt and continue producing quality work.

]]> By: Jeremy http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-20 Jeremy Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:30:39 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-20 Glad I could help Andy. I suspect a lot of businesses don't realize that these contests and crowd sourcing websites are actually hurting our industry. I have had a few friends who knew I was doing design work and passed on some of these sites as places I could send my work. I don't think they realized how it just undermines what we do. It is especially important to stand up for our industry now, so that new designers like yourself can make a decent living in the future. I am glad I am hearing some positive feedback regarding this post, it wasn't an easy one to write, but standing up for what is right isn't always easy. Glad I could help Andy. I suspect a lot of businesses don’t realize that these contests and crowd sourcing websites are actually hurting our industry. I have had a few friends who knew I was doing design work and passed on some of these sites as places I could send my work. I don’t think they realized how it just undermines what we do. It is especially important to stand up for our industry now, so that new designers like yourself can make a decent living in the future.

I am glad I am hearing some positive feedback regarding this post, it wasn’t an easy one to write, but standing up for what is right isn’t always easy.

]]> By: Andy http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-19 Andy Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:24:46 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-19 Good post Jeremy. I'm just about to graduate from a small college in northern Idaho - unfortunately here, "What you do is easy" and "No one will pay that much for that" are terms heard all too often. A lot of design work here is pushed into contest form, with lots of business drilling artists/designers into a mindset of "I'm doing you a favor by giving you the PRIVILEGE of submitting work for my contest" - which is BS at it's finest! Haha sounds like you know this all too well. I'm strongly against spec work and crowd sourcing myself as well. Thanks for the post! Good post Jeremy. I’m just about to graduate from a small college in northern Idaho – unfortunately here, “What you do is easy” and “No one will pay that much for that” are terms heard all too often.

A lot of design work here is pushed into contest form, with lots of business drilling artists/designers into a mindset of “I’m doing you a favor by giving you the PRIVILEGE of submitting work for my contest” – which is BS at it’s finest! Haha sounds like you know this all too well.

I’m strongly against spec work and crowd sourcing myself as well. Thanks for the post!

]]> By: Jeremy http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-18 Jeremy Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:17:40 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-18 Thanks for the response Jerms. This is one topic I knew I was going to have tackle at some point. I think you make some great points, it really is about educating ourselves and knowing how the industry works and knowing what we are worth. I remember talking to a group over in Seattle, Washington a few years ago and telling them what I was charging my clients for freelance work. Every one of them said my work was worth at least double the amount I was charging. I remember them saying "know your worth". That always stuck with me. I am still getting use to sending out quotes to people and knowing I may never hear from them again, but if they wanted something quick and cheap, I was never the right designer for the job. Thanks again for feedback Jerms, glad to have the support! Thanks for the response Jerms. This is one topic I knew I was going to have tackle at some point. I think you make some great points, it really is about educating ourselves and knowing how the industry works and knowing what we are worth.

I remember talking to a group over in Seattle, Washington a few years ago and telling them what I was charging my clients for freelance work. Every one of them said my work was worth at least double the amount I was charging. I remember them saying “know your worth”. That always stuck with me.

I am still getting use to sending out quotes to people and knowing I may never hear from them again, but if they wanted something quick and cheap, I was never the right designer for the job.

Thanks again for feedback Jerms, glad to have the support!

]]> By: jerms http://jeremybolton.com/2009/09/crowd-sourcing-contests-spec-work/#comment-17 jerms Sun, 27 Sep 2009 02:01:16 +0000 http://jeremybolton.com/?p=1270#comment-17 Amen! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these subjects. I constantly hear other designer friends bitching about not getting chosen for a contest, getting burned on spec work or doing logos for a couple hundred bucks. It is becoming increasingly sad that some designers that know better still jump right into these boats. The headache and time of working this way far outweighs the short lived glory if you do happen to win or get chosen. I have dropped a ton of jobs in the past couple years due to the client dangling the carrot or pitching me on this ('Hey we have new way we are going to work") job. It is pretty sad. I tell people that I talk to to grow a set and stand up for what we all do. If you are scared to talk money and really get paid what the job is worth, go read up on some biz books and get educated on how things work out there in the real world. Thanks so much for sharing your point of view. Love it. Jerms Amen! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on these subjects. I constantly hear other designer friends bitching about not getting chosen for a contest, getting burned on spec work or doing logos for a couple hundred bucks. It is becoming increasingly sad that some designers that know better still jump right into these boats. The headache and time of working this way far outweighs the short lived glory if you do happen to win or get chosen. I have dropped a ton of jobs in the past couple years due to the client dangling the carrot or pitching me on this (‘Hey we have new way we are going to work”) job.

It is pretty sad. I tell people that I talk to to grow a set and stand up for what we all do. If you are scared to talk money and really get paid what the job is worth, go read up on some biz books and get educated on how things work out there in the real world.

Thanks so much for sharing your point of view. Love it.
Jerms

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