Cherry On Top

[ 25 July 2010 ]

!

Designed by Ben Crick.


RADICAL self-love & stardust,

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Comment

  1. Great message indeed!
    Good morning to you :)

    <3 Evelyn · Jul 25, 08:00 AM · #

  2. That is indeed a good message, and to further promote it, the artist is Ben Crick :) www.behance.net/gallery/I

    <3 mlle ghoul · Jul 25, 08:08 AM · #

  3. mlle ghoul — Thanks sweetheart!

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 08:11 AM · #

  4. Amazing. Since I started my first freelance editorial consultancy gig I’ve realised how much more I should think about unpaid gigs before I take them on!

    <3 Rachel · Jul 25, 08:16 AM · #

  5. Wonderful! Ill save this picture and keep this in mind for the future :]

    <3 Ashley Leighann · Jul 25, 08:23 AM · #

  6. I dunno. I gotta side with Paul Arden and say that working for free when learning a new skill or breaking into a new field is kind of genius and can get you ahead faster..

    But repeatedly working for free in a field you know is utterly stupid. One of the reasons I quit modeling because there are so many girls willing to work on commercial projects for free!

    <3 RRad · Jul 25, 08:30 AM · #

  7. RRad — Yes, but “working to learn a new skill” or “working to break into a field” is not “working for exposure”, hence the difference!

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 08:32 AM · #

  8. I’ve made this mistake under the guise of “I’m just starting out, no one will pay me for what I do!”

    That’s a slippery slope to go down. You start to think that you’re not worth anything for what you can do.

    <3 Allie O'Bannon · Jul 25, 08:34 AM · #

  9. Allie — Yeah. When you’re just starting out, sometimes you’ll do things here & there for free, but there has to be something in it for you OTHER than “exposure”. (Learning, networking, whatever.) The fact is that even people who do a mediocre (or downright crappy) job usually get paid for it! Everyone has a right to be compensated for their work.

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 08:39 AM · #

  10. How great is this, I just wrote a comment on how this made me feel down because I’ll be doing my first unpaid work ever this week -but the comment didn’t go through. And now when I look at your comment right above I am feeling much better about it because I remember why I wanted to take the job in the first place. The Universe sure spoke loud n clear :)

    Thanks Gala for being my friend, only met you once so far but you are still a friend to me!

    <3 Anna -a new kind of awesome · Jul 25, 08:48 AM · #

  11. This is so true!!!

    <3 Euforilla · Jul 25, 09:12 AM · #

  12. So true. Working for a “free link” or “author credit” or whatever it is in different fields… doesn’t just devalue your own work but the work of everyone else in that field too.

    <3 Kathryn · Jul 25, 09:28 AM · #

  13. Amen!

    <3 Fajr | Stylish Thought · Jul 25, 09:38 AM · #

  14. This seems really timely with the IFB post/compensation manifesto. I recently turned down some gigs that was “Good exposure” because I felt the requirements of it didn’t align with my site/what I felt was fair.

    <3 Ashe Mischief · Jul 25, 09:42 AM · #

  15. Ashe — I’ve been grappling with it a lot lately too. So I made a rule which is that I always say no unless a) it will create content for my site or b) is for a charitable cause.

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 09:44 AM · #

  16. (& accepting paid work has another set of criteria entirely, haha.)

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 09:45 AM · #

  17. I think this is SO TRUE, but I guess I’m still a bit confused…

    I’m pursuing a few careers and side jobs while I’m in grad school (UX research, online community coordinator, social media specialist, and also career counselor/resume & cover letter editor on the side) and for most things in social media, everyone says that exposure is KEY, even if it means working for free. I’ve gotten a few internships where I’m compensated for my work, but…to get my name out there, don’t I have to work for free a bit to build a reputation?

    Not that I don’t agree, I’d just like some advice on where the “tipping point” of exposure v. working for free is!

    <3 morgan. · Jul 25, 09:46 AM · #

  18. morgan — Really, we all have to make our own choices. I think that a LOT of people who say, “You’ll get great exposure!” are people who have told their bosses they’ve found someone who will work for free. Additionally, if you work for them for free once, why would they ever pay you in the future? They know you’ll do it for nothing!

    But like I said above, I think if you are gaining something from the experience — like learning from someone incredible or building on some kind of skill — then that has currency of its own.

    When I started this site, I did a few things for free. The people who wanted me to work for nothing disappeared when I eventually said I wanted to be paid. There were also a lot of people who were happy to pay me from the get go, & they were the people with integrity who were worth sticking with.

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 09:50 AM · #

  19. Oh, & another thing — people rarely, if ever, value what they’re given for free. It’s a rough lesson to learn, but it’s true.

    <3 Gala · Jul 25, 09:51 AM · #

  20. Thanks Gala for the advice! :)

    I’ve always wondered about all the “experts” who advocate (ad nauseum) working for free to get exposure. THEY’RE (usually) not working for free!!

    My New Rule: if someone advises/encourages you to do something that they’re not doing…you probably shouldn’t do it.

    This was quite an inspiring post! It sounds like a great blog/discussion topic…“The Value of Work”, something like that.

    [And it’s very true that most people don’t value free work. Even if it works wonders for them, they’re not that quick to give credit where it’s due. I learned that one the hard way.]

    <3 morgan. · Jul 25, 10:28 AM · #

  21. I’m kind of curious about this topic of working for free, because I’m planning on starting a webcomic soon, and usually webcomics are entirely free.
    I love the idea of an accessible and free comic, but I’ve heard that other people will take advantage of my ideas. You know, steal my characters or plot, and that I should somehow have it so that people have to pay me.
    Anyone have any thoughts? I’d really appreciate it coming from you smart kitty cats of the universe.

    <3 TheBunnyGeek · Jul 25, 12:28 PM · #

  22. This is totally true.

    While I have written for free on occasion and taken an internship in the past, it’s been done in mind to better my skills. Or network. Especially while learning and at the time, trying to work in the publishing industry.

    <3 Stephanie · Jul 25, 01:23 PM · #

  23. @TheBunnyGeek I think a webcomic is an entirely different situation though; I mean, it’s usually pretty easy to tell when people are swiping plots/characters from someone else, it never reflects well on them and always comes back to bite them in the butt. I think the way to go with a webcomic is having the webcomic free (especially because if you start off from the get go with a paid webcomic, very few people will be willing to take the chance to pay for it) and having donation/pay for incentives – like wallpaper, sketches, merchandise, etc. I’ve seen people have a monthly wallpaper that’s released to everyone as soon as a donation quota is met, or have a donation quota before they do more than one webcomic a week, things like that. Sketches and custom stuff is usually pay and not donations, obvs. There are a ton of different options and I’m kind of batting around ideas for the future too.

    (This is coming from someone who’s currently thumbnailing out the first chapter of her long-form webcomic :) )

    As far as the original post, I really like the current backlash that’s happening against free work. There are so many people just looking for a disposable chump to get free work from and never speak to again; “exposure” is an intangible item and so it can’t even be guaranteed! I think doing free work if you’re apprenticing/learning is one thing, but not really a good idea in most other cases.

    <3 Michelle · Jul 25, 05:26 PM · #

  24. Gala, i’d love to read a post about how you store and organize your jewelry. Mine is a WRECK and i need a better solution.

    <3 Caroline · Jul 25, 05:44 PM · #

  25. So dealing with this right now. I’ve turned away 4-5 different gigs in the last week because they wanted to do it all for trade or for free. There’s a difference between working because it will help promote or benefit my portfolio and doing something that will, overall, only end up being one sided. Beginning to learn that lesson and definitely putting my foot down.

    Love this, especially after the day I’ve had. xoxo

    <3 lydia hudgens · Jul 25, 09:02 PM · #

  26. @ Michelle
    Thanks so much for that. Yeah, I figured that if my comic didn’t totally bomb, I might go the donation route. I mean, I don’t NEED donations (I don’t think I’ll be relying on webcomics for finances) but I just wanted to know how I could protect my intellectual property.
    You’re totally right about stealing characters/plots biting thieves in the butt. Waaay too many times have I seen that happen!

    <3 TheBunnyGeek · Jul 26, 12:59 AM · #

  27. I like the sentiment, but I currently write for free for one publication and I’ve had some incredible exposure and opportunities that came from my free work, opportunities I’d certainly not have scored without accepting a bit of free stuff to kick it off. I’ve also had experiences reporting on various events that have been incredible that again, I’d not have scored if I had demanded paid gigs from the get go. I’m also an intern for a wonderful company (an ngo) that I will probably work for at some stage in my future and I think exposure to how the company works as well as building up my contacts within the company is going to be super important – they are also super grateful for the work I do. I think it’s just important to be discerning about where you draw the line – a bit of getting your name and work out there is good, but valuing our own work is really important too. So do your dues, make your contacts, build your portfolio, then work it & show people why your time and work is valuable and worthy of remuneration.

    <3 Kate · Jul 26, 04:23 AM · #

  28. So simple but true.

    <3 living savvy · Jul 26, 06:14 AM · #

  29. Excellent advice! I learned that coming right out of art school.

    P.S.
    I’ve always wondered…Do you ever watch or listen to Flight of the Conchords?

    <3 Valerie · Jul 26, 09:51 AM · #

  30. Caroline — Ugh I wish I had a better system myself! At the moment, the stuff I wear regularly is in a big candy jar on my dresser. All my ears are lined up along the top of my mirror, my necklaces hang off a couple of pins in the wall & the rings I wear every day sit on top of my dresser. I have my flower crowns sitting on the heads of various bright pink skulls, haha. It is not ideal AT ALL!

    Valerie — Yes, I love FotC! We actually went to the same university & I saw them perform in bars a bunch of times!

    <3 Gala · Jul 26, 09:58 AM · #

  31. @TheBunnyGeek good luck on your webcomic! we should start a support group for rainbow haired webcomicers ;)

    <3 Michelle · Jul 26, 02:51 PM · #

  32. you know how i feel about this… a-men.
    i have so many crazy stories to tell about why i think this needs to be the new attitude.

    also, i think paying/charging for things on the internet will allow for the overall quality to go up.

    <3 jennine · Jul 27, 09:02 PM · #

  33. Love this. Especially because I had to squeeze a “don’t work for free” message into this post wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/... primarily because someone I used to work with was preying on my network, offering people he met through me product of very little value in exchange for very hard work. It was terrible.

    Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of people in fashion being asked to do one to three-day “projects” as part of an interview process. Funny how no one EVER gets a job from these things but the company winds up with a lot more designs! So why ever hire?

    <3 WendyB · Jul 27, 09:08 PM · #

  34. Well that is an important mantra if I’ve ever heard one. THANK YOU for reminding me of it and thank you for your wonderful site and beautiful inspiring confidence!

    <3 Melissa · Jul 27, 10:41 PM · #

  35. Gala, that is beyond awesome! You are one lucky girl. Those guys are hilarious and never stop tickling my funny bone.

    <3 Valerie · Jul 28, 09:55 AM · #

  36. Wow, Gala, that is exactly what I needed to hear. I just made a decision to only take paying gigs. I am missing London Fashion Week for that reason.

    <3 Laura Connell · Aug 24, 10:21 AM · #