Concerning Editing, Cover Art, and Story Commissions

This is something that's been bothering me for awhile and I need to get it off my chest.
Or rib cage really, no I am not joking sadly because like many in this wonderful world I am one of the creatives who for some reason others expect to always work for free. For some reason people seem to think artists, editors, writers, and others don't need money to survive. That they do it for the love and joy of creating, which is true. But what is also true is love and joy don't pay the bills, or keep you from turning into a skeletal looking person again.

This isn't just a rant about big companies either, I'm looking at all those who constantly ask for something for free. Now there are situations where I'll do free work, for a friend, sibling, and some projects for exposure. However there is a line that must be drawn, all artists must do this. Oh I should add the thing I did for my sibling has ended up with me possibly getting paid big bucks for a larger project, that is why I do free work. If it leads to a paid job it's fine, exceptions for friends. But I'm even charging my own family for a big branding project and getting a signed contract, because though I love tea and coffee it isn't exactly nutrient filled. And though thin is kind of a thing, I do like my muscle mass that I used to have and would like it back.

Despite the fact that I wish I could just create art, stories, songs, audio, and edit works for free; that's not possible. Financially it would end with me further down the path of literal starvation, and magically able to poke my fingers all the way under my ribs again three inches again...
By again I mean it's happened before, because nobody paid me for my work. It's happened to others for the same reason, right now I'm sitting on work that people want to buy but are too cheap to pay the price I ask. That price is 70% print cost, 10% shipping and handling, 20% profit which is relatively nothing. Considering to make ends meet I'd need to sell at least 50 a month of the larger prints, taking that into consideration and that profit is nothing. Even if I create multiple works, hundreds of them, all with my existing materials. I'm still stuck with many people and ponies refusing to buy because "It's priced too high".

I've been told by many people they would buy some pieces I've created. If I dropped the price for example, of a five foot one of a kind industrial style artistic shelf to 50$. It's solid steel, has dragons and a castle background, oh and clawed feet made of saw blades. The materials alone cost more than 50$, and the reason given isn't that people and ponies don't think it's worth that much. No it's that " I see that it's worth that much, but I don't feel like I should have to pay that price," attitude. I've been told this to my face, they agree it's valued at much much higher; it's just they feel they are too important and special too have to pay that price.

Like this, but with statues and artistic metalworking, made with a MIG welder and mixed metals; that gave off toxic fumes while the artwork was being created.

I think there is a similar problem here, see I don't mind doing free work, but I do expect to be paid for some work. Because I'm literally starving here, as are many others. Right now I can poke my fingers about 1/4 inch under my ribs. I fully expect by January for that to go up to 2 inches. If nobody pays for my work, and I can't sell of excess property, chances are I'll look like I belong in a crypt soon. There are days I'm so nutrient deprived I can't wake up properly. But sure, I'll keep doing stuff for free as my body eats itself alive because I can't afford food again. Because I look like death, finding employment is difficult. So it's a no win situation, so I say as I poke my fingers into my visible collarbone an inch. My point is, you can't expect artists even ones that make fan art to work for free all the time. Eventually they have to get paid, because some of us are starving here.

Now the thing is I'm also writing books, to do this I need to eat, to eat I need money, to get money I need to sell my artistic and literary editing skills. But nobody and no pony wants to pay the price for that. So where does that leave me and others?

Well presuming you have a strong stomach there is always freeganism.

No I'm kidding, it's a legitimate lifestyle. I have actually done this at one point, and begged food off others, and started looking at food with shifty eyes. I lived on free samples too, and though I can do it doesn't mean I want to. Besides, local stores padlock their bins at night so it's not an option. Yes I'm a tree hugger, yes I'll eat wild food stuffs and things I grow in my garden. But I prefer to view dumpster diving as a last ditch though increasingly appealing option. So as it stands right now, for those who are both in need of art and editing and those who create it; there are two options.

Pay the Artists, Editors, Musicians, Lyricists, and Authors at least half of the time. Or let them starve to the point of dumpster diving, and walk away with your free art feeling like they got a good deal. While they're starving and possibly struggling to pay the bills.

Now I'm off to bed, I've got a full day tomorrow and some garbage bins to stake out, and a bolt cutter to buy.

Just add Writer, Comedian, Editor, Musician and you've got some of what I don't get paid to do.

Note: To everyone I've agreed to do free work for, this isn't aimed at you. It's aimed at everypony else who thinks I'll always do work free.

Here's a hint aimed at them, I'm writing up my going rate on Monday.

Glen Gorewood