On getting paid by Jessica Hesche
Pricing
It’s an interesting article and I think definitely worth the read. As a designer, let’s say for ease, a graphic designer, person who does up wonderful logos for varied businesses. Working in a company has its benefits, that’s my point – there could be health, medical benefits, or sick leave benefits, as a freelancer, well chances are slim to create enough revenue to get yourself a good benefit package. As the article speaks to, you be just designing and not having to deal with the clients directly as much as freelance. For freelance, there is no buffer, you are the main point of contact and that’s that. No middle man to take care of the client’s needs and just as the article states, you may end up being their therapist, or needing one yourself.
Rights management
Who owns your work? This is a very tricky area and it’s all fair and fun to say we own all of our work but let’s be honest, companies, really want to own their logo and while you might be lucky and be paid well for all your creative efforts, you can be almost sure - unless you are a seasoned pro, you won’t be paid well enough.
Hische speaks about pricing in term of charging an hourly wage. I think this is a really good topic to look at. The most important part she talks about is knowing yourself well, how much time do you spend on say a logo design? Really? One thinks oh maybe it’ll take 15 hours but unless you are really good at timing yourself then a mere 15 hours is likely going to be a guestimate and sadly probably not in your favor. It is good practice and it should be taught in a design program, that you clock your time, just jot it down, 10 minutes here, an hour here, another 20 minutes. You will be surprised at how quickly time adds up – truly amazing. So as Hische says, you have to really have to be able to know yourself in terms of design time.
Internships
I agree with her advice of not to take internships if you can at all avoid them. I think it’s true that you might end up getting the endless coffee take out runs. If a company really is serious about training interns it will be quite apparent in the first few weeks, if you are just sitting around or doing aimless errands – run. The exchange between an employer and an intern is a two way street and as Hishe explains it usually isn’t. It’s ok if you are 19, living at home and your parents don’t mind you living free for a while – while you gain some experience, but make sure it’s worthwhile.
The Buttry Diary
I found this article to be interesting and insiteful as to how to write good copy for a blog or website. It would seem to me that Buttry has a good grasp on his writing schools and I find it slants toward journalist writing. I’ve read the document and can’t find any thing much to say than that is good advice, they are good tips . I especially like the tip about not including something you have dug around for and found something that you really want to add, but sometimes it just isn’t relevant by the time you get the focus of your article. It’s a good idea to sometimes, just let it go.
Another suggestion maybe he could have added is to read other’s blogs and really look at the writing style of person’s blog. It is more just informational driven, it is stark and to the point, does it contain humor; what is it about it that captures your attention and makes you return?
10 steps to better blogging by Dan Frommer
I enjoyed this article more so than the previous because Frommer made a little more shall we say down to earth. It’s obvious he has learned something along the way and he wants to share it in a very simple and clear way.
Write the site that you want to read.
Again this is a good tip. If you read other’s blogs or magazine articles and you like their style, chances are you are going to be writing with the same writing elements in your own work. Be yourself. I’ve had writer friends who write in a way that doesn’t sound like them at all, so it doesn’t seem genuine to me at all.
Attribute well — the way you’d want to be attributed.
This is very important, if someone had eluded to one of your articles in their works and didn’t give you the credit, how would that feel? It would be beyond rude and if you want to feel good about you and the work you do, give credit when credit is due and they in the similar community/field will return that favor.
Care about your design
Don’t let the flashy flash animations, the long videos, take over your site. A site is made to be informative not a mode of digital media entertainment – unless that’s your intention.
Good article, very simple; easy to read and good advice.
