Comments on: Ask Magpie Girl: Why do you charge for your work?

By: Rachelle

Rachelle — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:33:17 +0000

Thank you so much everyone. Your comments really sustained me on a “low” day. This work is rewarding, but hard. I need my community to help me keep on keepin’ on.

Much warmth to you this day,

Your Magpie Girl

By: Evelyn

Evelyn — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:06:37 +0000

Just want to say – I love you for the work you do… regardless if it benefits me in the moment – I know it benefits the universe. I love that you get paid for what you have researched, and learned, and offer, because that IS your work. Education has NEVER been free. I want to learn something, I buy a book, I sign up for a course, I look for people like you. It is my hope to join your flock some day… but right now I take tender baby steps to keep my creative going, and move through what is right now, the drama of my life. BUT I LOVE you for being there. I didn’t read the many comments you have gotten on this topic. I know what it is like to sustain yourself with just the knowledge you have and everyone else wants… Thanks! That is from me, and, if the universe doesn’t mind… the Universe too!

By: Megan

Megan — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:09:30 +0000

Amen! I’m so glad you wrote this. I am constantly surprised at how creative people tend to feel that their work is not “worth” as much financially as other professions — or even that getting paid somehow makes the work less authentic. Poppycock!

I don’t submit my work to places that do not pay anymore, unless there is some major reason why I would (such as a charity or a friend I want to give to — because giving my time and work is giving!). Many a writer would scoff at that, but I believe my creative work has as much worth as anyone’s work, and I believe for writers to be seen as professionals we need to be paid. Now if I could just get a little more confident when I negotiate those actual paychecks… ;)

And I so agree with the post that said people who expect soul work for free are probably not ready for it — we must make a real investment in this kind of service to validate its purpose, for both parties, period.

By: Heather Claus

Heather Claus — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:18:20 +0000

Hi Rachel! Thanks for posting a link to this blog on 3rd Tribes.

I’m an online instructor from way back. I taught the first online sewing class in 1997. I had no reason to think I shouldn’t make money. Since I was doing it. But even then, I felt there were limits to where and how to make money. I’ve seen every one busted by the right business model.

Fast forward 13 years later. I just recently read “Free: The future of a radical price,” and recommend it to all interested in free versus paid content. It is not a light book – in fact, it’s heavy on economics theory, but it’s sound reasoning and gives a lot more than it takes ($24.95 retail, I believe).

I give a lot away free. It’s karma that I do so. I charge for my experience in the right situations as well. We all have to find the balance in how we live, and your blog has addressed that balance in such a way that I can see it will inspire many to declare,

“I am worth a living wage!”

Brava!

By: lala

lala — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:23:20 +0000

I love all of the community thoughts on this!
My friend Sarah is a blogger for life and we talk about this issue of money A LOT. I am super fascinated by this article at Fast Company Magazine (http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/139/loop-de-loop.html) which talked about the next wave of services which customers are demanding be provided “free” of charge and how the providers of those services have yet to figure out how to do that well (bloggers/facebook/twitter/etc).
I was particularly entranced with the story of GOGGLE which for a long time was considered a joke by experts because they could not figure out how to make money off of their invention.
I believe the question of how to provide services for free while still getting paid is something that we are all still in the process of figuring out.

By: cora

cora — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:44:28 +0000

excellent posting.

I believe that if someone wants something as valuable as the soul care you offer, or other life-valuable information for free, that that individual is not at a place to receive the help/info anyways. Only people who are willing to invest a little of themselves, monetary or otherwise, will get something back.

Even in a non-monetary, friend-based mentor relationship, there has to be an investment in the relationship. If I go to somebody I admire and want them to impart their wisdom in my life, it’s not going to happen the first time I meet with them. And it’s not going to happen if I go about it in a self-centred way. I need to invest in them as a person I value.

It’s good to see you are answering these questions. It’s good to see you know you have something valuable.

By: Rachelle

Rachelle — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:53:05 +0000

Hey Amy,

I just emailed you and sent you a refund. Sorry for the cross-communication!

You are the second person who has said that to me about my email. Argh! I have no idea what is up with that! Even tho I live on blogs and twitter, I am really very technologically crippled. I’ll look into it!

Cheers,

By: Amy

Amy — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:39:23 +0000

Great post. I agree wholeheartedly.
I have been having trouble emailing you using the email address on your site. My emails just bounce back. Could you email me? I hadn’t realised that you had dropped ads and just paid for one through paypal.
Thanks.

Amy

By: Rachelle Mee-Chapman

Rachelle Mee-Chapman — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:27:55 +0000

I don’t see ads as primarily a means to make money. Rather, I think they can be an excellent way to alert your readers to tools and resources that will be valuable to them. I never accept an ad or an affiliate program I don’t believe in. I hope that I serve as a Trust Agent to others, and as such carefully selected ads and affliate offerings can become a valuable resource. I don’t think ads diminish a blog at all, provided they are selected properly and encorporated well into the layout.

I’m very slow at coding and dislike email, so managing ads is not a good fit for me. Although I have enjoyed being able to offer them as “thank you” gifts to the guests who have given my readers their time and attention by interviewing at Magpie Girl.

One of the reasons I’m dropping ads in the re-vamp, is to have a more cohesive design look which I can control. That being said, Kind over Matter does an excellent job of using ads in a way that doesn’t interrupt their desgin flow, as do sites like PoppyTalk and Kelley Rae Roberts.

http://kindovermatter.blogspot.com/
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/
http://www.kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/

By: Vicki

Vicki — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:05 +0000

Well said. Nice blog. Small and by hand is a sweet thing!

By: Roxanne

Roxanne — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 01:16:13 +0000

Why charge? Well, hun … because we devote much time to these endeavours …and because time is money, like it or not. And, yes, I’m with Nobel Laureate Milton Freedman, who said “there’s no such thing as a free lunch!”

That said, I really find that Ads on a blog diminshes said blog. IMHO. Just sayin …

By: Tess

Tess — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:06:44 +0000

I’ll add my voice and say how well you’ve answered this issue. I do believe information should be freely available, and the internet is a wonderful repository of information. But there’s an awful lot of complete dross around online as well.
We pay for quality, we pay for convenience.
If I hold a weekend workshop for 20 people I expect to be paid for it. But what I’m teaching is available online free for those who want to hunt around for it. If I hold an online teaching course (which I’m planning) I also expect to be paid for it, even though the same comment holds true.
I also think (warning: gross generalisation ahead!) women especially are prone to undervaluing ourselves and our contribution and we feel we should just give give give.
And Patti, if you’re reading this, I’m completely shocked at the email you just got!

By: heather

heather — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:42:07 +0000

also I think it’s at it’s most basic creating boundaries. and boundaries around work and work product most definitely a necessary thing.

By: patti digh

patti digh — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:27:05 +0000

bravo on approaching this topic with such clarity. having just gotten a blistering, condemning email from someone about “commercializing” 37days because I am creating an audiobook of Life is a Verb, it’s a topic near and dear to me… thank you.

By: Jennifer Louden

Jennifer Louden — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:16:48 +0000

Great post and love the energy in it. We are in the midst of a huge sea change and riding the forefront of it. Free is a myth but the flattening of the world plus the proliferation of content is not plus the Internet started with a free model so it’s very hard to get people to think about paying for what they get for free. Starbucks always charged for coffee. It’s really fascinating to watch how we content creators / soul healers are creating a viable way to make a living. I have faith that somehow we will find a way through this but it is perplexing, at times. Thanks for engaging the question!

By: Jessica

Jessica — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:12:24 +0000

Thank you for posting this question! I was just asking myself the same thing about charging for my own services … and kept responding with ‘why should I charge for something like this?’.

Your answers not only gave me a clearer understanding of why charging is important, but also gave me a prepared response to anyone who might feel as I did.

Thank you!!! You really just totally and completely opened a door for me Rachelle!! I’ll be sharing this post with others too!!

By: Robin

Robin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:46:05 +0000

excellent points you made. Unfortunately, it seems ESPECIALLY in the area of arts and even more so in SOUL CARE, people assume it should be free. Yet at the same time, when one commits to continuous training WHICH IS NOT CHEAP and takes the time to get the legit credentials-why NOT PAY!

By: Carmen

Carmen — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:26:17 +0000

This is an excellent post and topic to think about Rachelle.

By: Rachelle

Rachelle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:06:59 +0000

Christine,

I know, it is frustrating. I’m hoping some gentle information/education might help matters. I’m sure some people don’t realize how much time/work/thought goes into these thing. Hurrah for education campaigns!

I am actually taking ads off my site as I am not an aggressive enough sales person to make them work for me. Instead I’m charging directly for the new content that I’m producing (Ecourses and books). Wish me luck! And good luck to you. May you recieve only support.

By: Christine (Blisschick) Reed

Christine (Blisschick) Reed — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:58:24 +0000

I’m back…sorry…

I’ve been thinking lately about adding some ads to my site, and I know (oh, do I KNOW) that people will complain.

Adding ads is a way to try to avoid actually charging for content AND perhaps helping to feed my family…but the cries will be loud as I have seen happen time and again on other sites.