In Top 10 Lies told to Naive Artists and Designers Mark Lewis tell us that every freelancer (even if he retricts the list to Artists and Designers, it applies also to web designers, programmers and I bet every other starting freelancer) will ear some lies, trying to get his/her work without proper payment.
The listed lies are:
- “Do this one cheap (or free) and we’ll make it up on the next one.”
- “We never pay a cent until we see the final product.”
- “Do this for us and you’ll get great exposure! The jobs will just pour in!”
- On looking at sketches or concepts: “Well, we aren’t sure if we want to use you yet, but leave your material here so I can talk to my partner/investor/wife/clergy.”
- “Well, the job isn’t CANCELLED, just delayed. Keep the account open and we’ll continue in a month or two.”
- “Contract? We don’t need no stinking contact! Aren’t we friends?”
- “Send me a bill after the work goes to press.”
- “The last guy did it for XXX dollars.”
- “Our budget is XXX dollars, firm.”
- “We are having financial problems. Give us the work, we’ll make some money and we’ll pay you. Simple.”