Are We Being Unfair?
In the blog below on writer's websites (with 87 comments, of which I am only halfway through!), reader Jan says that it is unfair of writers to take graphic and web matters into their own hands. She says that since we expect people to hire writers for professional writing services, we should practice what we preach, and hire professional web designers for professional websites.
Jan's argument is a smart one and she may have a point. However, here's a thought. I really don't expect new, fiscally insolvent companies to hire a writer. I probably wouldn't even work for such a company, unless their need for me was dire. I expect new companies to make do as best they can until they can afford to hire a writer. And, I wouldn't be offended as a writer that they've had to take that route.
Same with new writers. Unless you're looking to inject some dollars into your business from your personal stash (which is fine, I did), then by all means, start low, get a couple jobs under your belt, and then hire a web designer.
What do you think? Is doing your own graphics and web work a double standard?
What do you think? Is doing your own graphics and web work a double standard?
I think this complaint is nonsense. It is like a chef complaining that everyone who eats should come to their restaurant every day. Part of good business sense is doing what you can for your business, and hiring others only when you can’t fulfill the need.
If you can do it well and effectively then by all means do it.
I am a new writer and I do not have a personal stash to inject money into my business. I’m waiting till I have a few gigs under my belt – or enough money from as many gigs as it takes to hire a web designer.
I’ve done my homework. I’ve chosen who I’ll be giving the job too and what I’ll want from my website. Till the time I can’t afford a domain and a web designer, I’m using Blogspot.
Personally if someone has the ability to create there own webpage by all means!
We all think of ways to save ourselves time and money, I’m sure other do also when it comes to something they need for there business. It’s never a double standard to save your self some time and money, especially when it’s our own businesses.
It’s all about your ability to create a quality product. There is no double standard…if you got the skills to do the job, then do it.
Also, for those that have both skills, Adobe C4 makes it easy. You can do the writing in your magazine, do the layout of the magazine, and then port it to a web page.
Uh…no? Why on Earth would I hire someone to do something I can do myself? My husband does our oil changes – it saves us about thirty bucks per car, but is it unfair to all the Quick Stop Oil Change places? I cook dinner for my family, but I guess I’ve never stopped to think how all the unemployed personal chefs out there might feel.
It’s sort of a ridiculous logic. I mean, if someone feels guilty and wants to contract out their website work, by all means – I am not interested in convincing you otherwise. But I’m sure as haitis not going to feel guilt about making a sound financial decision for myself and my business. If someone feels confident enough in their writing ability to do write their own copy, I’m not going to stomp my foot and hold it against them.
Here’s the question – how many graphic artists and web designers have done their own writing without hiring a professional writer?
If you have the skills and the client is happy with the results, it shouldn’t make a difference.
If you have the skills to do it, why not? I happen to be a computer specialist as well as a writer, and I regularly create web sites and blogs for my customers. To hire someone else to do what I can do perfectly well myself would be silly.
Professionalism is the key. I am not a pre-press expert, so if I needed, say, a layout in Quark or InDesign, I’d go to a specialist because I know I’d screw it up and it would look unprofessional. If you know how to do it right, go for it.
I would love to have a web designer create a professional website just for me! And I’ll hire one as soon as I write my first best seller
If you are multi-talented, it’s not a problem. But many of us do best when we stick to our strengths. For me it’s writing. Yes, if you lack the money, you must do most of the work yourself, or get a friend who’s good in the field where you are weak to help. You might barter with her and trade copy for graphic design. Otherwise concentrate on your talent and keep the rest simple.
When you do a project for a customer, and you don’t have all the needed skills, look for partners to do the web design and graphic work.
I think hiring a web designer to do a basic site for someone who is just starting out as a writer is absurd. Yes, web design can be complicated, but setting up a personal or professional blog is very simple and requires no web design ability. This is the route new writers should take, in my opinion, and then spend the money on hiring a designer when and if their business requires something more. Considering the fact that most web designers I’ve spoken to expect a minimum payment of $1,000 to create a totally personalized site, I think it’s an expenditure that needs to be justified by some success in the field.
I think she’s right. Obviously most of us are in no position to hire someone, but we should take the view that we SHOULD hire someone, and will do so at our earliest opportunity. So if you’re getting corporate work and want to impress corporate clients, for example, hire someone to design the website.
We’re all in this together.
“What do you think? Is doing your own graphics and web work a double standard?”
No, not at all. If a writer is able to do those things why pay someone else? I trained as a designer before I became a writer, so it would be a complete waste of money to hire a third party when I’m quite capable of creating my own templates and graphics.
Hi everybody. Guess I’ll jump back into the fray that I created. Allena, you don’t know how funny it is that you called me “Jan.” (The minister called me “Jan” during our wedding ceremony and I immediately corrected him thinking that the marriage wouldn’t be valid if he called me by the wrong name! What a hoot!) My point with the original post was simply this: use a professional service provider if you’re not skilled in a given area and compensate them fairly for the work they provide. “Do unto others…” in other words. In my experience, I’ve noticed that more and more clients think they’re capable writers and designers just because they have computers on their desks with programs installed like WORD and Publisher, when, in fact, the skills they bring to a project are more managerial, which is just as important. A professional design teammate of mine is working on a website that needs to be totally overhauled because the client thought they were saving money by using a staffer’s college student child “with a good design eye” to build it the first time around. The site is dismal and doesn’t do what it’s structurally intended to do. (Just like the press releases their unpaid interns write that don’t actually “say” anything so the news never gets picked up by the media so the client thinks “PR doesn’t work” – don’t get me started…..) Thanks for continuing the discussion. Interesting. (By the way, if I knew how to change the oil in my car I’d do it myself too!)