I have a question for #ttrpg freelancers (writers, editors, artists, etc.).
Should rates for work be set based on if the person being hired is a full-time freelancer (i.e. makes their living freelancing) vs. someone picking up extra work but don’t have a big need for the $ Truly trying to understand whether it's appropriate for an employer to say "We pay this rate because the people who take our gigs do it for love of the hobby and a little side cash, not because they make their living at this work"
— helly arya stark (@sallyt) February 24, 2022
IMO all rates should be livable and should probably only vary for things like experience. Wages should be equal for equal work!
Also, most FT freelancers start out as hobbyists, so paying them lower wages makes the transition harder and contributes to low wages across the board. I also want to add that it's never bad to ask these questions! We're all still figuring this out. It's especially hard when you're an individual trying to make sure your team gets paid. A lot of indie project leads sacrifice their own pay to try to make this happen.
— Justice Ramin Arman (@justicearman) February 24, 2022
I think many people don’t do this because they can. RPG work is hard and there isn’t a TON of money here, but some people take advantage of that and pay less. If you’re writing “for the love of it” then make your stuff and don’t do it for someone else. iIt should absolutely be a living wage. When I first got started, I definitely took less than that BECAUSE I was told over and over again that no one makes a living just doing RPG work. I learned that’s not the case and don’t do it any more. A lot of new folks are told that same story, and so I think it keeps people working for less. I feel like if you don't HAVE the money to pay freelancers, than you should be investing in them in other ways: giving them rights to their work and royalties. Give them ownership.
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) February 24, 2022
Honestly you'll make MORE money doing your own thing in most cases than doing it for 5 cents a word.
— James Introcaso (@JamesIntrocaso) February 24, 2022
I would personally prefer it be based on the expertise of the person. Otherwise, anyone writing quickly hits a cap and that cap is likely based on being 20 years old, single, in a shared apartment.
— Alphastream (@Alphastream) February 24, 2022
That's a big noooope. Because in essence, what that translates to (whether they realize it or not) is "we are only interested in hiring privileged people, not marginalized ones."
— Laura Hirsbrunner (@laura_hirsb) February 24, 2022