JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Blazetrak...

OK I'm caught up on Brian's reply now.
Again I haven't paid in any credits to date but I do find the business model intriguing.

I do appreciate free (esp ALL the hard work going into JPF in the foreground and behind the scenes), paying it forward, and giving back to the community: I do get all that.

And I do hear what Jim is saying that it seems tawdry in some way -- I hear that -- and IMO it goes right in with this being the USA I guess, where when Hurricane Katrina hits, there are Looters everywhere scrounging anything of anybody else's they can get their hands on --- and after the tsunami in Japan -- I hear everyone's personal things and stores go completely untouched as *that would be disrespectful.*

So maybe it is a cultural perception.

But what I am seeing is -- actually being listened to -- by the actual person promised to you: and that intrigues me.

There's a reason it's called the "slush pile." After all....

Would it make anybody feel any better if you had to pass a "you are good enough to submit" process from middlemen before you were allowed to buy credits???

Actually I believe that would make me, personally, feel worse about the whole idea and far more suspect of a scam. Just like the bazillion companies out there ready to fluff you up and tell you how wonderful you are just to snag your money....

And I am willing to be wrong about the Almighty Dollar having little effect on the pro's signed up....... sure, in today's economy it must all still count - but there are still such phrases as "working for peanuts" and "you just can't pay me enough" which may apply here -- from their perspective. If you have over a million in the bank earning interest you live off of (having been very smart, let's pretend you were) -- honestly -- $50, $100 by that point is small change. It's a tip at the restaurant tonight - or less.

Meaning: It's *barely* compensation for their time which is, literally, very valuable -- especially considering ANY thing good or bad could be sent and they're committed to the headache of a video reply to absolute JUNK if that's what they get in the box....... and oh MY that part of the job can't be too fun.

Some are crying "expensive!!" and maybe it is, in comparison to Taxi or NSAI's $5-10 critique fees....... but for what it IS, and the fact that they ARE delivering the video responses within the set timeframe, or credits are refunded to try again -- for what it actually IS - it doesn't sound overpriced, to me.

Maybe I'm undereducated on that. I'm willing to be wrong.

But I'll tell you something I know - from being on the critiquer's end: as a freelance editor, it wasn't long before I started taking writing samples before committing to a client.

Had good reasons for that.... yeah.

I have to say - from these professional's viewpoint - kudos for being willing to open yourselves up to sorting through the random slushpile, and allowing the possibility of finding talent this new internet way a chance.

Ethical, unethical, to charge a fee?
Lawyers charge fees, doctors charge fees...
Specialists in any field, ESPECIALLY charge fees...
Shrug.

Anyway it's the middle of the night and I may not be making any sense.



Linda