Comments on: Invasion of the Brain Pickers: 9 Ways To Deal With Bids For Free Advice

By: Nancy Fornasiero

Nancy Fornasiero — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 15:11:06 +0000

Thank you for this excellent advice, Rona, and especially for your practical tips. As a professional who has been a “pickee” as well as a “picker,” I have a strong sixth sense around the moment when being helpful crosses over into being taken advantage of, but you have helped define that moment with precision. Your suggested action plan is fab: strategy #8 in particular. I’m going to start zeroed-out invoicing right away.

By: Patti Pokorchak

Patti Pokorchak — Wed, 25 May 2016 14:44:38 +0000

Perfect summary of why not give away our hard earned wisdom for free.

What I’ve found is that people do not value your advice IF you’re not charging them your normal fee. Nor do they do not feel obligated to take your advice as they’re not paying for it!

I have that girlfriend who married the guy I repeatedly said to break up with since they were constantly fighting….. they are still fighting. So can so relate to this article!

By: Darlene Kostelac Hinman

Darlene Kostelac Hinman — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 02:15:21 +0000

absolutely great advise which runs contrary to our inner nature as sharing beings. we are valuable–are talents are worth something–and we do not need to feed into the “75 cents to a dollar value” compared to males. thank you for the words to support my beliefs in me!

By: Rona Maynard

Rona Maynard — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 01:21:03 +0000

Good points, Rachel. If someone shows respect for my time and a willingness to pay for it, I doubt I’d bother to charge for a short conversation. What I resent is the expectation that I should be happy to share my hard-earned expertise with anyone who asks.

By: rachel

rachel — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 20:30:18 +0000

As a publicist,exposure is the last thing I need, so when people offer to do that for me it’s a flat out no. However there are some wonderful people that I reach out to on occasion for advice, but I always ask if they need me to pay for their time- even if it’s just a few minutes. I feel it shows respect for their time and skills, and that I’m not asking for anything free. More often or not they will give me advice gratis because they know that it will be returned. And if it is too much to ask then they will tell me how much they need. There is something to be said for helping people but I too have been taken advantage of under the guise of possible work. One person I know was bombarded with requests for tips so he set up a page where you can ask 5 questions or tips and he’ll answer them in an email or phone call- after you push the paypal button for $10.00. Even something like that can show that your talents are to be valued. The price of business shouldn’t cost us more than it already does!

By: Donna Papacosta

Donna Papacosta — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 15:13:51 +0000

Excellent advice, beautifully written (of course), Rona. I sometimes do the coffee thing with new grads as a way to “pay it forward,” but not usually with business people. They need to value the work we do, and not expect us to labour for free or for “exposure.” As a friend of mine says: “Exposure? I could die from exposure!”

By: colin brzezicki

colin brzezicki — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 14:43:33 +0000

Rona. I agree completely with your observations and advice. As a career writer and editor you expect to be paid for your expertise and it must be galling to be exploited and guilt-tripped by those who presume, especially friends.
A very close friend of mine has won every fiction prize in the country and the most I have asked him for is a reference in my application for a residency. He is, like you, bombarded by complete strangers for free technical help.
Humility and patience are no longer the virtues of aspiring writers. Many are presumptuous and delusional, and there are far too many of us!