# Are you up for writing commissions?



## Jwargod (Jun 28, 2009)

Topic.

I've been commissioning/been trying to commission stories as of late, but the difference between each writer and how they're commissioned is an epic quest in itself. So I was wondering if there was any of you have a set commission page/section/document ready to go to look at for possible commissions?

It's been extremely hard and time consuming to figure out what a writer will and will not do, what causes writer's blocks, and if they are able to put out if paid or communicate (had a very bad experience where a writer wrote up an entire story with no feedback from me at any point).

I love reading alot more then staring at a picture, but it's so hard to find a writer and even harder to find one that is set on the commission.

If you're interested in contacting me personally, would prefer via chat from personal info here: http://jwargod.deviantart.com/

And payment is always done via Paypal.


----------



## Xipoid (Jun 28, 2009)

I've never been approached by someone looking to buy anything, so I've never really given it much thought. It seems like something a little more involving to do as opposed to having something drawn for you.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 28, 2009)

Nearly every artist I've commissioned was all about being as specific as possible as to what I wanted.

On the other hand every writer got harder to work with as what was wanted got more specific, with the except of one I'm currently working with. It's understandable though since writing and plot is more logistical then a picture of bizarre sexual being. Just would save both of us a lot of time though (especially on just leaving me in the air if they will do it or not) to know what they will and will not do similar to how many artists list on journals/profiles.


----------



## Xipoid (Jun 28, 2009)

I think the only real indicator beyond simply outright asking, would be to review what they write (for themselves). That usually outlines their interests and style, which would imply what they are willing and not willing to write to some extent.


I would tend to believe that being very specific in commissioning a story would lead to problems because it would interrupt the writer's natural flow and progression. They would no longer be writing a story around your idea but trying to guess what you would write yourself, which rather curbs creativity.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 28, 2009)

Exactly, for the most part though I leave the plots and stories pretty open, but just interested in the physical characteristics and possibly the mental traits of the character itself.

It's just horrible to find out in the middle of think-tanking though that the writer or myself suddenly have a conflict on interests solely based personal preferences in character's appearance or fetishes involved.


----------



## Xadera (Jun 28, 2009)

Judging by what you've asked for in the past, Hellkat would be the artist you'd wanna look at here: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/hellkat/ . Hellkat does a lot of TF/TG/monster-girl sexual stories and they have their commission statistics written out plainly in a journal. 

And as for the being "too specific" thing, it kinda stifles the writer since you're essentially writing the story yourself at that point. With the very little experience I've had with requests, the only details I needed were a few themes that could each be described in a single word and a picture that references the type of character or scene that will be a focus of the story.


----------



## Xipoid (Jun 28, 2009)

I can see how that would be rather unfortunate. The only thing I can think of is to just come up with everything you want in the story and then pass the whole thing by the writer to see if they have any qualms. Though, at this point I'm guessing it's going to be dealing with subject matter more than anything else. I'm not really sure if there is anything else to object to story wise, unless someone really uppity about how they want to end a conflict.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 28, 2009)

She's expensive to me, going to leave it at that.

Edit: Also I'm commissioning. There was no way in heck I was going to ask an author to write something with no practical value in return for their services. It also could be the fact though that the idea of commissioning a writer is so rarely done or thought about that once in the situation they don't realize that their pastime is suddenly a job. But bah, I'm the commissioner not the writer.

Working several years in retail/customer service and moderating has taught me there's always two sides to the story, and both of ya are helping greatly with that.


----------



## Myasa (Jun 29, 2009)

I've always wanted my writing to be commission worthy, but it's hard to find people who actually treat writers with the same respect and value they do artists. I had been trying to find people to _request_ writing from me for the past year and more, and so since I couldn't get anyone to even request, I'd figured that no one would pay for something they wouldn't want for free. Personally, I don't think I'd ever really do commissions unless I got flooded with people. Donations, maybe, and those would likely go to just commissioning other artists to draw things from the stories anyway.

Personally, my ultimate wish is to be able to do trades with artists. Writing stories for art and drawing art for stories. Collaborations over comics, teaming for story animation, and things like that is my real wish.

As for my style, once I'm given an image I go with it. Too specific is hard to reach, and too broad is difficult as well. Key details or perks for the requester/commissioner are easy to incorporate, in my opinion.

Still, in the end, I'd do writing commissions. I'd just give those stories that much more time, thought, and review, and the money would just end up with another arist anyway.


----------



## M. LeRenard (Jun 29, 2009)

I think a lot of writers generally don't do commissions, anyway.  I, for one, would rather concentrate my energy on a) what's fun for me and others, and b) stuff I can send off to mainstream publications.  Writing stuff for one person is fun and can have benefits, sure, but you can't list it in a query letter when trying to get your novel taken on by an agent.  A lot of more professional artists don't just take random commissions, either; rather, they sell to companies (designing logos, making an advertisement poster, etc.), they do original works that they put in the general market, things like that.  And I think this is because both writing and artwork, when done to a professional degree of skill, take a really large amount of effort, so one wants the audience to be as broad as possible.
In any case, writers are picky about things.  They often have this idea that if their stuff isn't coming directly from the soul, it's not good enough.  So they won't write an idea they're not 100% behind.  I think you just need to find someone who isn't like that.  Unfortunately, I don't know of such a person who also happens to be doing commissions.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

Well got 2 people so far, here's to hoping!


----------



## M. LeRenard (Jun 29, 2009)

Good luck, then.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

and post up some information sometime on your own commission availability, you give off the aura of someone who is a bit busy despite the currently doing commissions in cruise control.


----------



## Drbigt (Jun 29, 2009)

I can write about anyone, anything, and with as many pages as you want. There's absolute no limits to what I'd do and you don't have to care about what I like, it's story to you, not to me. And the more information is supplied the better the results, as well as any extra detail and such. I usually don't get writer's block unless I run out of motivation but if you're serious about paying, then that's the biggest motivator one could hope. 


1$ for each page, written in Times New Roman and 12 points, would that sound fair to you?  If you do multiple comissions, I suppose I could include in my mass discount system too.


http://www.digiartistsdomain.org/lemons/misterbigt/


Is where you can read most of my stories albeit a lot of them are vastly outdated.


EDIT: 

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/789949

"Any story I write will be posted publicly on FA and Yiffstar. If you don't want it published on the internet negotiations will have to be made, but suffice to say it will likely require about $200 on top of the story to prevent me from publishing it on the internet."


What the hell?!!?!  Do people really pay this outrageous sums for stuff that becomes FREE for everyone else?? Wow, I've been in the wrong business, I should start asking money from my stories instead of my coloring.


I wouldn't even mind but she's not even all that special writer and she seems to have limitations as far as what she'd write about. (The stuff she doesn't like comes with extra cost, bah) She's very decent writer and I like her style actually but she's really not worth that much money, when a lot of people could write better and for free/less.

EDIT 2: I'm sorry if that semi rant offended anyone; I'll remove it.


----------



## foozzzball (Jun 29, 2009)

Just a note on pricing.

People tend to ask for/pay token amounts. This isn't very encouraging for those of us hoping to earn a crust, unlikely as that is. What is a token amount? SFWA (science fiction and fantasy writers of america) guidelines imply that anything under five cents a word is 'semi-pro', and keep in mind those guidelines are for things _a writer has already written and is trying to sell._

Hiring a writer to produce something that did not exist before, in my mind, should be at a going rate higher than this.

Of course if everyone involved is happy with what's going on, it's totally fine! I'm just saying that I don't think people really have any concept of the going rate for written words, and that is a pity.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

Yep, met a nice published (confirmed) writer once when I was more naive about commissioning. Amazing writer, 2 cents per word though? No thanks. Hurt alot though that I wouldn't (noticed I'm not saying 'couldn't') commission her... such a great horror writer.


----------



## Xadera (Jun 29, 2009)

I think Hellkat's prices are very fair for her level of work. I mean, I don't particularly like most of her stories, but she does appeal to a lot of people and she's very good at describing things well. And considering how many commissions she has, the prices seem to have met the demand well enough. 

The average sketch commission from an artist runs about $10-$20. A full commission is usually, at the very least, $50. Writing a story takes just as much time and effort, if not more in some cases. I myself would probably ask for around $20 for a 5-page story commission, mainly because I'm still quite the amateur. Many longer story commissions would probably hover around 10-15 pages. Considering the time and effort that a longer story would take, $50+ seems quite reasonable to me, and that's because I'm not great at writing. If I were a better writer like most of those who frequent these forums more, I would probably be asking for a lot more than that. Per word, as fooz mentioned, would be more likely for pros, but they probably wouldn't be taking their commissions through FA. 

$10 for 10 pages, however, would only be understandable for someone who is trying to advertise their abilities or because they aren't terribly good to begin with. If anything, I'd say $10 should get you just the outline for a story, since an outline can be done within an hour. $10 an hour rate seems pretty fair to me.


----------



## Drbigt (Jun 29, 2009)

Xadera said:


> $10 for 10 pages, however, would only be understandable for someone who is trying to advertise their abilities or because they aren't terribly good to begin with.



Are you saying I'm not good?


----------



## Xadera (Jun 29, 2009)

Drbigt said:


> Are you saying I'm not good?


 
XD Or you're trying to advertise yourself.

I have no idea though, I haven't looked at any of your stuff ;P I was mostly referring to Jwar's asking price of ~$10.


----------



## Drbigt (Jun 29, 2009)

Oh, I was inspired to ask for money in the first place thanks to this post since Hellkat seems to ask ludicrous ammounts and I know I can write better for less than that and she has lots of people pay those ludicrous ammount, logic would dictate I'd get comissions too. Of course, if someone wants to pay me as much as those stories, all I can say is, hit me up. Though I don't think I'd feel good for asking for more than 5$ per a page, even if I'd hate the fetishm.


----------



## foozzzball (Jun 29, 2009)

Jwargod said:


> Yep, met a nice published (confirmed) writer once when I was more naive about commissioning. Amazing writer, 2 cents per word though? No thanks. Hurt alot though that I wouldn't (noticed I'm not saying 'couldn't') commission her... such a great horror writer.



... See, that's a pittance. Particularly for something like erotica, which demands a premium if it's normal _or_ fetishy. Two cents a word is roughly what you can expect if you sell a piece of fiction to a very small press publication, and as I've said previously, that's a whole different ballgame to writing on contract.

I think my real problem with all these people charging ludicrously low amounts (and I count Hellkat in this, you hire Hellkat for 10 000 words and pay that two hundred bucks additional and Hellkat's charging somewhere under four cents a word) is that they kind of, get people to expect to pay less.

I mean, fine, the market does set the rate, and everything is only worth what people will pay for it. Sure. No use whining about that.

But I just find it really annoying when people are like. 'Hay fooz, will u rite me a storie 4 10$!?!?!?!' and they expect me to be OH GOD SO THANKFUL.

If I managed to land the job, and unfortunately (maybe fortunately?) I didn't, writing really trashy mass-produced fantasy/sf pulp novels (kind of like working on tie-in star wars novels, but with intellectual property nobody has ever heard of), I could've been earning around four and a half pence (this is in pounds, it'd translate to more like seven or eight cents US?) a word. 

_That_ is the kind of money one gets from the low end, small-press type guys when writing on contract, on commission, and this was _trashy fantasy_. No porn involved whatsoever.

I hate writing on commission. It _sucks_. I have a million things I'd rather be writing about rather than pouring my soul into someone else's ideas. But, y'know... money's great stuff. And critics who hate your work can't possibly take it away.


----------



## AshleyAshes (Jun 29, 2009)

I'd just not want to take comissions because every single one would just requests to fullfill some stupid kid's masturbatory fantasy.  Boring.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

I don't want to touch professional writers though, obviously they deserve more. Heck most people on sites such as these give little appreciation to writing as it is. One could draw a mediocre cat-girl or fairy, post it up, and get a moderate amount of attention, but write a novella on a obscure Norse myth and you could literally go years without notice, much less feedback. 

I just wish writing was more common, but on top of the more creativity and logical work involved (so an artist drew a bizarre sexual furry anthro, how do you work that into a written plot?), a lot of people show little appreciation. I do want to see stories along certain guidelines though, but I'm not going to be that teenager who should not be on this site in the first place and DEMAND things be handed over to me, or think my money is worth more then it is (worked in retail/customer service for a few years, ugh).

With all this, I WANT TO KNOW MORE. I love everything you guys have said so far. Obviously some have more frustration on the issue then others... for those who even had the luxury (or is it?) experiencing commissions. The major problem too is ignorance. From my experience in commissioning ANYTHING, looking at even a paragraphs worth of commission info goes a long way in attracting attention. If you don't want to give set prices or time done, mention it. Writer's block is a real needle in the foot that most people aren't aware of.


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

AshleyAshes said:


> I'd just not want to take comissions because every single one would just requests to fullfill some stupid kid's masturbatory fantasy.  Boring.



Well take commissions and say you won't do those. Although from your sentence I am not sure if you mean everything was a request (free) or an actual commission (paid).


----------



## Jwargod (Jun 29, 2009)

Hah hah, one person mentioned to me that what I'm talking about seems like I'm trying to make a guide on commissioning etiquette for commissioners and writers, what do y'all think?


----------



## M. LeRenard (Jun 29, 2009)

> and post up some information sometime on your own commission availability, you give off the aura of someone who is a bit busy despite the currently doing commissions in cruise control.


Moi?
I only do art commissions, actually.  I'd sort of rather work with my own writing ideas, because I get those a lot more often than I get ideas for pictures.  And I'm vaguely trying to get published in a mainstream mag, or something, so I'm concentrating my energies more on that and what I do for this site.
So if you'd like artwork, we can talk.  Otherwise... eh.

For people like Hellcat, since they write on a semi-professional level (at least, judging by the quick glance I just threw at her work... except she needs to learn what a dash is) but mostly do fetish work, I'm guessing commissions are her only option.  No one but private interests are going to want that kind of material, I don't think.  So I can see her prices as being somewhat justified.  It's basically self-publication, but without having to print copies and do advertising, and you automatically have at least one buyer.


----------



## AshleyAshes (Jun 29, 2009)

$200 for 10 000 words isn't that bad a price.  It's a terrible price to be employed for.  Where I live, with a minimum wage of $9.50/hr, you'd basicly only have a little over 21hrs to complete your $200 and 10 000 word work, entirely, including proofing and checking, before you were making less than you'd make flipping burgers at McDonalds.


----------



## robotechtiger (Jul 6, 2009)

I'd love to do commissions for furs on FA, but my biggest issue is payment.

I'm certainly not a professional writer, and though I've been writing for years I've very few completed works to show for it.  Granted, I could put a lot more up on the web but I'm worried about how the story lines there would clash with my current project.

I'm not really sure what, if any, is the 'going rate' for commissioned writing.  I don't want to come off as too expensive.  I think I would have to base it on time, word count, and interest in the project.  The more enthusiastic I am about it, the potential for it costing less money.

Guess I'll have to wait and see.


----------



## GraemeLion (Jul 6, 2009)

If I ever did commissions, I'd charge the pro rate , around 5.5 cents per word.  

So at 10,000 words, that would come to around $550.   That's a lot  ,but it's what I'd get for sending it to a professional magazine, and given that it's a custom order, you get what you pay for.


----------



## Gavrill (Jul 6, 2009)

I'd probably charge a cheap rate to begin with, maybe 1$ per 100 words.


----------



## Bladespark (Jul 11, 2009)

Heh.  I'm curious about doing commissions... but I don't know at this point if I'd enjoy it or not, and I really suspect I'd get no customers, given that I don't write porn.  Mature stuff sure, adult themes, I'm there, but actual PORN with all the throbbing manhood and dripping pussy and all that... no thanks.  And what other writing commission market is there around here, honestly?


----------



## GraemeLion (Jul 11, 2009)

You probably wouldn't get customers even if you DID write porn, Blade.  It's not an easy thing to be a writer in a fandom that gets its rocks off to the artwork.   I imagine only the big guns right now can get anything worthwhile in story commissions.

Which is a shame, too, because I think a writing commission is far harder than a drawing commission.   If we did the mad-libs method of writing that some artists do with their badges, it'd be easy.. but it'd also be caught far quicker than the duplication routines the artists do on their badges.


----------

