I get a request every damn day
asking me to work for exposure.
Write a brand new story
for this boxed set
and you’ll find new readers.
No, you won’t get paid.
The profits will go to me,
the organizer,
but the exposure will be priceless.
If it were ‘priceless’,
writers would be approaching
the organizer,
not the other way around.
I’ve been part of boxed sets
that hit bestseller lists
and I didn’t gain more
than 10 new readers.
But what about
giving back to the community?
Usually legitimate charity projects
don’t use ‘exposure’
as a selling point.
They lead with the giving back,
making a difference
angle.
If you’re going to work
‘for exposure’,
a) don’t expect big sales bumps
from that exposure
and
b) try to get an additional something
from the experience
(like meeting an influential partner
or making a bestseller list).