How Do You Value Your Work: What Separates a Design Hobbyist from a Professional Designer
Copyright 2013 Margot Potter
All Rights Reserved
One of the most empowering and important things a professional designer can do is put a tangible value on their work, their time and creativity. And when I say value, I mean a monetary one. All creativity has value. It's a tricky thing because not everyone who creates does it for a living or for any financial return. A lot of people create for the sheer, unfettered joy of it. That's a personal choice and an acceptable one for sure. Doing what we love doesn't mean we have to do it for a living. So, what separates a professional designer from a hobbyist? Is it skill? Is it knowledge? Is it simply the willingness to say, "I am hanging out my shingle, this designer is for hire?" How do you value your work enough to ask for compensation? What is the value of creativity?