You all know about the place that hired me and then laid me off, right? Well, you would if you read this thing. Anyway, so, after they laid me off, I started doing my thing with Crescent Moon Design Studio again, and I posted a link to the work I had done for this other company. I mean, the guy said that he wanted to consider everything I had done for company as "contract work," even though that was never intimated to me at any point during the working relationship. Well, I took that to mean that, if I did the work as a contract worker, then that means that it is part of my portfolio as a designer and writer, so I posted a link to the work from my web site. That is acceptable. Anyway, so then the guy wants me to write something for his blog: a bunch of short news snippets for the tech industry, et cetera, and I do it and send it to him. Don't hear from him for a couple of days. I go to his web site a few days later, and, lo and behold! There is a new "News" link on his main page. Only, it's not what I sent him... well, it is... PART of it. Out of the context I wrote it in, it makes no sense. To top that off, it was not attributed to me (although, seeing how he mangled it, I am almost glad that it wasn't). Anyway, so then, a few days after that (I was trying to figure out a way to tell him to either remove the article or put it up as a whole with my name on it [and PAY me for it]) I get an e-mail from this guy. He informs me that, although the work I did was appreciated, the work was done by his company, not mine, so I needed to take the link down.
Now, this is WRONG on multiple levels. One, as a freelancer, you make your bread and butter by word of mouth, references, and your portfolio. If I was a contract employee for them this entire time, then that means that all the work I did can be referenced in my portfolio. I did the work. Yes, subcontracted through his company, but *I* did the work. Two, even though I was paid for the work, it was a pittance of what it was worth. I mean, search engine optimization is big business these days. I know what people will pay for this kind of thing, and it sure as heck is more than $500 or so. Thirdly, all the content writing I did for the company is uncredited unless I have that link. Now, that wouldn't bother me if we had all signed an agreement stating such, but we didn't. And, according to the terms of service I posted on my web site, I can use any work I do as promotional material unless asked not to in writing and both parties sign the agreement. Since I was never an "employee," I can use my work any way I want to so that I can generate more work.
In other news... I am getting better. I can speak normally now, and my nose isn't running like a spring branch, nor is it stuffed up like January in the middle of the Klondyke. I am hoping to be well enough to sing Saturday for band practice, but we'll see.
Tomorrow, I have to take these disks up to a client in Sandpoint and get paid. I should go to the bar and talk to them, but I don't feel like it. I know I won't later. At any rate, my friend, Dave, is helping me make some band posters for the New Year's gig, which is going to help me out ALOT. (Thanks, Dave!)
