Could You Just …
Do you think you could just…?
That statement is usually completed by something makes most creatives cringe. It can be anything from “whip up a logo”, “put a few clips together” or “make this look cool”.
The issue here is the word “just”. Here it’s being used as adverb to let the creative know that what the person with the request wants is something small and insignificant. The problem of course is that creative work is neither small or insignificant and should not be treated as such.
How do you respond? First, you can say yes, which only allows the problem to keep happening. You could also say no, which could make the person requesting angry and confused. Or you could try qualifying your answers.
Qualifying your answers? Simply put, give a reason why behind your yes or no. Let the person know that what your being asked to is not as simple as they think. Look at like it as a chance to educate the person asking about the creative process. Will that require work? Yes, but it could alleviate you of future requests of the same kind.
Will they argue with you? They might. Will they think you’re dodging the work? They could, depending on whether or not you are being truthful. Face it, some people love making requests of others without thought of what the work might require. Some people even go so far as to say that they are “empowering” you to do the work (I hate the word “empowered” for that very reason). Then again, there are some people who just need help with creative work, and that is where you come in.
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