So online writing markets index Duotrope has announced that it's going to start charging for the majority of its services, starting 1st January 2013. What do people think? https://duotrope.com/notes_current.aspx Personally, I use Duotrope a lot, and probably should have been donating for a while now. But I can afford it, and it's far and away the most useful writing resource on the web. I'll probably shell out for it.
For reasons I don't entirely understand, this thread was posted as "closed". Yet another reason I rarely forum from my phone.
I've used Duotrope once or twice. I think I would pay for the service to be honest, even though it would be mostly a safety net.
Think I'll be shelling out. I think it's perfectly fair, to be honest. They relied on donations that they didn't get from their users. I have no doubt that a load of people will complain, but those who complain really don't have a leg to stand on.
I've only used them a couple of times (but then I'm just getting my feet wet in that regard) but they aren't asking a huge amount, really - and offer monthly and annual. Really a bargain considering what one gets for it.
It seems fair to me, even though the fees seem a bit on the high side. There is no questioning the value of the service to serious writers, and it does require an actual staff to maintain accurate, current information.
it's fair enough, i guess, considering the amount of info they provide and how much work that takes... but it's a shame that many new 'starving writers' may not be able to afford the fees... that said, in this money-based world, it does 'take money to make money'... so it'll be yet another way to separate the serious writer wannabes from the dabblers...
I've been contributing $20.00 per year for seven years. I began the year I made my first sale, and it was to a market I found in Duotrope. All of my subsequent sales have been to Duotrope markets. Since only 10% of users gave anything at all it will now cost $50.00 per year to subscribe. Ah, well.
On another forum, people were so angry about the fees - but $5/month is only 17 cents a day. $50/year means saving up just over $4/month to pay for the next year's subscription. I don't find that 'high' or out of reach - and I earn less than $11k/year.
It's a very reasonable price IMO. Duotrope is one of the most useful resources out there, and I'm willing to pay $50 a year for that.
