mellimello--yes, on ChoppyShoppy you can get email notifications. Go to My Account, go to Settings, then go to Notifications.
How much money are you guys actually making doing this?
I really hope that people don't jump onboard with this. You all deserve to know you'll be paid for your creative juices. It's really not reward enough to simply enjoy doing the work.
Even worse, have you considered how participating in that kind of forum contributes to job instability within the entire industry?
I have to agree with Gale: I don't work for free, ever. It devalues the work of writers.
Come do spec work with us in order to:
• Build your portfolio
• Learn the ropes of the industry
• Make business connections
• Become a professional in the field
On one level I agree with you, but "finding a solid income with benefit" is something that's thin on the ground everywhere you look, since 2008.People in focus groups tend to get paid or at least receive a perk for participating.
I understand how it works. I'll acknowledge that these sites could be helpful for someone who needs to develop their portfolio or learn to engage in the creative process. Someone who already excels at business or advertising would be a lot better off finding a solid income with benefits over participating in crowdsourcing their ideas for cherry picking.
There are some red flags in this kind of business model that make my eye twitch. People who like to take these risks will continue to participate. Suum cuique.
EDIT: Looked deeper into it and that contest is more of a Product Description page than it is a sales landing page, so not too bad I suppose.
I imagine they ended up with exactly what they were paying for. Take that as you will.