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Hot take: telling every freelance designer to join a big agency network is terrible advice
I watched three talented illustrators burn out in 6 months after joining a huge creative network in Chicago because the constant pitching and networking killed their actual drawing time, and I think smaller niche groups like the local comic artists collective actually build real careers instead of just feeding the algorithm.
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the_diana1mo ago
Oh man, it really is that dramatic. I saw a friend join a big network in LA and within three months she was spending more time at networking happy hours than actually drawing. She went from making a solid living doing pet portraits for local shops to barely getting by on tiny retainer fees from clients she never even met. The constant hustle for likes and shares just wrecked her confidence too. Meanwhile, our little local zine swap group has helped three people land steady freelance work just by showing up and trading skills.
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