I sympathize with the OP's comment about complaining.

But even if someone stayed completely positive, was committed to constant learning and improvement, happily accepted changes to processes and payment terms... in other words, did everything right with a happy smile... this gleeful contributor will still watch earnings slide year after year. 

That's my only real complaint against microstock.  It's a business model that chews up and spits out contributors.  The agencies make more and more money (bigger pie), while recruiting more and more contributors (smaller slice for everyone). 

Should I just stop complaining and quit microstock?  It may come to that.  But I think there's value in telling people who are just starting out that you shouldn't count on making a lot of money at this.  You may think that with 100 images I'm making 100 bucks a month... that means when I have 1000 images I'll be making 1000 bucks a month.  Nope, because while you're striving to get from 100 to 1000 images, your competition ramps up even faster, and you may still be making 100 bucks a month -- or even 50 -- with 1000 images in your port. 

It's all a numbers game you just can't win.  Even if you stop complaining.

+100 for this comment! Great insight and valuable...

Here a place to discuss things that can't be said in the place you should be able to discuss it. Thread locked!

All newbies and all "optimists" should print these words, frame them and hang them above their desk or bed.
AFAIR, Stockmarketer used to be an "optimist", too.

BTW, Stockmarketer do you have an exit strategy or a lifeboat? I am trying to build a lifeboat myself, but it is very difficult.

So you're suggesting we shouldn't be optimistic? That's quite pessimistic.

Optimism is a great difference maker between moderate success and greater success. There's a lot been a lot of complaining lately in politics and that subconsciously spreads to every aspect of daily life, even the life of a contributors. That's why I avoid the negativity.

If anyone is still optimistic here, stay optimistic. It'll keep your mind clear and your goals in perspective.

All right then - can anyone give any concrete reasons to be 'optimistic' about microstock?


 

Quote from: stockastic on February 09, 2017, 17:50

All right then - can anyone give any concrete reasons to be 'optimistic' about microstock?

There's a new dashboard at Shutterstock?

That's a psychological trick, the three main figures are always rising even though your sales may be declining.

Quote from: obj owl on February 09, 2017, 18:16

Quote from: SpaceStockFootage on February 09, 2017, 18:12

Quote from: stockastic on February 09, 2017, 17:50

All right then - can anyone give any concrete reasons to be 'optimistic' about microstock?

There's a new dashboard at Shutterstock?

That's a psychological trick, the three main figures are always rising even though your sales may be declining.

But the font showing my earnings is now massive... so it feels like my earnings just got bigger. And that's the most important thing.

So Shutterstock would have you believe. 

Designed to decieve

Truth is sales keeps plummeting and goodbye EL and SOD and ODD, but yeah, great new stats page...

Anyway i dont think that anything is dying. Agencies are making more revenue than ever. So contributors should also.

Wrong. Amazon makes more and more money, but their workers are crying. For example read what do Amazon Logistics drivers say. This Christmas season (November + December) they work from 6:00am to 21:00 with no time to eat, 6 days a week, having 120 to 140 (!) parcels to deliver every day. And if some driver did not deliver some parcels today then Amazon will not pay for the next day and will count it as a "holiday".

If some company earns more it does not mean its workers (or contributors) make more.

It still feels good to let loose about it even though it won't make a difference. I find comfort knowing I'm not the only one upset ... we are in the same boat.

It still feels good to let loose about it even though it won't make a difference. I find comfort knowing I'm not the only one upset ... we are in the same boat.

True but in the end just complaining achieves nothing you have to do something or it becomes whining

Quote from: angelawaye on February 10, 2017, 22:43

It still feels good to let loose about it even though it won't make a difference. I find comfort knowing I'm not the only one upset ... we are in the same boat.

True but in the end just complaining achieves nothing you have to do something or it becomes whining

Now that's the truth. Complaining is contagious. Once you start complaining, your brain starts to adjust itself to accommodate negative thoughts. The more you do it, the more it accommodates and the next thing you know, you're complaining more and more often and your productivity goes to hell. Then people you interact with starts to complain, influencing you to complain even more.

I have no doubts that the recent political landscape greatly contributed to the increase complaining, either consciously or subconsciously. I'm not so innocent myself. I used to complain a lot and it took quite a bit of work to adjust my own attitude.

Quote from: Minsc on February 11, 2017, 15:05

Quote from: Pauws99 on February 11, 2017, 05:17

Quote from: angelawaye on February 10, 2017, 22:43

It still feels good to let loose about it even though it won't make a difference. I find comfort knowing I'm not the only one upset ... we are in the same boat.

True but in the end just complaining achieves nothing you have to do something or it becomes whining

Now that's the truth. Complaining is contagious. Once you start complaining, your brain starts to adjust itself to accommodate negative thoughts. The more you do it, the more it accommodates and the next thing you know, you're complaining more and more often and your productivity goes to hell. Then people you interact with starts to complain, influencing you to complain even more.

I have no doubts that the recent political landscape greatly contributed to the increase complaining, either consciously or subconsciously. I'm not so innocent myself. I used to complain a lot and it took quite a bit of work to adjust my own attitude.

Looking at the world with rose tinted glasses doesn't change the world only your perception of it.  Sometimes complaining is the first step to changing things, more often it's not, but you have to test the waters. It's not all negative.

Agreed FIRST step

Quote from: obj owl on February 11, 2017, 15:51

Looking at the world with rose tinted glasses doesn't change the world only your perception of it.  Sometimes complaining is the first step to changing things, more often it's not, but you have to test the waters. It's not all negative.

Complain if you can change something. Don't complain if you can't. If my neighbor is blasting his music at 2am, I would complain to the landlord. If the neighbor is a contributor and he's making 5x as much as me, what's the point of complaining?

It's not really about looking at the world with rose tinted glasses. complaining about falling sales isn't going to stop all the other contributors from uploading new work. The only thing you can do is analyze your portfolio's weaknesses and learn to compete better against an ever growing competitive environment.

You are not getting it, remove the glasses, but then again you don't even follow you own advice.