Long time web guy Jason Kottke’s announcement that he quit his web design job to work on his personal website fulltime seemed curious. Of course, a (big) part of me is jealous because I have long wished I could focus entirely on my web projects and not work for other people, so to speak. Getting paid by Marqui to link/mention them the past three months has certainly helped.
It’s interesting that he’s calling donors “micro patrons.” Micro? What’s so micro about contribting the (suggested) $30? A few years ago when people were sending each other fifty cents through PayPal — that seemed to be about micro payments. If I give someone $30 to help them out, I’d rather just be called a patron — leave out micro.
I wonder how taxes factor into this. Does he have a corporation or is he self-employed? If it’s the latter, he’ll have to say goodbye to about 37% of the donations. Unless there’s some sort of loophole I’m not familiar with.
I’m curious who else is testing out new ways to make a living without a typical 9-5 job. A few I know about include:
Update: These people aren’t necessarily doing their creative projects fulltime. That’s what I get for writing an entry while still half asleep.
Who else?
3 comments
Derek Powazek says:
Feb 23, 2005
I wish! Alas, Ephemera is a labor of love. I do sell the occasional print, but it’s far from supporting my life. Alas, I still require a day job like everybody else. (Fortunately, my day job rocks.)
Sooz says:
Feb 23, 2005
Ah, yes. I should have clarified that I was listing things people are doing to contribute to doing things that are outside the typical 9-5.
I forgot you are at Technorati these days. You were freelancing previously, from what I remember. :)
Noah Grey says:
Feb 23, 2005
It’s the same for me, alas (both that I still need the day job, and that I’m very fortunate to like said job). Nothing would make me happier than to make a living solely off print sales, so that quixotic yearning in me had to donate to Jason – it’s a small price to pay for a little hope.