After a few comments about the recent blog train I thought it might be time to revisit the blog train regulations. Currently they don't even state what I usually tell people when they email me, which is:
Your contribution must be free for the month of the blog train. After that you are free to do with it what you want, including offer it for sale.
Are there other things you think should be included in the regulations? I prefer to keep things as simple as possible, as I'm unwilling to enforce a lot of rules. But I want to know if there's anything that the community thinks is really important.
As for requiring the collection of information before obtaining a freebie, I'm generally fine with this. It is common practice to ask people to "like" your Facebook page in order to download a freebie there, and I also think it's reasonable to collect emails as part of your freebie. Building a newsletter list is a very important for all professional designers and the opportunity from the traffic from this blog train is a great way for people to do that. It seems a fair trade that if you're interested enough in a designer to download something, you may also be interested in their future offerings. If you're not that interested then you don't need to share your email or you can unsubscribe in the future.
It's important to remember that while people may be joining the blog train just for fun, others may be using it to help their designing career along. And I am definitely in favor of helping designers to do all that they can do.
Let me know what you think!
My two cents: the blog train stuff is free. It's a gift.
Personally, when I don't like the download terms I simply don't download. If I have to do more than click and go, I generally can't be bothered. Because I am of the entitled generation (gen y / millenial / whatever) and I want instant gratification. Like, right now.
I mean it sucks if it's something that I really like the look of (and if it's amazing I will probably go out of my way to download because I am a scrap hussy and want ALL THE DOWNLOADS), but at the end of the day there are heaps of amazing resources out there and the fact that I avoid certain download methods (url shortners, those download pages that make me wait, mandatory FB likes and sign-ups) is my problem and not the designer's.
As for the email thing, I have a spare e-mail address that I use for newsletters and one time registrations. Keeps all my miscellaneous stuff in one place so I don't have it cluttering up my 'proper' address. Basically a junk drawer for e-mails.
I think Everything Marisa said is well thought out and fair.
Trish- I like everything you said because it sounds understanding of other peoples time and effort while still allowing you to be you and other people to also be them! Kudos!
Gmail is also so easy...I too have a spare email I use for things like this...unless it is something I am genuinely interested in, and then I use my main email account. I still do occasionally look through my spare email account to re-check and browse designers etc, all the while not making my main email feel like chore to go through...
My thoughts on this:
The blog trains are free, and we are to be grateful.
The ONLY thing that I won't do for a kit, especially if there is more than one download for it, is use the download sites that have a time limit on how often and how much you can download, and if the ads on the page are sexually suggestive.
(If you have ever tried to download something from Far Far Hill, you know what I'm talking about.
I actually LOVE Far Far Hill's designs, but there are very few that I ever download, and I wouldn't recommend the site because of it. And.....I realize by bringing up the name, I actually gave them free publicity! LOL)
So, all that to say I think it's fine for designers to sell their stuff after the allotted time, and then also for them to ask for us to sign up for their newsletters or to like their work in order to receive it.
That's only fair if they are sharing their work with us for free!
I'm a bit confused.
Marisa, are you saying that from now on designers will have to collect emails if they want to participate in the blog train, or that we can collect emails?
Usually my BT freebies are no-opt-in required, but I also link to "extra" stuff in the same color scheme that people can grab from my newsletter or Facebook page. I prefer to keep it that way for myself but I am fine with what anyone else wants to do with their freebies.
@Rose - I believe Marisa is saying it's OK to collect emails (not that it's required). This topic came up in the March blog train comments thread, because someone complained that I'm collecting emails, and the person asked Marisa if she thought that designers should be banned from collecting emails.
I have always assumed it was OK to collect emails because there is nothing in the Blog Train Guidelines or the Pixelscrapper Manifesto that forbids it. In any case, I'm glad that Marisa gave her official "OK" to do it so that there can be no question in anyone's mind. As Marisa has stated above, "It's important to remember that while people may be joining the blog train just for fun, others may be using it to help their designing career along. And I am definitely in favor of helping designers to do all that they can do."
I for one am trying to "help my designing career along" and I have to be honest and confess that if I weren't allowed to ask people to subscribe to my newsletter, then I would have to seriously re-think my level of participation in blog trains.
Oh my goodness, Marcy! That seems extreme and unkind! (See what I miss by not participating one month...) Yeah, I don't have any problem with designers who ask for a sign up. We are putting a lot of work in for these free offerings. I just don't personally use BT contributions as an opt-in.
I agree with your thoughts Marissa regarding your not wanting to complicate things by enforcing too many rules on the designers for these blog trains.
The whole point is for these things to be fun and light-hearted... and maybe even help some designers along the way in their quest to earn a living.
Personally speaking, I think it's important to allow designers the freedom to do whatever it is that they need to do based on their own personal circumstances and end goals.
Everyone has their own reasons for participating in these blog trains, challenges, etc...
Whether that's just to have some fun sharing their creations and socializing in the forums, or whether their goal is to drum up some business for themselves because they're actually trying to make a living from all their hard work, time, and effort.
Some will choose to require an e-mail signup, some will require a registration to their site, some will require likes on their facebook, etc etc.... and some will just toss out the freebie with no requirements at all.
There's a method to each person's madness... and we as freebie collectors should (at the very least) respect those individuals' decisions by not protesting their personal choices.
Well said, Brenda!
I think Marisa's post is completely fair. I just wish the contributions everyone is making weren't so large. For those of us who sell our designs, it's disheartening to see enormous bundles given away for free. But, this has been an issue for the 10 years I've been doing this, so I don't expect it to change anytime soon.
Brandi, you brought up a point I hadn't even thought about before:For those of us who sell our designs, it's disheartening to see enormous bundles given away for free.
I think I would be one of the guilty ones there! I'm not a professional designer, and never will be. I do what I do because I enjoy it, and I do tend to make bundles, rather than kits or mini kits. I have tried to limit what I do, but I just can't seem to manage it! So I have had to resign myself to the fact that I am a bundle-maker, rather than a kit-maker. I personally don't think that I would be depriving a professional designer of income, because I consider myself to be strictly an amateur, and my work is nowhere near the standard of a professional. But I do apologize for not even considering your point of view!
Brandi, I am surprised with your comment "I just wish the contributions everyone is making weren't so large. For those of us who sell our designs, it's disheartening to see enormous bundles given away for free."
First of all, I took a look at your profile and I couldn't find your shop or your FB account because they are deleted!!. Are you still selling your designs anywhere else??... if not, why did you write that comment???
Secondly, it is up to the designers's wish if they make just a mini kit or a bundle here at Pixelscrapper and if they decide to offer their creations for free or not.
There are many designers making scrapbooking kits and many shops that sell them!! I understand your frustration, but it doesn't give you any right to "manipulate" other designers and/or make them feel guilty, no matter how many smile icons you add to your comment.
Finally, Robyn, your designs are lovely, you don't have to feel guilty. Keep on making your bundles if you want!! And now I add some smilies
Thank you, Sonia!
Sonia, I'm sorry you feel as if I'm trying to manipulate others to make smaller contributions. You're wrong, and it was a little bit rude to suggest it, but that's alright. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It has been a long-standing thing in the digi-world, that those who are trying to design to support families wish there wasn't so much free out there, but it's also true that those who are only after freebies aren't going to spend money anyway, so it's not the end of the world.
As for the links - I had forgotten to change them after I moved my blog a while back. They're updated now. Thank you for the reminder.
I echo Robyn's comments. I can't seem to make mini kits, because my mind is always firing off new ideas. I enjoy doing what I do. I give my designs away for free, as a personal & spiritual philosophy - by asking people to perform a kindness for others, in exchange for my designs. I want to be that small ripple in the ocean that will eventually turn into a great tidal wave of kindness, around the world. It may be silly of me, but I keep hoping. I keep hoping that one act of kindness creates a perpetual momentum of kindness that will change hearts and minds.....
I'm just at a different place in my life - I will be 67 years young this year, and I don't have little kids at home to support. Earning income was my mantra for 50 years, but now, I choose to contribute to the world in a different manner.
So my heart goes out to those trying to make a decent living. Gads, I admire each and every one of you moms and dads, and the tough and amazing job you do. And I wish you, sincerely, the most awesome successes.
Realistically, it's not viable to make a living off of designing anymore. With the new apps that let you scrap on your phone, the scrapping world has changed. All of the participants in the PS blog trains do an excellent job and I still download and enjoy the huge freebies, too.
Well said, Brenda! smiley
Sunny sais :.." I can't seem to make mini kits, because my mind is always firing off new ideas. I enjoy doing what I do. I give my designs away for free, as a personal & spiritual philosophy - by asking people to perform a kindness for others, in exchange for my designs. I want to be that small ripple in the ocean that will eventually turn into a great tidal wave of kindness, around the world. It may be silly of me, but I keep hoping. I keep hoping that one act of kindness creates a perpetual momentum of kindness that will change hearts and minds....." ...
.YES i make only free kits to !!!I think like Sunny, I only make free kits, to please everyone
(sorry for my english) 
I think you are right: everything has changed and also scapbooking has changed and people do more on their phones and also scrap more on their phones, myself included.