If you work as an attorney, do you want someone to respond to a friendly journal post with an inquiry on how a deposition is coming?
If you work as a car salesman, do you want someone to respond to a friendly journal post with an inquiry on how close to sales quota you are so far this month?
If you work as a doctor, do you want someone to respond to a friendly journal post with an inquiry on how many sick people are really feeling better for your efforts just now?
Or, more accurately . . .
If you work as an attorney, do you want someone you are giving free legal work to hound you to make your deposition a priority?
If you work as a car salesman, do you want someone you are giving a free car to nag you about the delivery date?
If you work as a doctor, do you want someone you are giving free medical care to whine that you see your actual patients first?
Among other things, I am a photographer. If you make me feel bad about being a photographer, I will never get around to publishing photos of you. I always have more work to do than it is possible to do. So things move up and down the priority list based on things like magazine deadlines, album drops, tour dates, and how happy I am about the photos. If you are an editor I work for or something along those lines and you have something you would like to assign me or a deadline is coming up, feel free to mention that you are looking for something from me once. One time is fine. I might forget something with everything on my to-do list, but nagging is not helpful. If you are some person who I pointed a camera at some time, you can contact me privately me with a request for what you would like. I do hook people up all the time. If you are wondering whether what you are about to ask is obnoxious, please look at the following exchange:
ME: Hi, how’s it going? I read your most recent journal post and here is a friendly thought on it.
YOU: Did you do the free work for me I want yet?
or . . .
ME: Here is my journal post about my innermost incredibly important thoughts and feelings.
YOU: I’ve paid no attention to your innermost incredibly important thoughts and feelings. Now give me something cool for free.
If either of those little example convos look like something you are doing, stop, think, and have just a little bit of fucking consideration and don’t do it.