I am several years into a project that has an audience, but ultimately no money, and probably will never pay.
As fellow creators, would you keep making material for no money? Or quit?
When do you decide a project isn’t worth it anymore?
First, decide why you’re making the project. If the main (only?) reason is for income, then you should absolutely stop and move on to another, more profitable project. But your main reason for working on it is anything else, then the answer isn’t as clear.
Could you ask the audience to pay in some way before quitting? Seems as if you have nothing to loose here but they do. It might be ethical to leave this choice for them to make.
I try to finish any goals I had set for my project…even if partially through I realize some are just not plausible…I will do some re-planning and go from there. I tend to make games…and this is not an unusual scenario…most game developers know that whatever your plan is on paper, expect to cut it in half…
if you are not getting paid AND not enjoying your project…you might still owe your followers a good explanation…no matter what you do it will reflect on your reputation/marketability…and that could very well be one of the most important thing any content creator has when marketing his/her self.
I think the same. I mean you worked on that project several years. Don`t quit it without response from your audience by asking about money. To me it sounds a bit like you did a lot of work for people who benefit from your work and do not give something back.
@dndiy I would say Fweeb nailed this. I am working on a family project started years ago and after loosing two years work in a HD meltdown I’m still at it. Now in the mean time I got a computer much more suited to the task as Blender has become. So in my case it all seemed to come around and I muddle on boring the hell out of everyone including this forum with my little effort.
But, I’m guessing you are a young individual so maybe it is time to move on. I would be looking for a way to wrap it up without knowing exactly what you are talking about. I mean if the point is to develop as a artist it sounds like you might be spinning your wheels mate.
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When the value of the project no longer exists.
If there is no money to be made, do you enjoy working on the project? Is it the reason you took up digital art? Do you find its a good learning experience? Do you get a kick out of others finding value in it?
Without knowing the details of your situation, I could only offer the following advice; if you find the project isnt that much effort to maintain, you enjoy working on it and others are getting something out of it, perhaps you could set up a paypal donation for them to show their appreciation? Under those circumstances you at least get maybe a free coffee or two, or if you are lucky perhaps more?
It is hard to advise without knowing what your project is and how you are delivering it to your audience…
I heard a big discussion about business once. If you are lucky, you know your project is no good and you only lose a year or two. If you are unlucky, you put in 10 years into a project, then it fails. If you are doing it strictly to make money, make sure it has a chance. If you are doing it because you love it… well, that is completely personal.
Simple as for uncommercial stuff: When its either not fun anymore and, more important, does interfere with the paying stuff
When you have to ask this question 0.o…
If you no longer feel like working on it, it’s just grunt work.