[This rant is from some other user and not me. She asked this to be posted on her behalf due to privacy reasons.]

Hi, I'm Allie.

I design in the real world for a press, and I realized that real life clients and mdc requesters are not too different. In fact, they're the same, except in the terms of payment.

In the mdc, we have sets of thread rules. In real life, designers use contracts with clients. The contract protects both the designer and author in case any side wants to withdraw or run away without paying (happened to me once grrrr). Payment will then be discussed and normally, payment is done BEFORE the cover is designed to protect the designer because not everyone is honourable.

I have this client, let's name her Z. So Z wants to publish a book, but problem is, she hasn't written the book yet, but Z insists that she wants a paperback for it. So Z goes on the great world of internet and happened to stumble upon my little portfolio and decided to hire me. The designer aka me, of course, is excited at the prospect of business, but little did the designer know she's in for a shit on of problems.

I asked Z for her paperback dimensions. Then, I asked for the spine dimensions because who the fuck can design a paperback without the spine width. Z said I don't know. Ok fine, you don't know, but can you tell me how many pages the story is so I can go on createspace and generate my own paperback template. Z says I don't know either, cuz she hasn't finished writing the book.

Hold the damn door. WHY WOULD YOU FUCKING ASK SOMEONE TO DESIGN A BOOK YOU HAVEN'T EVEN WRITTEN?!

Fine, she gave me an estimation of 400 pages. So I followed her ideas and went to design the paperback first because I have tons of other work coming up and I was worried I won't have the time to design her in time. I waited for her to send me the contract, but she didn't. I asked if she could fulfil the contract requirements so I can use the money to go purchase the stocks for the cover, but she didn't and kept on telling me she will pay me soon.

WHEN THE FUCK IS SOON.

I did my business, went to talk to some stock artists and purchased a very nice stock for the cover, just like Z wanted. When I showed the cover to Z, she was like hmmm...that wasn't the stock I was looking for.

THE FUCK?

I SHOWED YOU THE MOTHERFUCKING STOCK BEFORE AND YOU SAID IT FITS PUUUURRRFECT AND NOW YOU TELL ME, IT AIN'T RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!

Fine, I went and cancelled my order for the stock and got another one.

This time, Z messages me and tells me she doesn't want to go with the initial idea at all! She wants me to design an object based cover instead of the lovely model one I designed!

BLOODY FUCKING HELL.

I tried to explain that she was only paying for ONE paperback. Asking me to design an entire different thing is ANOTHER PAPERBACK, but she doesn't seem to get the point.

Because I needed the money, I swallowed my anger and changed the stock on the original model cover.

THEN SHE MESSAGES ME AND TELLS ME OOHH I CHANGED THE TITLE, SO WE GOTTA CHANGE THE STOCK AGAIN!

FUCK YOU. FUCK YOU TO THE ENDS OF JUPITER AND INTO PLUTO'S ASS.

THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULDN'T FUCKING ASK SOMEONE TO DESIGN SOMETHING FOR YOU WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THE FUCKING STORY IS CALLED OR GOING.

WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THE SENTENCE "BLOODY MAKE UP YOUR FUCKING MIND"?!

So I said, I will only give you ONE MORE CHANGE. ONE MORE CHANGE AND THAT'S IT AND I WON'T DO ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL YOU PAY ME THE SUM AS STATED IN THE CONTRACT.

She bloody had the nerve to ask me for a discount + one more change.

YOU SWORE THAT YOU WON'T CHANGE ANYTHING ELSE. THEN YOU ASK ME TO GIVE YOU TWO CHANGES TO THE PAPERBACK, SO THIS MEANS, YOU'RE GONNA ASK ME TO CHANGE IT AGAIN?!?!?!?!

FUCK YOU.

IF I DIDN'T NEED THE MONEY I WOULD HAVE HAULED YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER TO SATAN SO HE COULD BABY SPANK YOU WITH HIS TRIDENT.

Sounds like anyone you know in the mdc? The someone who doesn't have a single clue what to do with the form and then asks for a shit ton of changes and then vanish with the cover without completing payment.

Mdc designers, if you're going to do designing in the future, you need a shit ton of armor, especially when you're dealing with fucking shit like that.

Oh, and Z hasn't even paid me $$$ yet.

Allie, out.