Say No to Spec Work - Maki Naro - Artist, Illustrator, and Educator

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© 2026 Maki Naro All rights reserved. Violators will be cursed.

Say No to Spec Work

A comic about creative contests, spec work, and why it's bad for creatives. Panel of tweets from twitter eggs: Movie Studio. @somuchmoney. Design a movie poster and win a trip to the premiere! Get on our instagram! Random Science Org. @scifail. Do your job for free to maybe win $500 and a calendar! Bad T-Shirt Co. @lolartists. Send us your t-shirt designs! Winners get a free shirt! And exposure! The author, Maki, reading his phone: Creative contests sound like fun and maybe even an opportunity for a young artist to get their name out there. But contests are actually a really sleazy way to get free labor. It's called... Title panel: SPEC WORK

NOSPEC.COM defines speculative (spec) work as: “...any kind of creative work rendered and submitted, either partial or completed, by designers to prospective clients before taking steps to secure both their work and equitable fees.” Basically, it’s asking for your work before guaranteeing that you’ll actually get paid. Companies can put out a broad call for work, but only pay for the stuff they like. It’s not only cheap, it’s unethical. Panel of Uncle Pennybags dangling a carrot from a cloud while people scramble over each other to get it: Spec work is often disguised as tests or contests, where creative work is submitted for a chance at exposure or employment. Maybe some money, if you’re lucky. Spec work isn’t just bad for creatives, it’s also bad for the industry.

Panel showing a large snake in a top hat eating its own tail: Spec work devalues creative work. It both creates and feeds from a system where working without pay is just another part of “coming up.” Spec work propagates the myth that creative work is “just for fun.” Creative jobs are seen more as hobbies than valuable professions. This system not only makes it difficult to earn a living wage, but also makes employers reluctant to pay a living wage for creative work. Creatives grow up believing that their work isn’t valuable. When in reality, there is a demand for creative work in nearly every field.

Panel of a contract with fine print offering up the signer's firstborn children: If that wasn’t bad enough, most contracts attached to contests require creatives to sign away all rights to their own work. Sometimes, even if they don’t win! There’s always fine print! One bad contract can leave you with nothing!

Shady Exec1: C’mon, man. It’s just supposed to be fun! Maki: You can’t pay your rent with “fun.” Creative work is work, just like any other. It takes time and involves skills people hone over their entire lifetime. Shady Exec2: We’re trying to discover new talent! Maki: Maybe you missed it, but there’s this thing called the internet. Folks, do you really think a company that can’t be bothered to look at your Tumblr is going to care about your success?

Regular Joe: I would have done it on my free time anyway. Maki: So get PAID anyway! Respect yourself! You work hard to create what you do. Your time deserves a price tag! Young woman: Okay, So what can we do about it? It’s difficult to change a system that has been built over generations. But here are some ideas: Pane of a drawing of Winston Churchill naked except for this socks and top hat seen from behind: If they really want your time and labor, submit a crude drawing of a famous historical figure and an invoice. Or more seriously, instead of submitting a finished design, send them your portfolio and a price quote.

Maki with a megaphone: And most of all: Speak Out! Let these companies know that what they’re doing isn’t cool. Spread the word to other creatives that their work is valuable! And the next time a contest rolls around, don’t give them your time.

Panel of Artists making fair deals with clients: Because the real key to success is working with people who respect the time and effort you put into your craft. Panel of Uncle Pennybags with empty pockets: ...and leaving those who don’t in the dust.