And I think this was the major point of this thread. In my previous posts, I was sure to mention the type of writers that do this.
But as you can see with this thread, the problem kinda laid in users seeing this or kinda sorta making this about generalizing writers as a whole doing this and then derailing into a whole conversation on who does more work.
It might've helped if the OP was more specific on which types of writers were doing this, but lemme clear up at least my end of this conversation.
Writers who don't demonstrate the same work ethics they want out of their artists shouldn't be asking for 50/50.
This goes in the same direction:
Artists who don't demonstrate the same work ethics they want out of their writers shouldn't be asking for 50/50.
The problem mentioned by OP is based on a recurring theme we all see in the forums. Someone is asking for a collab in order to create a comic. They want strong examples from possible team members so they can pick them. But time and time again, you have other users (myself included) commenting on how they can better their proposals because it's:
A) Too vague -- they're not trying to explain what the story is or who the characters are. They want YOU to PM them so they can tell you, but they expect curiosity to be your guide, not actual interest in the story. A lot of times, their excuse is "I don't want anyone to steal my ideas"
B) Not reliable -- the person asking for the collab wants other people to showcase their work, but they themselves have NOTHING created for this comic. No scripts, no chapters, no art, no characters, no settings. NOTHING. They only have the basic idea, and they're NOT looking for a partner to help them build up said idea (which is a different case).
C) Not Thinking in Short-Term Goals: They want to be famous and popular overnight and think their comic idea will be a mashing hit. That's how they wanna pay their members who signed on. They're not thinking about "what if they're not profitable", they're assuming they will be, and that leaves a lot of people in a gamble because they're working with this person for NO money. No up-front payment, no monthly/weekly payment. 50/50 on "possible profits" can might as well be no money. This goes for both writers and artists.
You see collabs like this all of the time. And MOST -- not all, but most -- of the time, it's from writers. I will note that a lot of artists looking for collabs here do this too, and they've been called out as well. But it's mostly people who identity themselves as writers who make these types of collabs.
And it's these types of writers who ask for 50/50. If you're not the type of writer to do that, this is not pointed at you. Similarly, if you're not the type of artists to do that, this is not pointed at you.
This is what this thread is going on.
Not about who works better or harder.
Not about who's specialty is worth more.
It's about this particular phenomenon we see in the forums
We have people who are artists and writers trying to find collaborations -- without paying, mind you -- and yet they have nothing to show for these collabs. They have nothing planned out so that their writers and artists can understand and work with them. They're often showing large goals that are "I wanna be popular" or "the next famous mangaka", and do not have any short-term goals on how to get there.
They want people to make 400-page comics with them, unpaid, but they don't even have anything written down, drawn, or developed.
But they expect the "potential profits" to be split 50/50
This. This is it.
Now...I am give benefit of doubt to those who are beginners, who don't know the ropes of this industry, and are just starting out. I give them benefit of doubt.
But this is the thing that's going on, and this is what being discussed. Please -- let's come back from that whole conversation about who works harder and get back to THIS one. Because this is something we need to discuss more on.