Exposure don't pay the bills, lady. You were smart to move on. I don't even take commissions anymore unless it's either someone I know well, or I get at least half of my rate up front.
I built a deposit into my rate for that reason exactly. When she "placed her order", she didn't even ask about rates or anything. If I wasn't an honest person, I could have created a terrible picture and charged her an arm and a leg.
Don't work for exposure, and don't even work for low rates, either.
In the past, I was contacted by a company looking for work for hire writing, as if they really wanted my work specifically, but as I got into it, it suddenly switched and turned into an audition where I had to develop my own story from the ground up. And then, of course, when I already put weeks of pre-work just so they'd give me the contract, they offered 2 cents per word I lost it. They gave that "but it's exposure" line, like somehow that will make it worth it to get paid slave wages for hundreds of hours of work and not even keep any rights.
Exposure sure is important when you are breaking in, and I'm all willing to get paid lower amounts in order to show off my work to more people. But not THAT low. And certainly not for free.
The people who want you to do it 'for exposure' usually don't even have the capability to provide 'good exposure' to begin with. Either they don't have the following/engagement they claim they do, or their following is a demographic that probably wouldn't be interested in following you anyways.
Exposure is like the cherry on top of the sundae. If it happens on top of getting paid for your work (and isn't a factor during the negotiation), that's great... but I don't know anybody who buys a sundae just for the cherry.
You are right. Exposure is important. There were a lot of other reasons that I didn't want to work with this woman but had she been honest with me about her budget situation, I would have adjusted my rates. She ended up going with a college kid who was willing to do it for $20 instead of the $80 or so I would have charged. $20 for 5-10 minutes worth of work isn't bad.
I guess she figured that with our "perceived" friendship and the exposure for more work it would compensate for less than my full pay.
Freelance photographer here, and this happens constantly. As @Scarlet_Cryptid said, exposure doesn’t pay your bills, and you were absolutely right to turn that person down. People don’t understand how much time, effort, and money artists of any kind put into their craft and will stoop to the slimiest methods to try and get good work for crap rates. It may seem counterproductive to say no to someone offering you an opportunity but trust me, people will 1000000% take advantage of that mentality
The worst is when you do make work in good faith with the person, get paid a little, but then they push you for more work later on that's merely speculative with no pay and no exposure in the foreseeable future.
Good point! I think exposure is great but it shouldn't be a bargaining chip for commissioned art.
@Toastbuster You're right. Exposure doesn't pay the bills. My cover art is a side gig for now but if I'm taking time out of my day to hand-drawn a Christmas ornament, for example, to fit the design and color-scheme you want for a cover - I want to be paid for my time!!! If the "big" author is so established, why wouldn't they have already have an artist on hand to do the cover work?
@joannekwan That sounds terrible.
Yeah, it kinda was (this was years ago btw). I stopped talking to that person and I think they got the idea that I wasn't interested in working with them anymore.
I’ve also come to learn that people who aren’t willing to pay for quality work are also extremely unpleasant to work with, so you probably did yourself more favors than you realize by refusing lol
If Disney or Pixar or someone with multi-millions of followers asked, that might be worth thinking over, if you can be sure you get the advertising such platforms are capable of giving.
Why cross out her name? If it was a legit, appropriate, publicly posted offer then I'd think leaving their name on it was fair game.
If Disney or Pixar pulled this on me I would refuse in a heartbeat. You KNOW they can afford to pay for it so if they wanted free work from me I’d feel flat out disrespected 
Just for your safety. R/Choosing Beggars would love you. She could make a complaint or you can get in trouble. Just thinking of your safety. c:
That is entirely true! They WOULD offer to pay, I'm sure. Their lawyers probably insist on it. But if an exposure offer came from someplace THAT big for some weirdo reason, I'd look into it further, because they CAN give you exposure you couldn't even buy.
The only type of exposure they provide is "This artist does stuff for free!" Not something anyone in their right mind would want.
Any company big and professional enough will pay you.....
You are doing something for them, not the other way around.....is fair to ask for payment.
I think that's what I said.
Payment, however, doesn't always have to be cash. E.g., putting my name on movie credits might be worth more to me than cash at some point. Nevertheless, my point was that, in my opinion, if the source has big clout, don't just knee-jerk & say "no". Find out more about what they're offering.