I think it's a bad idea. I think that while people acknowledge LJ is a business and want to see it succeed, they don't like being reminded that it's a business.
More than that, I think there are some taxation issues. I assume if they pay you you'll be an independent contractor, not an employee of LJ. I also assume they won't do any withholding so you'll have to figure that out on your own. It wouldn't be terribly difficult because I doubt we're talking much money here, but the annoyance of having to figure it out may outweigh the small amount you'd get. I suspect the rules may be even more confusing for those who live in a state with an income tax. I don't, so I don't have a point of reference for that.
But more than that, I think if they start letting communities charge fees while there will be some who gladly pay the cost there are a lot of people who feel like they're being nickel and dimed since I'm quite sure that the moderator(s) won't receive 100% of the fee. And if it doesn't work out, the people who paid only to have the community return to being free might be upset. It starts to feel exclusionary in a way that just f-locking doesn't.
Right now the extras you get as a paid member seem like benefits, not a punishment for not being a paid member. But start charging for communities and I think that changes.
no subject
More than that, I think there are some taxation issues. I assume if they pay you you'll be an independent contractor, not an employee of LJ. I also assume they won't do any withholding so you'll have to figure that out on your own. It wouldn't be terribly difficult because I doubt we're talking much money here, but the annoyance of having to figure it out may outweigh the small amount you'd get. I suspect the rules may be even more confusing for those who live in a state with an income tax. I don't, so I don't have a point of reference for that.
But more than that, I think if they start letting communities charge fees while there will be some who gladly pay the cost there are a lot of people who feel like they're being nickel and dimed since I'm quite sure that the moderator(s) won't receive 100% of the fee. And if it doesn't work out, the people who paid only to have the community return to being free might be upset. It starts to feel exclusionary in a way that just f-locking doesn't.
Right now the extras you get as a paid member seem like benefits, not a punishment for not being a paid member. But start charging for communities and I think that changes.