I wonder why it is that artists (I mean of all varieties, including writers) seem to be the only professionals where people assume they should produce work for no payment. Is it because our work can be so public? Does it make a "connection" to people and therefore they feel like it belongs to them? Or is it because the stereotypical arr-teest thinks getting paid for your art makes you a hack, and a lot of people believe that stereotype?

Of course, being the snark that I can be when I set my mind to it, I also confront these people when I meet them with something along the lines of "I'm very impressed that you do X job for free." When they naturally respond "I don't!", then of course you kick in the part about "Neither do I."