I am Mongoose, and so can you! (Riches and Profits from RPGs)

[MongooseMatt]

Making Riches and Profit From Roleplaying Games!

I am Mongoose, and so can you! is an in-depth look at how anyone can make a full-time living from the roleplaying games industry. Whether you are looking to find a career creating and selling roleplaying games, or are determined to start your own business, this book shows you how.

You will be taken through facts and figures showing, chapter and verse, how to go about gathering the resources needed to create your own roleplaying games, what to do once you have a book ready to sell, and how much money you are likely to make over the course of your first year in business.

This book covers several different scenarios, allowing you to pick the one most suited to you, and your current situation. Even in today's credit crunch climate, you will be shown how you can make a very viable living from roleplaying games alone.

Written by Matthew Sprange, owner of one of the most successful roleplaying companies around (Mongoose Publishing), I am Mongoose, and so can you! will show you all the secrets you need to begin.

Think of this book as the equivalent of spending an hour or two with the boss of a successful roleplaying publisher, asking them just how you can make a successful living doing the same thing!

You can find this PDF at;

DriveThruRPG.com - Mongoose - I am Mongoose, and so can you!

 

[haaz]

I would have bought it if it were not 29.95$. I hope this is just a mistake, because the book has only 37 pages...

 

[dmccoy1693]

I would have bought it if it were not 29.95$.

$30 isn't worth picking the brain of the guy that was able to build an RPG company during the heyday of the d20 glut, get licenses to things like Babylon 5, Conan, RuneQuest, and Traveller, has employees on several continents, and learned some things the hard way (i.e. their own printing facility)? Its not the page count that's important here, but rather the contents of those pages.

 

[MongooseMatt]

A fair comment that deserves a reply.

To give just one example, in this book I show you how, with a small initial investment, how to make $40,000-odd in a year. No quick assumptions, I show you how to do it with specific titles, I show you what to spend, where to spend it, and how much revenue you can expect to see, month by month. I show you what you need to do, how to do it, and how to recruit your first members of staff. I show you the benefits of those staff members, and the difference they make to your bottom line if you do or do not take them on (that $40k increases a great deal if you do. . .).

I also show how to take a more relaxed approach and make less profit, and how to work your bottom off and make (much) more.

Given all that, how much would you say the PDF is worth?

 

[haaz]

A fair comment that deserves a reply.

To give just one example, in this book I show you how, with a small initial investment, how to make $40,000-odd in a year. No quick assumptions, I show you how to do it with specific titles, I show you what to spend, where to spend it, and how much revenue you can expect to see, month by month. I show you what you need to do, how to do it, and how to recruit your first members of staff. I show you the benefits of those staff members, and the difference they make to your bottom line if you do or do not take them on (that $40k increases a great deal if you do. . .).

I also show how to take a more relaxed approach and make less profit, and how to work your bottom off and make (much) more.

Given all that, how much would you say the PDF is worth?

You got point I didn't know you were explaining that in details...

 

[Urizen]

I bought it, and have spent the better part of my morning reading through it.

It's worth every penny.

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

Hey, Matt. How useful is it for an existing publisher looking for a few tips here and there? Looking at the headers in the preview, it didn't look like it would be all that useful for me. I know how to do an art budget, for example.

And, more specifically, is there any content related to acquiring and publishing licensed games?

On a related note, you might want to post a table of contents. I agree $30 is not per se inappropriate, but it's hard to judge when you don't know eactly what you are getting.

 

[MongooseMatt]

Hey, Matt. How useful is it for an existing publisher looking for a few tips here and there? Looking at the headers in the preview, it didn't look like it would be all that useful for me. I know how to do an art budget, for example.

It is very much targeted at someone looking to get into working with RPGs full-time. If you are already running a successful full-time business, its value will be reduced.

On the other hand, if there was just one new idea for a new project or saving money, and you already have a business, it would not exactly take long for you to earn the cost of the PDF back

And, more specifically, is there any content related to acquiring and publishing licensed games?

Specifically, no (beyond Open Content, any way). In terms of running your own business, it concentrates on the set up and your first year, during which licensed games are unlikely.

 

[dmccoy1693]

I bought it, and have spent the better part of my morning reading through it.

It's worth every penny.

Ditto this. Highly recommended.

 

[mcathro]

I picked this PDf up yesterday, skimmed the parts that interested me most, then took the time to go back and read it cover to cover with my highlighter handy. Just finished it at lunch.

I am glad I purchased it.

Skortched Urf' Studios has been planning from the beginning to start small with PDF's and "learn our craft" before moving up to print products. This product was perfect for me and anyone else looking to move into (or start with) dead-tree RPG products.

No information on licensing 3rd party IP for your games, but if you go the Flaming Cobra route I am guessing you could pick someones brain about it down the road. We'll be giving them a ring once we have two or three 128 page source books laid out.

I found his take on the PDF market to be spot-on, especially with the 4E/GSL slowdown in full effect.

Money well spent for me, maybe not for everyone, but I am happy with the purchase.