FFG staff openings

[philreed]

Even if you were a Platinum vendor, I agree that maintaining $3500 a month in gross sales is no trifling matter.

And it's becoming A LOT more difficult for anyone not already an established print publisher. The more companies like Green Ronin that enter the field the more PDF-only companies will feel the loss. My own sales, while still higher than pretty much anyone else at RPGNow, are steadily decreasing. I suspect that all it would take is one or two more established publishers to enter the PDF field to force me to find a new line of work.

 

[trancejeremy]

I will say this, though: In my *first month* of full-time PDF production, I grossed a little over half the number you cited in your post as what was needed. First month. It wasn't hard, and it's been on a steady climb ever since.

Maybe that's true for you. But bear in mind, you have a fairly long history in the RPG field, or at least a great deal of notoriety. Because "GMSkarka" is something of a brand name, much like Monte Cook or Phil Reed, you are not even remotely the typical case.

THis is not a knock against you. After all, you spent countless years working on RPGs and such, not to mention all the self-promotion.

But my point is, you spent time building up your name. So when you entered the PDF field, you already had a good deal of work done, that is, letting people know you exist. There's probably only a handful of people in the RPG industry like you.

In many ways, you are the Donald Trump of RPGs. (That is not meant to be an insult. Just an analogy. Like I consider Phil Reed to be the Henry Ford)

 

[TheLe]

ALrighty then.


Ummm, yeah.

I presented my reasoning, and I stand by it. Even if I did pdf publishing full time, it sure as hell would not be an easy task to make $3333 a month in sales. Nor would it be a "relatively" easy task.

If anyone disagrees with it, and can back it up with a good & solid argument, by all means let me know. I treasure all constructive comments, and I don't have a ego that needs fluffed by other posters, so by all means let me know why you think I am wrong. Even if you blast me to kingdom come, I will respect you if you can give me a good reasoning behind it.

Not to get sidetracked..

Personally, I think FFG's $22,000 annual salary for an entry level staff writer is not too bad if you are single and or in a dual income house hold. And don't forget that they offer matching IRA and a comprehensive health insurance -- which is gold in my book. And don't forget that the American economy is still in pretty horrible shape no matter what our government tries tells you. On the other hand, you can make $20k a year with full benefits at Starbucks coffee too.

I would agree though that $22k a year is not that great if you have to relocate, or have a family to support as the primary wage earner. Relocating is a big deal financially and emotionally, especially with only 22k dangling in front of you.

But if I were younger and living in the Minnesota area, I would definitely call them for an interview. Maybe my opinion does not count since I am not doing this full time, but I stand by my reasoning here.

I think you are all taking the "$22,000" a year too literally and not considering all the other factors (like the health insurance I mentioned). Not to mention most companies are willing to offer moving bonuses if they find the right candidate. Once again though, even with a 2-3k standard moving bonus, that is still pretty low pay to pick up and move, especially if you have a family and two cats (and chances are they are not going to pay to fly you out there).

Still though, it is a great opportunity and could give a new comer a chance to break into the business, or a veteran a fresh new take (and for those who say you can get "more money working at WOTC or SJG", how many of you are actually working for WOTC or SJG?)

Some of you are probably thinking "I am not a new comer, I am a vet and $22k/year is too low"... well, you're right there, but don't forget that the job listing(s) also say that the starting salary "will be adjusted with approprate experience". So it is also possible that you could make $30-$45k as a veteran of the industry.

Once again, I don't do this full time (Thank God), so take my opinion for what you will.

~Le
17 Magic Armors for your d20 system! Get it HERE! (end shameless plug)

 

[philreed]

Still though, it is a great opportunity and could give a new comer a chance to break into the business, or a veteran a fresh new take (and for those who say you can get "more money working at WOTC or SJG", how many of you are actually working for WOTC or SJG?)

Already been there.

 

[RSKennan]

Well, I for one heard back from them. I didn't get an interview. I got a decent rejection email, but I can't help but think I made some sort of mistake in my approach. There were a couple of bonehead early-morning typos in my various emails (cthuhu instead of Cthulhu for one), and I downplayed my sales experience when they offered consideration for a sales job. I was the top sales guy at my second to last company job, but I didn't mention this; I slanted things towards my writing and game design experience. In retrospect, that was pretty dumb.

At any rate, they said that my experience was too heavily slanted towards RPG writing, despite the fact that I mentioned two card games I'm working on. Ah well.

I'm still moving to the area for other reasons and next time I apply I'll be smarter.

 

[RSKennan]

Ironically, I'll likely be looking for a sales position at a non-games company in order to move to the area.

 

[TheLe]

Ironically, I'll likely be looking for a sales position at a non-games company in order to move to the area.

Sorry to hear that, RSKennan. Better luck next time. You could always try becoming a pdf publisher - I have been told you can make $20,000 a year doing it, relatively easy too.

In anycase, I wouldn't worry about it too much. There will be other jobs and other opportunities. Barry Manilow put on a great concert once in Pittsburgh about 10 years ago, and he said that 1 in 100 make it in showbiz... but it wasn't the "one" that impressed him -- it was the other ninety-nine.

Best of luck to you sir. I am sure everything will turn out great for you.

~Le

 

[BASHMAN]

Pdf Publishing

I am also a part-time pdf publisher. Basically I had a couple things sitting on my computer that I made for my own personal use. Then a friend mentioned, "You know, this could be saleable". So after learning photoshop and every trick there is to know about Microsoft Word (don't like quark), and buying some stock art, I got into the pdf publishing industry.

I was elated that my first product quickly became #1 in its Category (Super-Heroes) on RPGnow.com, and for a while it was the #1 product on Drivethrurpg.com in the "Other Publishers" category. But it did not last forever. For some unknown reason, Rpgnow let Green Ronin release a Mutants and Masterminds product (Gizmo's guide to gadgets) in the Super Heroes section of RPGnow.com instead of the Mutants and Masterminds section.

In the FIRST DAY, that product was #1. Now all I can hope for is to permanently be content with #2 in that category... Until RPGNow lets GR release ANOTHER M&M product in the wrong category! (grumbling finished)

However, I found that some of the other stuff I had (not entire systems, but just short variant rules) for d20 that I was selling for only 1 dollar (my Amazing 1 Page Dungeon and Fatal Flaws) each almost matched my sales for Basic Action Super Heroes this month.

The key, I think to succeeding in this business part-time is to ALWAYS come out with something new. Don't let your name get stale. Also, new products can help your sales of older ones. If you publish non d20 materials, I highly recomend you publish some things for d20, as this is almost essentially free advertising for everything else you make (d20 products get a lot more page views, and the "other products by this publisher" section of the page can lead d20 customers to your non d20 stuff as well.

My d20 1 Page dungeon product got a 5 star rating in its first day of sales. I have decided to produce at least 1 of these every month, and probably at the end of the year sell them in a bundle pack or something.

However, I am not planning on getting rich at this. It is just something to supliment the income I make in my day-job. If things pick up, I would like nothing more than to gear into full time mode, however!

 

[KingOfChaos]

I wouldn't have bothered. After the way I was 'let go' (aka, ignored) and the fact that they no longer publish D20 books gives me little reason to even look at FFG's current products, much less want to work for them full time.