I write workhorse products . . . Should I?

[JoeGKushner]

Are you saying that you want steam tech?

I could've swore that Ronin Arts already had a s team tech book in support of Dragon Mech... and possibly another one?

 

[Kanegrundar]

Wow. That's like being upset that you got Cheerios in your box of Cheerios!!!

I wouldn't worry too much about the innane complaints like that. It just goes to show you that even when you give people what you say you will, you can't always please them.

Kane

 

[philreed]

I could've swore that Ronin Arts already had a s team tech book in support of Dragon Mech... and possibly another one?

Two steam-related PDFs.

 

[Arnwyn]

Anyone have any ideas on what I should do with this realization? Should I slow down on the workhorse projects and start pushing myself on more creative projects or should I just keep doing what I've been doing for about three years now?

I don't know. What's the market demand for the "creative" products vs. what you're doing now? How does each sell, given your current format and distribution system?

(Aside: In the context of your original post, it sounds like "creative" is simply a euphimism for "not easily usable", if it doesn't slot right in.)

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Are you saying that you want steam tech?

Oooh yeah!

And more than a few of the others I mentioned would fit in a steam tech setting as well.

The Auld Grump, about half way through reading The Light Ages - a steam tech and magic novel...

 

[sjmiller]

Phil,
If the things you create are workhorses, then I must be a stablehand! I've used so much of your stuff that the players in my group sometimes wonder if I am playtesting for you. I've especially had fun with the mundane things, like the menu (from the DM's Idea Pipeline), and the dwarven fighting mugs.

The great thing about many of your works is the fact I can easily use them in my D&D game, or my DragonQuest game, or my modern horror game. You are filling in the small details that I would fill in myself if I had the extra time, creative talent, and (sadly sometimes) health to do!

Many people in this thread have already said the obvious: Keep doing what you are doing. I want to add that you should keep doing what we all wish we could do!

Now, how about A Dozen Inn/Tavern Menus? Or maybe A Dozen Unusual Pieces of Furniture?

 

[Napftor]

Since you have the most successful pdf company out there, don't upset the delicate balance by stopping your workhorse products. If you want to do more creative things, then do them. As a fellow writer, I can certainly understand that need. It might be fun to also combine the two ideas in one pdf. Like with the Dozen... series, have the items as usual, but then indulge your creative side by throwing in wacky variants of some of the items at the end. People who like the workhorse stuff still get what they want and you keep a margin of creative sanity.

Or, you could always farm out to freelancers some of the more wacky projects. Since you don't get as large a cut from those, the fall isn't as bad if they fail to sell.

 

[jaerdaph]

I know it's the oldest cliche in the book, but...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Keep up the good work, Phil.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Dwarven fighting mugs? Which product are those in? THAT's something I'd use.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

I mean. What do people expect? The product titles for that series are pretty much nothing more than examples of truth in advertising.

I must save this link for future reference, so that the next time some $%&^$% gives me the 'customer is always right' crap, I can wave it in his face and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that sometimes the customer is a moron.