Open call : artists @ authors needed!

[HellHound]

All hail to the Steve.

Steve's post covers it all with better words than I can smith. All of us in the industry started off as nobodys. Some of us remain nobodys to this day. But being a nobody for free? As if.

Being published for free in the RPG market is -anything- but innovative. A lot of us get published for free (not of our own choice - a lot of products out there have been fully written and never go to print... and a bunch of products exist where the publisher never managed to dig itself back out of the hole in order to pay the freelancers involved in the project), but it isn't something we ever signed up for - when we get published for free, it is called "getting the SHAFT".

"It will be available on Amazon" - no offense, but BIG HONKING DEAL. I can buy crap by the truckload on Amazon. I can buy some of my worst and best writing on Amazon. Is it exposure for me? NO. Being for sale on Amazon just means the product sinks to the bottom with all the other third-party RPG releases available on Amazon.

 

[ThaDium]

Professionalism

releasethedogs-

I'm not going to address your payment methods. Others have done so sufficiently. My concern is with the image you're portraying. It's not one that would make me want to support your company, as a contributor or a consumer.

Everything you do when you post as under this name reflects upon your publishing company. As an example, your misspellings and simple grammar mistakes make me wonder about the editing I can expect from your books. (The most glaring error is that you consistently fail to use the word "an" before words beginning with vowels.)

Additionally, the attitude you've portrayed in your posts here is concerning:

You people that dont understand, would you please, please, please think out side the box for once. So if you think that "nothing but credit", inkmonkey then go ahead and barf like the fat man from Monty Python's Meaning Of Life.

The smilies do not negate the mood of this post. They come across as an attempt to get out of what you've said.

This attitude is also shown on the front page of your website. As are your errors in spelling and grammar.

From the front page of http://www.releasethedogs.com/:

This web site is not kid safe. The content within could offend you, but then again it might not. The views expressed with in are my own and don't reflect any one but me. If you don't think you can handle a website then you need to get a grip on your life, you conservative piece of crap. If you think your mature enough to handle a website then use the navigation bar to the left. You have been warned.
Sign the damn guest map!

I hope that you take this as the constructive criticism it is meant to be. I want to see people succeed in their goals. I'm not trying to tear you down, I just want you to take a good look at the image you're giving to people. The members EnWorld can be very supportive, provided you win them to your cause.

 

[blobsticks]

Being published for free in the RPG market is -anything- but innovative. A lot of us get published for free (not of our own choice - a lot of products out there have been fully written and never go to print... and a bunch of products exist where the publisher never managed to dig itself back out of the hole in order to pay the freelancers involved in the project), but it isn't something we ever signed up for - when we get published for free, it is called "getting the SHAFT".

Very nicely put Jason!

Freelancers are getting shafted out there on a daily basis, I'm surprised you even suggested this idea, releasethedogs.
Still one bonus for you is that you haven't lied, as is too often the case. You've been ufront about this...... crap to be honest, deal.

 

[TheLe]

American Graffiti - Star Wars - Universal - Fox - Lucas

(example: George lucas made American Graffiti to fund star wars)

For the record, this is incorrect. Star Wars (A New Hope) was actually greenlit well before American Graffiti, and it was totally financed by FOX Studios for 12 million dollars (which was very expensive at that time). For Star Wars, George Lucas sacrificed his own fee in exchange for the sequel rights and merchandising control (although I think Lucas is a moron in general, this was clearly a brilliant move on his part). Money from American Graffiti actually went to UNIVERSAL Studios.

Lucas' money for his Empire didn't really roll in until Empire Strikes Back (pun intended). Please be careful when invoking the name of holy trilogy

~Le

 

[swift2plunder]

Penny a word

I just got a $12 check from a publisher. You know what? It felt good. My wife has a paying job and we needed gas money. It was a penny a word, but it was a quick turn around. I got a product that I might actually use and I'm pretty happy with the situation.

Years back, I submitted some stuff to poetry.com. I received an honorable mention and slew of advertising. I could buy the book for $70. I could have the poem on an audio collection for a limited time. They'd print it on plates, mugs and t-shirts for me. They will never see another word from me.

I like recognition as much as the next person, but nothing says recognition like money. Well, free product comes close.

Erin (releasethedogs) is a nice kid. I sent him an e-mail when he asked for writers on another forum. He's got pictures on his website; he looks 10 years younger than I am, probably in his late 20's. His home would probably be about a 20 minute drive from mine, maybe a little longer; that would depend on how close to the highways he is.

His approach is a little pennywise and buck foolish. This is likely his first project. Without a doubt the writers here have more writing experience than the publisher has publishing experience. The information that the other publishers have provided about writers' righteous expectations goes a long way towards explaining their emotional reactions. Unless there's another ascerbic rejoinder, we could probably cut him a little slack and see if he comes back with a more reasonable offer.

Chris

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

Erin (releasethedogs) is a nice kid. I sent him an e-mail when he asked for writers on another forum. He's got pictures on his website; he looks 10 years younger than I am, probably in his late 20's. His home would probably be about a 20 minute drive from mine, maybe a little longer; that would depend on how close to the highways he is.

His approach is a little pennywise and buck foolish. This is likely his first project. Without a doubt the writers here have more writing experience than the publisher has publishing experience. The information that the other publishers have provided about writers' righteous expectations goes a long way towards explaining their emotional reactions. Unless there's another ascerbic rejoinder, we could probably cut him a little slack and see if he comes back with a more reasonable offer.

Chris

Do you know if Erin has done any freelancing in the industry as yet, or is he jumping in with both legs without first getting his feet wet?

If the latter, I'd humbly suggest to Erin that he first get his own name out there in some freelancing gigs. Even small ones should give him a different perspective on why people don't put much stock in the promotion = payment concept. Based on the tone of the posts in this thread, I'm assuming Erin either hasn't done any freelancing or only very little, so while I can commend him for attempting the leap to publishing I can't help but think that lacking such rudimentary experience will not be a good thing in the long run, as a lot of lessons learned by working for other people will not have been gained and thus won't extend to how he deals with his freelancers, no matter how good his intentions. Now, I understand that this is a lot of assuming on my part, but I'd consider them to be informed assumptions based on some of the things he's said here and the manner he's chosen to address certain issues that have arisen.

EDIT: To Erin, a small suggestion concerning your web site: the dark lettering on the dark blood splats blends too much. I'd suggest outlining your letters in a lighter color to creat contrast or keep the dark outlining but go with a lighter fill for the same reason. Some of the menu selections are virtually unreadable.