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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Deamoclese" data-source="post: 427742" data-attributes="member: 6391">just like to add..As a "low income" earner, I thought I'd just like to make a few points. First, I am a journalist (specializing in law enforcement) and am all to aware of the woes of a freelance writer. There are only two kinds: Those that succeed and those that starve... there are seldom any in between (I starved as a freelancer until I got a 'real' job).However, even as an employee, I am paid pittance... writers frequently are. I make $23,000 annually (gross income). Mind you, that pay cheque comes in those wonderful shiny Canadian dollars (I live in Toronto). So you can only imagine how much that is in US dollars.From what I understand, many of my brothers-in-arms to the south suffer the same problem I do. So I certainly can see, hear and understand the pain that RPG writers (freelancers) go through in terms of making 2-4 cents or so per word.At the same time, one need only look at the cost hardcover novels in major bookstores. Most cost around $39-$49 (Canadian) for a mere 300 or so page novel.. no art, maps, diagrams, etc.. no colour either on the inside.D20 products on the other hand cost $45 Canadian if it's a hardcover book. Some cost less, around $39 and rarely sometimes $29 (player's handbook for DnD --- paperback accessories, modules, etc usually cost $20-$25). And in nearly all d20 hardcover books, you get around the same number of pages as a novel (on larger paper) with glossy paper usually, full colour (usually) and many, many illustrationsm, diagrams, maps, etc. Yet they still cost less than novels? This seems wrong.For that reason I can definately understand raising the cost of DnD books somewhat. You simply are getting far more than you would from a novel, but the cost doesn't reflect it (not that I'm complaining <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" /> ) Far more work tends to go into a D20 published item (if it isn't a piece of crap whipped together by some half-wit and published by some dumb schmuck publisher... which seems far too frequent these days) and the cost, theoretically, should reflect that.However, while I don't know how far US dollars go in terms of purchashing power, Canadian dollars are beginning to make the peso look good. Most of the good DnD books I buy are 45 bucks, and that is a heapin' load of cash for a Caker like me (and most others that are low to lower-middle class earners). I struggle just to purchase the few books I do buy. I fear that a price increase would force me to severely cut back how many (good) books I buy... not because I don't want to pay the increase.. but because I CAN'T. Many of the 9 people I know who play DnD as well are in the exact same boat (computer programmers, biology majors, criminology majors, and electrical engineers with 5 years or more of university education, can't afford any DnD books on their pitiful income).Nevertheless, I continue to support the idea of paying writers more for their D20 work, even if it means higher costs (and thus likely much of the business from this Canadian customer) because at least, with some hope, it will encourage the industry in general to perhaps pay writers more (especially professionals, such as myself, that went to college or university for many years to become highly skilled at what they do). Just don't be surprised if you see a few Canadian customers fall of the charts when books become $60 (Can.).... not that I really know if Canadian customers are even of much significance to d20 publishers <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" /></blockquote>

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