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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Orcus" data-source="post: 243917" data-attributes="member: 1254">start upBB-Here are some thoughts on the subject of start up:The death of most small companies is up front costs, as you are learning. That leads most people to try PDFs first. Good idea in theory, perhaps bad in the long run.You would think that an industry of gamers would be a forward thinking, computer friendly bunch. But that isnt really reflected in the choice of media. Print is king. Though you may hear an active pro-PDF voice on these boards, the reality is rather grim and these boards unfortunately are not even close to a representative sample of the gaming public. Plus, while many people _say_ they will buy PDFs, few do.If you sell 600 copies of a PDF you are doing very well. That wont raise much money for print costs.PDFs are good as a "calling card", a way to show what you can do and what you are all about.Plus, launching a huge product is a mistake. You need to rethink your product strategy. Start with a small product, but plan on how that will feed into other products. DO NOT start with a 256+ book. Thus, there are a few things you should do:1. Keep it short. A 256 page PDF is a horridly bad plan. Too big to download, too long to print for the user since they have to pony up the paper, too unwieldy of a file size for easy view on the computer (since many like PDFs for their portability and ease of use), too expensive for you to get art for (more on that in a minute). So focus on a short product--a 32 page gazetteer for your setting, an intro adventure for your setting, etc.2. Keep your layout smooth and simple but professional. Remember, people will be wasting ink on the print and one of the most common gripes is that the layout--while interesting--took two cartridges to print.3. Limit your art. Have a nice b/w line art cover and a small number of interior b/w pieces. If you want to splurge, do a color cover, but make sure it looks nice printing in b/w, which is how your purchasers will do it.4. Take the extra time to playtest and to make it rules tight. I hope I have talked you out of a 200+ PDF. That is a plan doomed from the start.But here are a few tips.As you noticed, the killer for a startup is upfront costs. So make sure you "back end" as many costs as you can. For example, I saw you were about to blow half your seed money on art. DONT DO IT! You need that money to print. If you have $7000 you can go to print on a small product. So you just need to back load your costs. Here is how you do it: there is a freelance glut right now. There are hundreds of writers and artists looking to break in. Post an open call on these boards for new artists to send you sample work. If you are going to print, you will find many new artists who are looking for a break who will be willing to do art for you for a percentage of the profits. That means you dont pay them until you make money and you use your seed money to go to print. Plus, people will be more willing to take a percentage off a print product then off a PDF since they know print does better.You also need to line up distribution, either through a fulfillment house or directly with distributors (which will be rather difficult). I cant recommend any fulfillment house right now since I am not familiar with the current situation. It used to be that everyone used Wizards Attic, but there have been some problems, or so I have heard.Do your homework. Contact distributors/fulfillment houses. Revise your product strategy. Work on your manuscript. As you get closer, post for artists. But whatever you do, DON'T spend money now that you dont need to spend. DON'T get art first. Heck, if things fold you will be out that money with no product.Hopefully these thoughts have helped.Clark PetersonNecromancer Games</blockquote>

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