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What's a Freelance RPG Writer Worth?
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<blockquote data-quote="Steve Conan Trustrum" data-source="post: 7683386" data-attributes="member: 1620"><p>Again, you have access to information on everyone's budgets and profit margins ... how?</p><p></p><p>When you start saying things like publishers in the RPG industry will make back money spent "<strong>and then some</strong>" (emphasis mine), you illustrate a common misunderstanding of the industry's economics.</p><p></p><p>Not that it really matters, but most playtesting is done by publishers, not writers. Simple solution, then: don't work for those publishers. This is what you simply aren't getting.</p><p></p><p>It is up to writers and artists to define their minimum threshold of payment, not publishers. If a job isn't paying enough, don't apply for it. If you see a job posted for a specific rate, however, and you apply to do it, then why should you be bitching about it and why should the publisher feel ashamed? Now, if you find it difficult to get jobs that pay higher rates, consider the following: a) maybe there are good, objective reasons why so many publishers can't afford to pay higher rates (and, as a hint, consider that lining their pockets with inflated profit margins isn't one of them -- no publishers are getting rich putting out RPGs.) b) perhaps you (in the general sense, not YOU specifically) simply aren't as skilled a writer as you think and aren't worth the higher paying jobs.</p><p></p><p>Who are you or I to insist on that? Again, if people say to themselves "I'm worth more than this!" then they won't apply for a job. You're (incorrectly) assuming there are no writers (or publishers, for that matter) out there who are primarily motivated by fun, and consider the payment to be secondary. Or that it's something they do in their spare time so a high payment rate is not a priority. Again, your point here shows a rather narrow understanding of the sorts of people who write content and why.</p><p></p><p>Sure, undeniably getting paid more is better. And if you think you deserve more money for your work then only apply for those jobs. It really is that simple.</p><p></p><p>Which is true of any industry that employs freelancers, to be certain. So, let me ask you this: if low pay rates seem to be so common in the RPG industry, yet it keeps trucking along without everything being total <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />, why is that? Consider it's the cold, hard economics of the industry that drive those rates and not the demands of freelancers. You're talking about a dwindling market where the customers demand better at cheaper prices. Do you think that's an economic situation that presents opportunities for more money to be made by all involved, or less?</p><p></p><p>Perhaps, if all they want is people looking at their stuff, but not really if they want to make money. And if all they want is people looking at their stuff, why then are they concerned with low pay rates to begin with?</p><p></p><p>Again, you're assuming a lot about freelancer motives and desires. You also conveniently forget that anyone going into the RPG industry probably has a good idea that they won't be doing what they do with the expectation of a big pay day. Sure, everyone WANTS to make money hand over fist, but no one should expect it. If you want to be producing content in this industry at any level, hope, strive, and keep aiming for the best but expecting anything more than having fun doing what you're doing while earning a bit of cash along the way is not exactly accepting the reality of how much money flows into this industry from the customers at any point but the top.</p><p></p><p>Yes, but an opinion you're trying to qualify in general terms on everyone else's behalf while attributing motives and standards to publishers that ignore a lot of facts that are inconvenient to your opinion.</p><p></p><p>Most publishers pay what their particular section of the market can handle. If you want to earn more, start by convincing customers that getting quality RPG product into their hands is worth paying more.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Steve Conan Trustrum, post: 7683386, member: 1620"] Again, you have access to information on everyone's budgets and profit margins ... how? When you start saying things like publishers in the RPG industry will make back money spent "[b]and then some[/b]" (emphasis mine), you illustrate a common misunderstanding of the industry's economics. Not that it really matters, but most playtesting is done by publishers, not writers. Simple solution, then: don't work for those publishers. This is what you simply aren't getting. It is up to writers and artists to define their minimum threshold of payment, not publishers. If a job isn't paying enough, don't apply for it. If you see a job posted for a specific rate, however, and you apply to do it, then why should you be bitching about it and why should the publisher feel ashamed? Now, if you find it difficult to get jobs that pay higher rates, consider the following: a) maybe there are good, objective reasons why so many publishers can't afford to pay higher rates (and, as a hint, consider that lining their pockets with inflated profit margins isn't one of them -- no publishers are getting rich putting out RPGs.) b) perhaps you (in the general sense, not YOU specifically) simply aren't as skilled a writer as you think and aren't worth the higher paying jobs. Who are you or I to insist on that? Again, if people say to themselves "I'm worth more than this!" then they won't apply for a job. You're (incorrectly) assuming there are no writers (or publishers, for that matter) out there who are primarily motivated by fun, and consider the payment to be secondary. Or that it's something they do in their spare time so a high payment rate is not a priority. Again, your point here shows a rather narrow understanding of the sorts of people who write content and why. Sure, undeniably getting paid more is better. And if you think you deserve more money for your work then only apply for those jobs. It really is that simple. Which is true of any industry that employs freelancers, to be certain. So, let me ask you this: if low pay rates seem to be so common in the RPG industry, yet it keeps trucking along without everything being total :):):):), why is that? Consider it's the cold, hard economics of the industry that drive those rates and not the demands of freelancers. You're talking about a dwindling market where the customers demand better at cheaper prices. Do you think that's an economic situation that presents opportunities for more money to be made by all involved, or less? Perhaps, if all they want is people looking at their stuff, but not really if they want to make money. And if all they want is people looking at their stuff, why then are they concerned with low pay rates to begin with? Again, you're assuming a lot about freelancer motives and desires. You also conveniently forget that anyone going into the RPG industry probably has a good idea that they won't be doing what they do with the expectation of a big pay day. Sure, everyone WANTS to make money hand over fist, but no one should expect it. If you want to be producing content in this industry at any level, hope, strive, and keep aiming for the best but expecting anything more than having fun doing what you're doing while earning a bit of cash along the way is not exactly accepting the reality of how much money flows into this industry from the customers at any point but the top. Yes, but an opinion you're trying to qualify in general terms on everyone else's behalf while attributing motives and standards to publishers that ignore a lot of facts that are inconvenient to your opinion. Most publishers pay what their particular section of the market can handle. If you want to earn more, start by convincing customers that getting quality RPG product into their hands is worth paying more. [/QUOTE]
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