Joining the ranks of the unemployed . . . (PDF Full-Time)

[philreed]

As of last week, I am no longer an employee of Steve Jackson Games and have devoted myself to running Ronin Arts full-time (with some odd freelance jobs tossed in).

I hope to now have time to visit and read these forums on a regular basis and to be more readily available to those who have asked me questions in the past.

Talk to you guys soon!

[ethan_greer]

Well cool!  Best of luck to you.

[Tobias]

Yeah. We don't know each other - but good luck!

[Valamir]

Hey Phil, if you wouldn't be uncomfortable sharing, I think it would be exceedingly interesting and useful if you'd share your thoughts and lines of reasoning on making that decision.

Sort of reviewing the balance sheet of pros and cons and what situation and business estimates/assumptions enabled you to reach the point where you were comfortable making that decision.

[philreed]

I sold my first PDF in September 2002 and since that time have managed to build monthly take-home to $1,500/month (average). That was with me spending 10-15 hours/week on PDFs (and, for some months, not putting any time into PDFs at all).

I reached a point in my life where I needed a break from the day-to-day stress of a regular job and the desire to spend time on my own projects grew to a point I was frustrated working on anything other than my own stuff.

Looking at my life I decided that it was worth taking a chance and seeing what happens if I devote my time to PDFs. Luckily, the freelance work is coming in at a rate that I'm turning away work so I do have a fallback position if PDF sales do not grow as I put more time into them.

Wow, what a disorganized mess this post is. Let me come back later when I'm not talking on the phone.

[Mike Holmes]

With talent like Phil's I'm sure that he'll be able to make an effective go at it.

Good luck, Phil! And welcome into the ranks of full time indie designers, FWIW. :-)

Hey, can you send some of that freelance work that you're turning away our way by any chance? :-)

Mike

[Tav_Behemoth]

Congratulations on taking the plunge, Phil!

I'd also be interested in hearing why you've decided to focus on PDFs exclusively; I can certainly understand not wanting to get into three-tier distribution of a print product, but what do you see as the pluses and minuses of doing micro-print runs for direct sales?

[philreed]

Congratulations on taking the plunge, Phil!

I'd also be interested in hearing why you've decided to focus on PDFs exclusively; I can certainly understand not wanting to get into three-tier distribution of a print product, but what do you see as the pluses and minuses of doing micro-print runs for direct sales?

There are several reasons I am concentrating on PDFs.

There's such a large amount of product flooding the distribution channel these days that someone would have to have a large quantity of cash ready to get recognized and have successful sales in retail stores. I do not have such a supply of cash and, even if I did, I would not go the print route.

With PDFs, I have no inventory and a product is never out of print. Also, I can revise PDFs and send free revisions to the customers. I have yet to see a free replacement for any print product I've ever purchased.

With PDFs my sales are through RPGNow and the soon-to-open Ronin Arts site.

http://www.philipjreed.com/roninarts

If another PDF distribution site opens I'll consider selling through them as well. But so far RPGNow has proven dependable and I've never been sent a check late. This I can't stress enough. EVERY check from RPGNow has come on time. I don't know of a single print distributor able to make this claim. Why deal with print distributors that may not pay me on time?

With PDFs, I'm a big fish in a small pond. Ronin Arts has developed a following and reputation and I see no reason to kill myself trying to expand that to print. And even if I did, I still have PDFs that outsell many print products.

The $1-$2 PDF is just not a viable business model in print. How many distrbutors are going to buy my latest 5 or 6 page product that's priced at $2? None. With PDF I release what I want at the size I want. And these small PDFs allow the customer to buy exactly what they want. You don't care about my Dozen Troubling Rumors but you really want A Dozen Unusual Armors? Fine. Just buy the one you want. In print I would have to collect all of this material to create a 64-page or 96-page book.

The main reason is: I don't want to deal with print.*

* Exception: Limited print runs (POD) I will be doing. Like the vs. Monsters Box Set and Motocaust. And the full-color art books Christopher Shy and I have been releasing for over a year now.

You guys ask hard questions. :)

[philreed]

With talent like Phil's I'm sure that he'll be able to make an effective go at it.

Good luck, Phil! And welcome into the ranks of full time indie designers, FWIW. :-)

Hey, can you send some of that freelance work that you're turning away our way by any chance? :-)

Mike

Thanks. I'm fairly sure I'll need all the luck I can get.

And the next person I have to send away I'll send here and recommend that they post an ad looking for help.

[Tav_Behemoth]

You guys ask hard questions. :)

Hope it didn't seem like I was giving you a hard time! It's just that one often hears from small fish in the small PDF pond, for whom the default answer to "why PDF?" is "minimal entry cost".

So I was eager to learn from someone with your experience at the other end of the scale, and your answers are as thought-provoking as I'd hoped. Thanks!

[philreed]

You guys ask hard questions. :)

Hope it didn't seem like I was giving you a hard time! It's just that one often hears from small fish in the small PDF pond, for whom the default answer to "why PDF?" is "minimal entry cost".

So I was eager to learn from someone with your experience at the other end of the scale, and your answers are as thought-provoking as I'd hoped. Thanks!

Nah. It's good for me to keep these things in my mind before I wake up one day and realize I've printed 2,500 copies of something. :)

I hope to be able to report in a few months that Ronin Arts is doing well enough that I don't have to go find a new job. I'll keep you guys informed.

[Moah]

Good luck to you. I hope you all the best. I'm especially interested since I want to do just that someday too.

[Jürgen Mayer]

Go Ronin Arts go! Good luck!

[Matt Snyder]

Knock 'em dead, Phil. I'm rooting for you. I'll be watching to see how it works for you; if history is any guide, it'll go well for you.

[philreed]

Knock 'em dead, Phil. I'm rooting for you. I'll be watching to see how it works for you; if history is any guide, it'll go well for you.

Thanks. Feels good to know that so many people have confidence in my ability to make this work. I've been spending a lot of time writing, planning, and on the phone and I hope that my first creation after leaving SJGames -- Motocaust -- does well.