The Forge Archives

Hello,

Sorcerer & Sword sold out from the warehouse yesterday. I still have a handful of copies left over from GenCon and will be fulfilling orders myself with those.

But meanwhile, my good ol' printer is churning out another print run of Sorcerer & Sword, and they tell me "three weeks." So I might have to tell a customer or two to wait (if they miss the big News Item at the website, for instance), but all should be well.

The really good news is that I can pay for the new print run right out of the Adept checking account, without needing to use the credit card. I'm still digging my way out from GenCon expenses on the Adept Visa, and although profits outweigh that monthly expense nicely, it's slow.

Which is a subtle way of saying, direct sales profits are grossly high. I pull in at least $100 a week from on-line game sales, and often quite a bit more. Last week was almost embarassing.

Interesting point: I considered using the digital printer that Paul used for My Life with Master, Express Media. I've heard a lot of good things about them from others as well, and I like their deals. This would have been a major shift for me, as the Sorcerer books are all printed using hard core traditional methods. As it turned out, given that I get re-print prices with the printer and also that my print run sizes are kind of in a weird middle ground between "short" and "commercial," the traditional print price won out.

But you can bet I'm going with Express Media for Trollbabe and Elfs, barring some unforeseen cost or barrier. Further announcements about that as events warrant.

Best,
Ron

Does this mean you're planning a print run of Trollbabe?

*hopping around*

Wheeeeee!

*cartwheels*

Hello,

It all depends on the bids and prices that I get from the printer-people. If they do me as well as they've done some others, hard copies of both Elfs and Trollbabe look quite likely.

I'll need new layout, new art, a cover for Elfs, and ads to stick in the back, and a bunch of re-written text for snippets and portions. That ought to keep me busy for a little while.

My real goal is to see some Elfs play that really nails the game. So far, I consider it highly under-rated, and am considering toning down the potty stuff because it seems to override everything else in people's minds. I'm also wondering whether it should be pitched as a vicious slam on D&D or a joyful celebration thereof. And whether Hackmaster did the latter sufficiently well to leave alone.

Trollbabe's planned modifications are well documented. There are a couple of rules changes. I'd like to amp up the Author Stance and provide specific limitations and restrictions on Director Stance. I'd also like to provide examples and reinforcements for long-term play, emphasizing that the story of Trollbabe is character-centered, and the situations per scenario are literally bits and steps in her story.

Best,
Ron

Quote from: Ron EdwardsHello,


The really good news is that I can pay for the new print run right out of the Adept checking account, without needing to use the credit card. I'm still digging my way out from GenCon expenses on the Adept Visa, and although profits outweigh that monthly expense nicely, it's slow.

Which is a subtle way of saying, direct sales profits are grossly high. I pull in at least $100 a week from on-line game sales, and often quite a bit more. Last week was almost embarassing.

(MY jaw drops and eyes bug......)
Sweet jumpin Jesus and  his black brother Harry ! you mean some mondo wierdo ,third world, obscure rpg can pull down THIS kind of bucks!!!???
(I begin to RADICALLY alter my opinion of the idea of becoming and indie rpg publiser!)
Good god Ron! Way to go......

Heh...yeah...and then you wonder why we ain't lining up begging to be published by the "big guys".  The big guys can barely pay their freelancers on time.  I don't make as much as Ron a week, but I've got a steady stream of sales that goes right into my own pocket without needing to wait to see if the distributor actually pays me before going under.

You didn't really think the Forge was about vanity press did you?

Hi B,

"Industry" is defined as commerce which enriches more people than the production-personnel. That's not an official definition, but it's the only one which makes any sense to me.

So if I were selling Sorcerer on a street corner, and even if it made enough money to cover costs, it wouldn't be an "industry" - just commerce.

But I can pay artists and printers up front. I can provide free advertising to fellow publishers. I can even make some small money for retailers if they keep their heads and understand what they're selling; significantly, I'm one of the few small press publishers who was not dropped by Alliance over the last year (knock wood).

I can do all of these things out of profits, not external funding. Furthermore, people are playing Sorcerer constantly and continuously spreading knowledge of it elsewhere. Even the ones who didn't like it get disturbed enough about their own play-habits to start thinking a bit.

So look at Adept Press, and look at a number of other independent publishers who either preceded it (e.g. Apophis Consortium) or parallel it (e.g. Issaries, Key 20). Also look at companies whose games aren't in the stores but otherwise fulfil the "enrich others too" criterion (Half Meme Press, Ramshead Publishing).

Who's the "industry"? We are. Not "the Forge," but the general activity of which the Forge is one vocal part.

B, I have a judgment call for you. It's time for you to stop being bitter about playing and buying role-playing games. The industry is real. This is it. The games are fascinating, affordable, playable, and actively played all 'round. Let the past be past.

Best,
Ron

Hi Ron,

I'm happy to hear that Adept Press is doing well. Congratulations! :-)

I'm also happy to hear that Elfs and Trollbabe may be hitting the presses soon. If they do, consider me sold on a copy of each.

Hello,

The new books just shipped to the warehouse, so all seems well in print land.

So now what'm I supposed to do with hundreds of copies of Sorcerer & Sword? Sell them or something?

Best,
Ron

Tell your students they have a new textbook they have to buy for class.

Huh, that's odd. I can actually hear Ron's brain contemplating how to make S&S part of the curriculum from a whole city away.

Sell those babies!

Mike