Hellcow & WotC [Archive] - Wizards Community

Hellcow & WotC [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Hardhead
05-24-04, 09:13 PM In another thread, Hellcow said:

while I'm not an employee of WotC, I am bound under NDA, so it's not my place to reveal information they choose not to reveal.

Hellcow, if I may ask, does that mean you worked on Eberron on a contractual basis? And if so, are you still working on stuff for WotC or are you now "out of the loop" on future Eberron products?
Frobi-Wan Kenobi
05-24-04, 09:31 PM Hellcow >= Keith Baker

Look at the Eberron Campaign Setting at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786932740/qid=1085448665/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4733344-6488858?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for more info
Hardhead
05-24-04, 09:35 PM Originally posted by Frobi-Wan Kenobi
Hellcow >= Keith Baker

Look at the Eberron Campaign Setting at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786932740/qid=1085448665/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4733344-6488858?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for more info

I know that Keith Baker is Hellcow. That wasn't what I was asking.
JohnnyONeal
05-24-04, 09:57 PM Yes, Keith's work for WotC is on a work-for-hire basis. In fact, I believe that's the case for most D&D writers. He's pretty in the loop, because he's involved in future supplements and will likely continue to be involved, but if Wizards decides to stop using him, they totally can. He's received his $100,000 for creating Eberron, and to my knowledge doesn't have control over or receive royalties from future applications of the Eberron brand.
Hellcow
05-24-04, 10:26 PM What Johnny said. I hope to continue developing Eberron material in the future, and so far I've had the opportunity to do that. As for what the future may hold, I imagine in depends on what they think of my work. :) So far I've definitely been able to make my voice heard, and I have always been made to feel a welcome part of the design process. But the final decisions rest in the hands of WotC. So far working with WotC has been a very positive experience, and this isn't something that particularly concerns me.
The White Sorcerer
05-25-04, 03:37 AM I can clearly see the time 10 years from now: Myself and the other old school Ebbies complaining how everything turned for the worse when they stopped listening to Keith and revealed that the Mourning was created by a simultaneous lazor-blast from a thousand robot dinosaurs.
SJE
05-25-04, 03:58 AM Mmmm.... robot dinosaurs.... with frickin' laser beams strapped to their head!

Groovy!
jedi8187
05-25-04, 03:59 PM Originally posted by The White Sorcerer
I can clearly see the time 10 years from now: Myself and the other old school Ebbies complaining how everything turned for the worse when they stopped listening to Keith and revealed that the Mourning was created by a simultaneous lazor-blast from a thousand robot dinosaurs.

Just ruin it for the rest of us why don't you TWS!!!(J/K:D ). And they're not robots, they're Dinoforged.
Lord Nat
05-25-04, 04:37 PM Originally posted by JohnnyONeal
He's received his $100,000 for creating Eberron

I have GOT to get into the PnP RPG biz...
SJE
05-25-04, 07:28 PM Originally posted by Lord Nat
I have GOT to get into the PnP RPG biz...

I think that Hellcow probably got paid the most of anyone in the setting writing business. Most PnP RPG writers are horrendously underpaid, and they either starve for a while or write part-time.

The old joke is "What is the difference between an Industry professional and a 18" pizza?

A: The pizza can feed a family of four!"

$100,000 would be the exception rather than the rule I imagine. Only a few people (who own RPG companies with smash hits) have ever made a lot of money out of gaming- Adkison, Rein-Hagen, maybe one or two others.

SJE
Hellcow
05-25-04, 07:32 PM Originally posted by SJE
I think that Hellcow probably got paid the most of anyone in the setting writing business.
True. I believe I made more than many of the smaller publishers that year. As a freelance RPG writer, most of the work I've done has been for $.03-.06/word (with $.06 being something to be excited about). My first job was for $.01/word. So don't put the downpayment on the Mercedes yet...
Harmony's Sorrow
05-25-04, 07:58 PM Wow. 1 cent per word. DEAL!!!! WHERE DO I SIGN UP!!!!

I usually do a LOT of writing on my own stuff, and not only don't I get paid, but then I pay for the local kinkos to print and bind it for my group!

Hellcow! How do I get the cent/word deal?
Lord Nat
05-25-04, 08:55 PM Sounds good to me.
I live cheap anyway.

And if I bring out some thing with my name one it a lot of people from all over the place will buy it just for my name on it.

I am some what well known around the net.

Here is a link to my latest work ^_^
http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=214&topic=14174574

P.S. I am LordNat of Underdark there.
My stuff starts the 5th post down.

P.S.S. Wizo it's ok I link to the Gamefaqs boards right?
Hellcow
05-25-04, 09:44 PM Originally posted by Harmony's Sorrow
Hellcow! How do I get the cent/word deal?
Look for open calls -- which was want the Fantasy Setting Search was, on a really big scale. A lot of times when publishers are making compilation books -- collections of monsters, short senarios, magic items, etc -- they will accept submisions from anyone who cares to send one in (not that they'll necessarily accept them). Check out the publisher forums on ENWorld, RPG.net, and similar sites for these sort of opportunities. If people like what you do, then you hope to get asked to do larger specific projects. You can also check out the submission guidelines for magazines -- Pyramid, Dragon, Dungeon, and so on. That's how I got started. There are often seminars by & for freelancers at conventions like Gencon & Origins -- I went to a very helpful panel about writing for Paizo a few years back, which gave me the info I needed to propose the Deathnet minigame.

Sadly, opportunities like the FSS come along very rarely. But there are lots of opportunities out there, if you can survive on the pay!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hardhead 05-24-04, 09:13 PM	In another thread, Hellcow said: while I'm not an employee of WotC, I am bound under NDA, so it's not my place to reveal information they choose not to reveal. Hellcow, if I may ask, does that mean you worked on Eberron on a contractual basis? And if so, are you still working on stuff for WotC or are you now "out of the loop" on future Eberron products?
Frobi-Wan Kenobi 05-24-04, 09:31 PM	Hellcow >= Keith Baker Look at the Eberron Campaign Setting at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786932740/qid=1085448665/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4733344-6488858?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for more info
Hardhead 05-24-04, 09:35 PM	Originally posted by Frobi-Wan Kenobi Hellcow >= Keith Baker Look at the Eberron Campaign Setting at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0786932740/qid=1085448665/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-4733344-6488858?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) for more info I know that Keith Baker is Hellcow. That wasn't what I was asking.
JohnnyONeal 05-24-04, 09:57 PM	Yes, Keith's work for WotC is on a work-for-hire basis. In fact, I believe that's the case for most D&D writers. He's pretty in the loop, because he's involved in future supplements and will likely continue to be involved, but if Wizards decides to stop using him, they totally can. He's received his $100,000 for creating Eberron, and to my knowledge doesn't have control over or receive royalties from future applications of the Eberron brand.
Hellcow 05-24-04, 10:26 PM	What Johnny said. I hope to continue developing Eberron material in the future, and so far I've had the opportunity to do that. As for what the future may hold, I imagine in depends on what they think of my work. :) So far I've definitely been able to make my voice heard, and I have always been made to feel a welcome part of the design process. But the final decisions rest in the hands of WotC. So far working with WotC has been a very positive experience, and this isn't something that particularly concerns me.
The White Sorcerer 05-25-04, 03:37 AM	I can clearly see the time 10 years from now: Myself and the other old school Ebbies complaining how everything turned for the worse when they stopped listening to Keith and revealed that the Mourning was created by a simultaneous lazor-blast from a thousand robot dinosaurs.
SJE 05-25-04, 03:58 AM	Mmmm.... robot dinosaurs.... with frickin' laser beams strapped to their head! Groovy!
jedi8187 05-25-04, 03:59 PM	Originally posted by The White Sorcerer I can clearly see the time 10 years from now: Myself and the other old school Ebbies complaining how everything turned for the worse when they stopped listening to Keith and revealed that the Mourning was created by a simultaneous lazor-blast from a thousand robot dinosaurs. Just ruin it for the rest of us why don't you TWS!!!(J/K:D ). And they're not robots, they're Dinoforged.
Lord Nat 05-25-04, 04:37 PM	Originally posted by JohnnyONeal He's received his $100,000 for creating Eberron I have GOT to get into the PnP RPG biz...
SJE 05-25-04, 07:28 PM	Originally posted by Lord Nat I have GOT to get into the PnP RPG biz... I think that Hellcow probably got paid the most of anyone in the setting writing business. Most PnP RPG writers are horrendously underpaid, and they either starve for a while or write part-time. The old joke is "What is the difference between an Industry professional and a 18" pizza? A: The pizza can feed a family of four!" $100,000 would be the exception rather than the rule I imagine. Only a few people (who own RPG companies with smash hits) have ever made a lot of money out of gaming- Adkison, Rein-Hagen, maybe one or two others. SJE
Hellcow 05-25-04, 07:32 PM	Originally posted by SJE I think that Hellcow probably got paid the most of anyone in the setting writing business. True. I believe I made more than many of the smaller publishers that year. As a freelance RPG writer, most of the work I've done has been for $.03-.06/word (with $.06 being something to be excited about). My first job was for $.01/word. So don't put the downpayment on the Mercedes yet...
Harmony's Sorrow 05-25-04, 07:58 PM	Wow. 1 cent per word. DEAL!!!! WHERE DO I SIGN UP!!!! I usually do a LOT of writing on my own stuff, and not only don't I get paid, but then I pay for the local kinkos to print and bind it for my group! Hellcow! How do I get the cent/word deal?
Lord Nat 05-25-04, 08:55 PM	Sounds good to me. I live cheap anyway. And if I bring out some thing with my name one it a lot of people from all over the place will buy it just for my name on it. I am some what well known around the net. Here is a link to my latest work ^_^ http://boards.gamefaqs.com/gfaqs/genmessage.php?board=214&topic=14174574 P.S. I am LordNat of Underdark there. My stuff starts the 5th post down. P.S.S. Wizo it's ok I link to the Gamefaqs boards right?
Hellcow 05-25-04, 09:44 PM	Originally posted by Harmony's Sorrow Hellcow! How do I get the cent/word deal? Look for open calls -- which was want the Fantasy Setting Search was, on a really big scale. A lot of times when publishers are making compilation books -- collections of monsters, short senarios, magic items, etc -- they will accept submisions from anyone who cares to send one in (not that they'll necessarily accept them). Check out the publisher forums on ENWorld, RPG.net, and similar sites for these sort of opportunities. If people like what you do, then you hope to get asked to do larger specific projects. You can also check out the submission guidelines for magazines -- Pyramid, Dragon, Dungeon, and so on. That's how I got started. There are often seminars by & for freelancers at conventions like Gencon & Origins -- I went to a very helpful panel about writing for Paizo a few years back, which gave me the info I needed to propose the Deathnet minigame. Sadly, opportunities like the FSS come along very rarely. But there are lots of opportunities out there, if you can survive on the pay!