Just Do It!

One of my main interests is the business side of rpgs.  It's why I started The Fantasy Cartographic two years ago.

I know a lot of people who are trying to "break into" the rpg business.  My question is, why?  Not why try to break into the business, but why not just do it?  The cost to entry is zero--not counting your time.  Just go out, put together a product of some type, and then go to any number of sites that will sell it for you, set up an account, and voila! you're in the biz.

I'm sure that some people would say that this really isn't breaking into the business.  My only reply is that you have to start somewhere.  Just do it.

I've been doing it for over two years now.  Have I made a lot of money?  No.  Am I well known in the world of rpgs?  No.  Am I even well known in the much smaller world of the OSR?  Heck, no!  But here is what I know:

- I've made a little money--enough to pay for this little hobby of mine.  It is effectively self-sufficient.

- I've learned a lot about creating a written document that looks professional (to some extent)--which is much more than just writing the document (although that, in itself, can be difficult).

- I've learned a lot about setting goals and working my butt off to accomplish something.

- I'm having a lot of fun.

Back to my 'Just Do It' idea.  I'll compare it to something that my older brother said a long time ago that really rang true to me when he first said it, and it still rings true.  We were talking about SETI--you know, the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence, where people are basically searching outer space for aliens, typically using radio telescopes and looking for radio sgnals that cannot be naturally occuring.  I was saying that I was interested in supporting it in some way and that I thought it was a good idea.  My brother looked at me and said that it was the worst idea in the world and a complete waste of time.  What?!  "Rather than spend money looking for aliens, instead spend the money to put us into outer space.  I'll be their freakin' alien."

You're damned right!  So with that, I'll say it again: If you want to get into the biz, just do it!