monetizing my skills

[NothingLikeit]

Hello all,

I am currently a student (well not this quarter (long story) ). My problem is this..... I work part time now but its just not enough to make all ends meet. I figure if I had a bit more income I'd be fine. I'm working on my first 2 games but it'll be a while before they're profitable.

So I've started to look at my skills. I'm pretty good at writing. I'm learning to code more. I'm also good at web design and level design.

My question is this: with these skills how can I make money from them?

I know that freelance stuff would be best but how do I fiind people who need work done?

Ps: I guess this kinda is a spin off of the other revenue thread but i figured it was different enough to make a new post.

Edit: I guess my ultimate question is how can I use my existing computer skills to make extra money. (Ideas would be nice)

Also where can I find people to do this stuff for (again ideas would be great)

As always i appreciate your help guys and girls

[Nexic]

Go to google and type in "get rich quick" and you will find your answer!

I do freelance work but all of it only happened because the employer had seen my previous games/website so could see proof of my technical skills. Unless you have formal qualifications in those areas or have a large portfolio of examples getting work of that nature could be hard.

[Adrian Cummings]

Hmmmm yes you have a common problem and all I could suggest given that you have 'some skills' is network yourself a lot more to potential employers or people that might hire you. But you will have to have something behind you in terms of a form of portfolio of project work, as nobody will just take your word for it that you are good at what you do.

Even as a veteran of this business myself (blow my own trumpet why dont I) I still even have to do that myself to a great extent!!!

Either that or you might just as well rely on pot luck which although can happen is more like rocking horse poo in reality.

[cliffski]

nothing sells your skills better than example. I never had any qualifictaions in coding at all, so normally getting an industry job would be impossible. My CV just had screenshots of 5 games I had written, together with my website URL. I had job offers coming out my ears.
I suggest a similar approach. if you do web design, offer to design peoples sites for free, on condition that you can use them on your CV and link to them. you probably need to do 3 or 4 before it really pays off, but you will know when the time is right to charge the next customer.

[princec]

No-one's ever offered me a job writing games :/

Cas :)

[Adrian Cummings]

Thats because the industry is very fickle and sometimes passes great talent by when it should be signing it up! - a lot of suits in the biz are total *!#*s!.

Then again if it came up and bit you would you take the offer anyway?, as many here (myself included) being hardcore indies and proud of it would prolly tell em to poke it anyway - cash permitting of course :)

[princec]

I'm bored shitless of my current job, and fairly sick of the politics which are remarkably fucked up for such a small company. I'm on track to make millions if I stick it out here but increasingly I value my happiness more than money and I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth being unhappy for another 8 years just to get rich.

Cas :)

[svero]

I'm bored shitless of my current job, and fairly sick of the politics which are remarkably fucked up for such a small company.

Well not knowing anything at all about the situation, I blame you!

[princec]

Well not knowing anything at all about the situation, I blame you!
Always best course of action :) Actually the entire rest of the company hates me and my developers.

Cas :)

[sparkyboy]

Thats because the industry is very fickle and sometimes passes great talent by when it should be signing it up! - a lot of suits in the biz are total *!#*s!.

:)

I think you meant to say W!#*!#S......No? ;)

All the best


Mark.

[Savant]

whether it's worth being unhappy for another 8 years just to get rich.
If the rich part is assured, yes. Spend 8 unhappy years to not have to work anymore after that? Is there even a discussion here?

[princec]

LOL! Of course there's a discussion there! Many, many people will fall on both sides of the fence, depending on their priorities: money or happiness first. There's no guarantee I'll be happy when I'm rich.

Cas :)

[Diragor]

I'd absolutely stick it out. I hate putting in 40+ hours a week at some job doing things I don't care about just because I need the money to pay the bills and support my family. If I could do the things I love to do (music, games, programming my *own* stuff) instead of going to work, I'd be the happiest man alive. Having lots of money would allow me to do that. I'm trying to do it in my spare time and start making enough money with those things to be able to quit my job, like many people in here, but that's a long, hard road. Money may not buy happiness but it can buy time and independence, and that's what I want.

I absolutely loathed my time in the military (4 years), but if I could do that for 8 years and retire very comfortably I'd do it. Unfortunately you have to put up with 20 years of the military to retire, and half of a crappy military salary isn't worth it. (Certainly no disrespect to the people in the military, it's just not for me and the pay does suck.)

[NothingLikeit]

soooo what exactly do you develop? Seems like you're still makin your own games. I feel for you though. I don't really like my job. That's why I'm trying to find a job related more to technology as opposed to customer service.... I'd say be happy dude.

Back to the topic. So there's a consensus that I need a portfolio. Instead of free websites do you all think its a good idea to make example websites for my portfolio.

And what happens after I have a portfolio? Do I just wait for them to come to me?

[Omega]

Yes, exactly, make a bunch of web sites for nobody so that they don't really exist and you don't really have customer references. Then just proceed to sit and wait.

[Savant]

LOL! Of course there's a discussion there! Many, many people will fall on both sides of the fence, depending on their priorities: money or happiness first. There's no guarantee I'll be happy when I'm rich.
Wow, either I'm not reading your situation correctly or we're on completely different planets.

Is this correct? (assuming the 'rich' part is a sure thing) Work for 8 years at a job that sucks and then retire rich. Is that the gist? And you're contemplating NOT doing it?

[sparkyboy]

Well, it all depends in your definition of the term 'RICH' I suppose.

I mean, is the man on welfare, whose wife/Girlfriend has just given birth to a healthy bouncing baby any richer or poorer than say.... a muli-millionaire 'JAFFA' with a very barren wife??

My answer to that would be RICHER.....without a shadow of a doubt.
The problem is it all comes down to personal views ( as always!!).

In simple monetary terms, of course he's POORER!!! ;)

With regards to MONETARY RICHNESS, there's the old addage..........

'Money does not bring you happiness...........but it sure takes the sting out of being poor!!!'

Given the choice between Mr. Welfare and Mr. GATES..... :rolleyes: :D
I'd take the 'BONNY BOUNCING BABY' any day of the week!!!!

Why???............................................ .......

Money can be gained, but YOUR OWN BABY cannot!!!! ;) ( in this instance anyhoo!!)


All the best


Mark.

[Nexic]

You own baby can easily be gained, it takes like 20 minutes (or 5 mintues for me).

Sorry thats not a very tasteful thing to say :P

[cliffski]

cas is right,m theres more to life than riches, especially if you hate your job. Maybe its a british thing, as people who know me think im money obsessed, but apparently not.
I used to be an 'IT consultant in the financial part of london. that was good money. a guy I worked with bought a porsche boxster cash. it was a damned good career money wise.
But Im way happier now, even though its taken me about 6 years to claw my salary back up to clsoe to where it was.
having said that, living in the UK is so expensive, you NEED to be relatively rich to pay the rent!

[Savant]

Well, there's a difference between having money, being comfortable, and being rich. Cas used the word 'rich'. If that's not what he meant then I take back my position.

I'm not talking about having a nice chunk of change or being able to buy a porsche with cash. I'm talking about rich.

[NothingLikeit]

Lol I meant I wanted to bolster my portfolio with examples. My main problem is that most places say you should start by doing stuff for friends and family members. but no one in my family has a business...... So any other suggestions?
Who needs a website FREE WEBSITES!! :D

[Kaffiene]

"monetizing" means giving something the legal status as currency or physically crafting currency, it doesn't mean earning money.

[NothingLikeit]

I'm so glad you decided to grace my thread with your first post. Just to acclimate you with where you are. This is a forum about game development not english. So while I appreciate your semantics lesson I just don't care. Welcome to the GAME DEVELOPMENT forum

[sparkyboy]

"monetizing" means giving something the legal status as currency or physically crafting currency, it doesn't mean earning money.

Ok then Prof, how about we call the thread...........

'Putting a MONETARY value on my skills' :p
Does that make you feel any better?? :D

What say you NothingLikeit?? ;)
Nice first post by the way!!!!! ;)


All the best


Mark.

P.S. Awaaaaayyyyy the ANGELS!!!!!! Told ya!!!!!!!! Hehehe.

[NothingLikeit]

I like your Idea sir.... but the white sox haven't been to the world series since i've been born.... so i have to leave you hanging about the angels thing..... gotta support the south side :D

[JiriNovotny]

I've been writing PC related articles for various Czech servers and I got paid for that.

I've been also selling various things in the MMORPG game for real money :D

By the way, your website looks very unprofessional. I don't think that you will "lure" customers with it.

[princec]

Well, there's a difference between having money, being comfortable, and being rich. Cas used the word 'rich'. If that's not what he meant then I take back my position.

I'm not talking about having a nice chunk of change or being able to buy a porsche with cash. I'm talking about rich.

No, I mean rich (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=rich).. not sure what you're on about. Rich == money.

Cas :)

[Savant]

No, I mean rich (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=rich).. not sure what you're on about. Rich == money.

Cas :)
Hmm?

Not sure I see where we're disagreeing...

[princec]

If my definition of rich doesn't include being able to walk out of the house and buy a Porshe with cash, I think I've completely lost the thread now :)

Cas :)

[digriz]

I guess it depends on whether you think you can put up with it for another 8 years. If it means you leave the company wealthy but with severe health and emotional issues then no it's not worth it.

Happiness != Money (money just takes away a few of the worries)

Just wait until the family start expecting expensive christmas presents ;)

Oh, NothingLikeIt: As a suggestion, it might be worth redoing your own website. No offence but it looks like it was made with Frontpage and no graphics.

Plus make a seperate professional website with your Resume on it and a few other relevant items. At least when people ask for information about you, you can direct them there.

[Nexic]

I just had a look at your site aswell and I have to agree with digriz, you really need to make it look much better. If you are selling web design services then your site has to look top notch.

[ninjasamurai]

Who needs a website FREE WEBSITES!! :D
I need a website, desperately :)

(And while your at it, could you code my game too? ;) )

[NothingLikeit]

thanks for your replies..... Since I'm still at the impressionable age I can actually listen to what you fine folks say with value.... So I'm gonna take my website down for some much needed construction.

My new plan is to be a download/news/developer/service site..... So I'm going to organize all that into a nice and neat design.

I actually have my first web design project lined up But It's a matter of where to go from there.... I will be sure to ask her for refferals. I've also tried to offer my services to my business development center but no dice....


Can anyone recomend some books on web design choices? Specifically I'm reffering to things like color balance, font choices, graphic design choices etc. I kinda feel like my designs are like a one trick pony. I'm looking for some new design techniques to add to my repitore.

PrinceC:

If you're truly miserable I'd just quit. I'm starting to notice all the little things the customers do.... It's time to move on.... But then again I'm just tired of having to deal with a large volume of rude customers..... It's almost demoralizing.

[digriz]

I know this is stating the obvious but get a book on the foundations of html(xhtml) and CSS. Don't even try to attempt anything like PHP until you understand the basics of webpage construction.

It's also worth checking out CSS Zen Garden (http://www.csszengarden.com/)

Also, if you can afford it, something like Dreamweaver will save you a lot of time; even though it isn't necessary to make a webpage this way.

[NothingLikeit]

I need a website, desperately :)

(And while your at it, could you code my game too? ;) )

one terrible game coming up. I'm using my good creative juice for my first two. ;)

[TimS]

NothingLikeIt,

I was about halfway into an email describing what I saw when I went to your site when I decided it'd be less work to just give you a screenshot.

What I Saw (http://www.timscheiman.com/nothinglikeitscreenshot.JPG)

:confused:

I don't want to offend, but you should really take that site down before someone happens across it... :o

[NothingLikeit]

yes it really looks like crap... I'm workin on it. I was going to take it down but I edited the site and was trying to get feedback. Based on what you said.... I can tell the feed back would not have been good.

[Sharpfish]

Yeah it looks pretty bad (to be kind). It has been a long time since I have seen such a site.. try to avoid just throwing tables or images on there with no layout.

Btw: The top left icon also appears off screen to the left for me a little?!? and I also have the strange overlapping of the image ontop of the google ads.. are you using layers or something? (i.e don't, they are bad ;) ). Tables or CSS should see you ok.

good luck!

[Omega]

Hello all,

I am currently a student (well not this quarter (long story) ).

So I've started to look at my skills. I'm pretty good at writing. I'm learning to code more. I'm also good at web design and level design.

My question is this: with these skills how can I make money from them?

As always i appreciate your help guys and girls

That is being good at web design? That is your definition of being good at something? A skill is not something that somebody imagines, a skill is something of value that is so good that people would pay you to do it. Nobody would pay you for any of your 'skills'. You don't have any! So, practice, practice, practice. Don't worry about the money.

[simonbowerbank]

What are you studying?

[TimS]

Random example of what "web design" (the kind that people pay for) looks like these days -- Big Fat Institute's site (http://www.bigfatinstitute.org/)

Don't get me wrong... it isn't that everything needs to be all flash and fancy... but by and large those who would need your services would be able to just use the templates that come with the $20 "make-your-own-website" software they got at Games-A-Bunch and it'd wind up looking just fine.

I guess in the real world there are MANY people who have no idea when it comes to these things.... some subset of which would pay you lots of money for web design... and some further subset (likely nonzero) that would be utterly pleased with the results. If it is money you're after (the original thread topic), I'd target senior citizen centers to ply your wares.

This track is perhaps lucrative... but it's a dying customer base that is that out of touch.

Going back to the theme to try to end on a positive note:

I'm pretty good at writing. I'm learning to code more. I'm also good at web design and level design.

Level design might be the place to go... find a serious mod-team or indie group (those that are actually mid-project) and offer your services as a level designer (assuming by level-design skill you mean you can use real tools to make levels). You will make no money, but the experience will be useful in gaining employment in the future (building the portfolio of excellent work).

ok I'm rambling and using too many parentheses. You'll be fine -- you take criticism well, and that's a happy skill to cultivate.

[Tertsi]

I seriously recommend you not to proceed any further with web design if you can't judge your own work at all. Try something else.

[NothingLikeit]

officially game design.

[NothingLikeit]

Random example of what "web design" (the kind that people pay for) looks like these days -- Big Fat Institute's site (http://www.bigfatinstitute.org/)

Don't get me wrong... it isn't that everything needs to be all flash and fancy... but by and large those who would need your services would be able to just use the templates that come with the $20 "make-your-own-website" software they got at Games-A-Bunch and it'd wind up looking just fine.

I guess in the real world there are MANY people who have no idea when it comes to these things.... some subset of which would pay you lots of money for web design... and some further subset (likely nonzero) that would be utterly pleased with the results. If it is money you're after (the original thread topic), I'd target senior citizen centers to ply your wares.

This track is perhaps lucrative... but it's a dying customer base that is that out of touch.

Going back to the theme to try to end on a positive note:


Level design might be the place to go... find a serious mod-team or indie group (those that are actually mid-project) and offer your services as a level designer (assuming by level-design skill you mean you can use real tools to make levels). You will make no money, but the experience will be useful in gaining employment in the future (building the portfolio of excellent work).

ok I'm rambling and using too many parentheses. You'll be fine -- you take criticism well, and that's a happy skill to cultivate.


ha ha nice the dying customer base sort of had a double meaning. I wonder if you thought about that. But anyway yes i've learned to take criticism well. perhaps i can be a professional puching bag. And this website is NOT an indicator of my skills. That said it's probably not the best foot forward either. It's a lesson in what happens when you try to rush and reinvent the wheel. (badly)

[fog4711]

I totally agree with TimS. :)


You'll be fine -- you take criticism well, and that's a happy skill to cultivate.

Regarding the moneymaking you can all safely ignore anything I say since
my results are negative so far. However I do have a suggestion for the
nothinglikeitgames site. That is not to use silver-coloured fonts on yellow
background. Not very easy to read as is now.

Keep up working on your project and you'll defintitely be fine in the long run.
fog

[NothingLikeit]

Yeah it looks pretty bad (to be kind). It has been a long time since I have seen such a site.. try to avoid just throwing tables or images on there with no layout.

Btw: The top left icon also appears off screen to the left for me a little?!? and I also have the strange overlapping of the image ontop of the google ads.. are you using layers or something? (i.e don't, they are bad ;) ). Tables or CSS should see you ok.

good luck!

Yeah i tried layering... i see that it sucks now. So I think I'll go back to tabling.

[NothingLikeit]

I seriously recommend you not to proceed any further with web design if you can't judge your own work at all. Try something else.

If i had a dollar for everytime someone told me to quit or not try I wouldn't be very far.

[ninjasamurai]

I'd like to cancel my order for a website that I asked for on october 11 for the reason that has been discussed above :D .

So how's the terrible game coming up?

[NothingLikeit]

drat! I guess I'll have to remake my own website. and the terrible game is craptastic

[gpetersz]

Lol I meant I wanted to bolster my portfolio with examples. My main problem is that most places say you should start by doing stuff for friends and family members. but no one in my family has a business...... So any other suggestions?
Who needs a website FREE WEBSITES!!

I DOOOOO!!!!
:D

Away with the joke...
I decided about 2.5 years back that I was fed up with my daily job. It had enough. But what to do and how to do?
I have a family to support, bills to pay. I decided to design a card game (I love games) and release it (I would found the printing). I teamed up an artist friend of mine (I did drew before but I thought he was better for this).
Our friendship was broken, but it is not important, I remained there alone.
I decided that I'll do the art. I pixeled a lot before, drew cartoony figures, I thought I could do it!

It took at least 6 months to reach an acceptable level, but the main thing is, that I became fond of it, and started to freelance!
See, we've just reached the important part. For start I offered my work for free, or at a very low price. I went after possible clients (and found a lot!).

For example, if you are good at web-design and a real HTML/PHP guru then you could search for badly put together sites (like mine! :D) and ask the owner if s/he wanted a facelift? For zero, or very cheap. (important: I don't really want my site to be remade :). It is sh*t but I worked a lot on it in Frontpage :p)

This way, after 3-4-5 webpages (in my case art projects) you'll have a portfolio and you can start to ask some little amount of money for it. For cheap you'll have some more works as well, even better if your sites are really good. You will have as many offer that you won't have time to accept all of them. I did. If this is the case you can raise the amount of money, and tada!!! You are where you wanted to be.

Actually, this last point didn't worked for me, because art does not pay too well, or at least not for the average artists (and the top100 is far away...), so I decided by a different route. I realized that i'll never make the amount of money (only about the 1/3) that I make from databases, and I want to change my job, but without the drop of my life standards.

I hope this helped. If you have questions then ask, if I am able then I'll answer.

You can find projects (web page projects as well) at the www.deviantart.com forums, or the www.gfxartist.com forums. There are freelancer sites as well, but they weren't big help for me, I had to go after the jobs!

SUM:
Start an own project (like me with my card game) that produces portfolio content.
Offer free work for those whom you think could benefit from it (ugly web-sites where the content interests you).
When you have something in your portfolio you can continue to build it but you can ask some small to nothing fee.
After your portfolio consists at least 5-6 elements then you can think about your normal hourly rate.