I’m currently quarantined in a bedroom for the weekend until I can be fever-free for three days, so I figure between coughing fits it would be a fun distraction to hear some stories of memorable things you either already bought with the proceeds from your writing or intend to once you get published for the first time (here or elsewhere).
I’ll start: I decided after Parenting did well at launch to splurge and get a SNES Classic off of eBay. It was like $70, and admittedly I had a lot of the games already for my actual SNES that I bought in ‘95 when I turned 11, but the save states, HDMI output and not having to worry about cartridge batteries dying made it a great purchase. My older daughter gets a few minutes of video game time each day, and while she does not like playing them she’s become quite enamored of watching me do so. We’re already up to Deep Darkness in Earthbound and I imagine Super Mario RPG will follow shortly thereafter. And saving at a moment’s notice is really quite incredible.
Also, I am not a name brand type of guy for the most part but I do get Pink Lady apples more often these days. Just so much better than that cheap junk like Galas or Cameos, and you can’t hardly beat a cold, crisp quality apple.
I generally put as much of my CoG earnings as possible into savings which isn’t very interesting! But, I put some of my last royalty check towards some clothes that are nicer quality than my usual gear. It’s nice to have something comfy to wear have now that we’re in self isolation for a while.
Yeah, most money is going to go to the mundane necessities like food, shelter, and paying off the bookie so he doesn’t shatter your tibia for that ill-conceived wager on the Washington Generals to win. But I’d say it’s still important every now and then to do something a little crazy and unusual with it. Making money with writing! It’s an exciting thing, whether the amount you make is a lot or a little. Don’t want to lose the magic of it.
Also, it’s good right now to have a reminder of how cool it is to have made this money, considering that after just filing my taxes for last year I am definitely struggling to remember that a bit. Man, did that ever chomp into my refund!
Anything I make from the first game I publish (which all I have at the moment is vaperware) will go towards funding the assets of the next games I make.
I wish I could say I’m gonna buy something quirky or interesting, but most likely my first checks will go towards either my loans or saving for a gaming computer
I can’t remember anything that memorable… I did pay off some of my mortgage, and then I felt confident to use some of the profits in later months to commission more artwork… (But that wasn’t on the first paycheck)
Bought a bed. I’d been sleeping on an inflatable mattress in my brother’s living room throughout all of Fatehaven’s development. That thing had so many holes in it that by the time I was done I could hardly escape out of its deflated carcass each morning! You can bet it didn’t do my back any favors, either!
When I think back to that + everything else in that time period, life sure has gotten a lot better. Rags to riches–kinda!
I, too, have mostly put it into savings and essentials, but I have also splurged on building out my vinyl collection. The first records I owned were gifted to me as a teenager who always loved music that was popular between one and three generations before me, haha. I can’t really afford any of the really pristine, super exclusive ones, which is fine, because I really want them to have and be able to play anyway. eBay has been great for this, especially since I am patient. Started with George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass.
