Make a Nerdy Living

by Alex Langley

  VLOGGING/YOUTUBE SERIES

  Running a vlog is an excellent way for pro cosplayers to earn some extra income and attention. Vlogs give you a platform to give other cosplayers tips and ideas for their own creations, they’re generally easy to monetize, and they can be a good way to let off some steam and express yourself. Plus having an established YouTube presence raises the likelihood you’ll get asked to do collaborations with other YouTubers, upping your overall presence and hopefully having some fun in the process.

  SPONSORED COSPLAY

  Sponsored cosplay, also known as being a booth babe/beefcake, is when you’re paid by a company to dress as one of their characters to help promote them. Such opportunities are infrequent but pay quite handsomely.

  USE SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ONLINE MARKETPLACES TO SELL FULL TUTORIALS FOR COMPLETE COSTUMES

  Once you’ve completed your latest bomb-ass costume, sell the step-by-step instructions for how others can make the same costume, either as a video walkthrough or a PDF or an Excel file or whatever format fits your work best. Tutorials make for great content to offer subscribers, and there’s basically no financial cost to creating them since you’re merely cataloguing the things you’re already doing. The only real cost is that it will take some extra time to pay extra attention to what you’re doing and to take notes on each step.

  SHARE SALES

  Become an associate of an online business such as Amazon or Groupon and, in the body of YouTube videos, blog posts, or Instagram photos, tuck in your associate information. This way, if someone uses one of those online services, you’ll get a little bit of referral money (at no cost to them). It’s small, but it can add up.

  STRAIGHT-UP ADVERTISING

  Stick at it long enough, and your posts and videos will get sponsorship offers from companies looking to advertise. Before accepting (or even responding to) their offers, do some research on the company to make sure they’re reputable. You don’t want to tarnish your image by advertising some sleazy fly-by-night pyramid scheme or sexy tank-battle game for the iPhone. Remember: Even if the money is good, if you’re not comfortable doing something, don’t.

  SELL YOUR COSTUMES

  If you aren’t too attached to a costume, put it up for sale. If it was a particularly complicated build, don’t be afraid to ask for more money with the knowledge that there’s an ever-moving sweet spot for pricing items like this. Charge too little, and people will think it’s not worth very much. Charge too much, and people won’t be able to afford it.

  CREATE A BRAND OF COSPLAY ITEMS

  Once you’re really far along, you may be able to turn your personal brand into a line of products, licensing out your name and image for cosplay supplies. This doesn’t happen often, but when it does it means a nice treasure trove for adventurous cosplayers.

  “[Making money as a professional cosplayer] is NOT EASY. I work more hours doing cosplay full-time than I did at my forty-hour-a-week factory job. I’m always thinking about what I need to be doing, planning for my next event or project, while working on current projects and editing photos from previous ones. I feel every emotion there is to feel, I mess up, I have good weeks and bad weeks. I have to work for every penny. I don’t just sit around looking pretty at my sewing machine, raking in the cash like some people assume. It’s intense work, but it’s extremely rewarding.

  “I wish I could help people understand that there’s no magic formula for success. It’s not just ‘make stuff and post photos,’ and it’s not ‘do lingerie shoots and open a Patreon.’ It’s SO much more than that.”

  —April Gloria, professional cosplayer

  After all this, you may find you’re not as interested in wearing your costumes as you are making them. Or perhaps you’re not even especially interested in making costumes; rather, you want to make various nerdy items that please the four corners of your soul. If that’s the case, you should look into becoming a professional crafter.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CRAFTING

  Of the many nerdy careers discussed in this book, crafting might be the easiest one to explain to your less-than-nerdy relatives. If you’re making something tangible, something a person can look at and feel and hold, it’s easier for them to wrap their minds around how you’re making a living. That said, they still might not understand why people are shelling out money for your Lord of the Rings replica weapons or hand-knitted Princess Zelda dresses, but at least they won’t constantly ask what you’re doing with your time.

  STARTING POINT: CRAFTING CRAFTABLE CRAFTS

  Crafting is for the tactile-minded geek—those of us who like to hold a problem in our hands and know that those same hands can find a solution. It’s not for the faint of heart, as it requires a higher tolerance for filth, rough edges, and an ever-expanding workspace.

  Many crafters get into the career for the same reason—they like building things. They start small, painting pewter statues in their garage or crocheting to keep their hands busy while they watch TV. Soon they find their interest expanding, their minds drifting back to building when they’re doing other things. That’s when it’s too late to resist the call; you’ve already been chosen by The Craft.

  CHOOSING YOUR CRAFT

  The types of craftables you can work with will be very contingent on the amount of space at your disposal. If you live in an apartment, for example, it’s going to be tough to get the room required to weld realistic replicas of the Iron Throne, not to mention the high risk of a stray spark creating a Towering Inferno–type situation in your complex. Even easier-to-handle crafts like crochet can take up serious space, so know that, regardless of what you choose, supply storage will be something you need. In these situations, plastic tubs are your best friend. Maybe in other situations, too. I’ve known a few folks whose best friend was a tub.

  If you want to minimize clutter, making wearables—common items of clothing like scarves, jackets, and jewelry—is your best bet. While spools of yarn can be gregarious, they don’t make messes composed of foam particles or stray shards of metal.

  Custom figurines rate somewhat higher on the untidiness scale than wearables. A good table will probably be enough to contain the various paint and glue spatters, so long as you’re diligent about them.

  Larger items such as weapon and armor replicas, furniture, and all forms of geek home decor generally require a high cost of entry and a higher tolerance for making messes. You’ll need more space to work, more space for the larger materials, and to spend considerably more to get the custom tools needed. They also have a higher cost of failure; so if this is the market you’re going for, you’ll want to do additional research before launching into a big build—you don’t want to spend two months making something no one wants to buy. Also, larger materials are typically more expensive to replace, so you’ll need to be careful and have plenty of backups for when the inevitable boner* occurs.

  CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOOLS

  Doing something as small-scale as painted custom figures will be easier if you have a variety of brushes at your disposal; trying to use the same brushes you painted the house with will be an outrageous waste of your time. If you’re going to spend the time and effort and money to start up something like this, it’s worth doing right, so buy the correct tools for the job.

  GO NUTS ON SALES, BUT DON’T GO TOO NUTS

  It’s all too easy to impulse-buy supplies. You’re at the store anyway; why not grab some supplies? Or maybe Amazon is having a nice sale on yarn, so why not get enough yarn to last you through the next few years? Because your needs may change before you get a chance to use all the crafting materials you impulse-purchased, that’s why. Plus the more extra materials you have stowed away, the more likely they’ll get damaged before you get the opportunity to use them. When purchasing materials, purchase them with a plan in mind, not just because they’re there.

  RECORD YOUR WORK

  Since you’re going to be spending your time crafting anyway, do a video channel or pictographic blog
post to accompany major projects, either of which could work as a supplementary source of income or a reward for your paid subscribers. If you don’t want your face or voice on camera, you can record just your hands and add captions to keep things nice and depersonalized.

  PRACTICE!

  Dedicate time and energy toward practicing in a low-pressure environment. Buy bulk materials to use to hone your skills without planning to actually make a finished product from them. This way, when you’re working with more expensive materials, or during a severe time crunch, you’ll be more relaxed, you’ll do better work, and you won’t make as many mistakes.

  TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

  Crafting often requires fine, repetitive motions that can lead to painful joints, tendons, and muscles. Stretch deeply and often, especially after you’ve finished a lengthy work session. Support your body if need be, maybe with a pillow under your elbow or a special ergonomic sling or brace. Massage your muscles once you’re done, and, most importantly, if you’re starting to hurt, stop. That pain isn’t going to get better if you try to power through, so take a break, assess why you’re hurting, rest, and adjust your technique.

  THERE WILL BE MUD (AND DIRT, AND DUST, AND ALL SORTS OF FILTH)

  Making things means making a mess. Keep your workspace clear and ventilated if you’re making anything that involves chemical compounds or ground-up materials, as that stuff can give you all kinds of nasty conditions such as being dead. Wear a mask, open some windows and doors, and sweep up once you’re done.

  PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION

  Okay, now that you’ve put the finishing touches on your beautiful, custom bunk-bed shaped like Optimus Prime (the Generation 1 Peterbilt cab-over-engine Optimus, not that plebian Bayformer) and you’ve got someone willing to purchase it, you’ve run into a new problem—how to get it from Point Assembled to Point Buyer. If you make your sales through conventions, transportation is a little easier, as you won’t have to worry about packing it for a shipping service. Otherwise, you’ll need things like bubble wrap, packing paper, strong cardboard boxes and crates, and those little foam peanut thingies. When pricing your items online, include a shipping price that errs on the side of overestimating, as it’s likely that you’re going to underestimate how expensive shipping and materials are until you’ve been at this for a while.*

  FOLLOW TRENDS . . .

  Keep an eye on different trends in geekdom and build accordingly. If you like a meme that’s sweeping the Internet, swoop in and build something based on that meme to drive up your potential traffic and SEO.†

  . . . AND FOLLOW YOUR HEART

  Craft things that excite you! If you’re starting a build that requires eighty hours of work to complete, it won’t feel as much like work if your end result is something you’d be proud to have yourself. Mix it up once in a while by crafting something outside of your wheelhouse.

  RESEARCH!

  Go beyond surface knowledge and do some research on the specifics of what you’re making. Find other people who are doing what you’re doing and absorb their advice, ask them questions, and learn from their mistakes and wisdom.

  WORDS FROM WORKING NERDS

  Bill Doran, who, along with his wife Brittany, runs Punished Props, which produces props, prop-making videos, tutorials, and books, like the Foamsmith trilogy*

  I started doing prop-making as a hobby back in 2009, just for fun. Over a couple of years, I built up my skill set and reputation online before taking the plunge and making my hobby full-time in 2012. My wife and I have been running our business full-time for five years now, from the basement in our house. We’re trying to figure out that “work/life balance” thing we’ve heard so much about; it’s tough when the shop and office are a short flight of stairs away.

  What’s your daily schedule like?

  Usually after breakfast we’ll jump right into the shop to get to work on whatever project needs attention that day. I do a lot of video production, so sometimes that means video editing, but I also get plenty of time in the shop building props and costumes. That goes on till lunch, then after lunch it’s back into the shop till dinner. If there’s more to be done, we’ll work after dinner, and lately we’ve been trying to get more downtime in the evenings. This cycle continues all seven days of the week. Some days are a little different, when we try to live-stream our process to our fans. In general, we spend as many hours a day as we can in building things and making content.

  What was your first paid, professionally nerdy project?

  My brother commissioned me to build the Season 1 Colonial Pistol from the newer Battlestar Galactica TV show. He and his wife dressed up as Apollo and Starbuck for Halloween, and I made their sidearms.

  Who or what are your inspirations?

  There are a dozen or so other prop and costume makers who push me to be a better craftsman. Those include, but are not limited to: Harrison Krix, Svetlana and Benni Quindt, Zander Brandt, Steven K Smith, and Evil Ted Smith. These are makers of extraordinary skill who go well out of their way to share their processes with the community.

  There is also a small handful of professional content creators whom I look up to. People like Tested (Adam Savage, Norman Chan, Frank Ippolito), Marc and Nicole Spagnuolo (The Wood Whisperer), Brian Brushwood (Scam School/The Modern Rogue), Bob Clagett (I Like to Make Stuff), and a couple more who really push me to be a better maker, content creator, and professional.

  What should newcomers know?

  The first couple of years are going to be rough. Don’t count on making any money. What you should do is focus on honing your craft while making plenty of content (blog, video, podcast, etc.) to get your name out there. This content will help you draw income from as many sources as possible. If your only source of income is finished costumes for commissioned clients, then, while you’re building it, you aren’t making any money. The payday doesn’t come until well after it’s finished. Project durations differ wildly, based on the size and complexity of the build. A simple costume could take a few days, while a more complex outfit might take several months. That feast/famine roller coaster is absolutely soul-sucking.

  Figure out other ways to make some income while you’re working on longer-term projects. We make additional income from our YouTube ad revenue, Amazon affiliate links, and Patreon on top of what we might be paid for a sponsored or commissioned project. As far as our video content is concerned, we get at least one build tutorial video out per week (sometimes two or three). If the actual build takes longer than a week, the video can be split up into multiple parts and published over a several-week period. We also sell our instructional books on our website and Amazon.

  It’s taken us a few years to get the hang of it, but nowadays our revenue is much more consistent.

  THE NEXT STEP: CRAFTING

  Making a nerdy living is, among other things, a business. It may seem an ugly word to some of us beautiful creatives who don’t want to think about base things such as profit margins and who instead simply want to create. But unless you’re established/rich/lucky enough to have someone else take care of that for you, you’re going to need to think like a businessperson sometimes.

  MAKE YOUR OWN PRODUCT AND FIND THE DEMAND

  Across Etsy and other crafted-item markets, there are people using taxidermy to create dioramas of mice in fanciful situations, and they’re making bank. Weird? Maybe. Profitable? Hell yeah. Fifteen years ago, subscription boxes weren’t really a thing, and yet for a while there you couldn’t click through two pages online without tripping over an ad for someone’s highly specialized subscription box full of shaving gear, healthful snacks, or Steve Urkel–themed fetish wear.

  The Internet is a place with nigh-infinite room for niches; all you have to do is carve out the right niche and make it inviting to other like-minded people. Make something you’re interested in, something you know people will want, and go online to find the demand for it.

  IT’S BUSINESS TIME: HOW BIG IS YOUR CREW?

  When y
our crafting business is composed entirely of you, there’s a certain amount of freedom to be enjoyed. If you’re a perfectionist, you can trust that everything’s going to be done your way. If you’re behind schedule, you don’t have to worry about someone else breathing down your neck to get it done. If you enjoy peace and quiet, well, you’ll find plenty of that, because you’re on your own.

  That said, human beings are a communal species for a reason—it’s hard as hell getting stuff accomplished when you can only rely on yourself. Having a small team hits a nice sweet spot between having to do everything yourself and becoming so corporate that you don’t get to do the stuff you like anymore, because you’re too busy doing other important stuff.

  Eventually, ideally, you will expand to the point of having employees, not just your buddies, working for you. At that point, the things you’ll need to worry about will be keeping the business going smoothly so the folks whose mortgage payments depend on you will still have roofs over their heads while also not losing touch with the things that drew you to your business in the first place.