Greetings from the new Paizo caverns! As the newest addition to the war party, it falls on me to write today's blog. I am Crystal, and yes, I am named after a shiny rock. We can all thank my grandfather and his love of all things shiny.
When I first met the very talented Sarah Robinson in a hotel restroom and asked her about layout and design, I never expected that to turn into a real internship, let alone a job. My own experience in production work has been limited, but my enthusiasm, wit, and mastery of fire have impressed the Paizo staff enough to bring me into the fold.
It's hardly surprising, of course. Much of my life has been spent gaming or burning down peasant villages, the two skills the gaming industry demands.
My first experiences with roleplaying come from junior high, where I was none-too-politely barred from joining the gaming club for 1) being a girl, 2) never having played before, and 3) mauling the faculty advisor (see issue #1 and #2). My first play experience came in high school, thanks to Palladium Books' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness. As a poor country goblin, I didn't even have my own fancy dice; instead I used paper lunch sacks. I filled them with numbered chits, and just drew my results instead of rolling for them. Some days I miss my "b20." Since then, games have filled my life, even to the point of writing and developing a few projects for small companies. Some of the stellar games I obsess over include Green Ronin's Mutants and Masterminds, Wizards of the Coast's d20 Modern and Ghostwalk, Hijinks (created by Paizo for Polyhedron #158), and Margaret Weiss's Serenity RPG, as well as the obscure and unheard-of Pathfinder RPG.
My mastery of fire is a meandering, unlikely tale and will need to wait for another day.
Working with the Paizo crew is exciting; these are some of the best writers, developers, and designers in the industry, and they work hard at jobs they love. Never have I seen such dedication in any career that did not include the words "chocolate factory" or "brewery." The offices themselves are delightfully non-Euclidean, and I've learned the hard way to keep my distance from the impossible corners and ignore the whispers.
As a production assistant, I help fill in the cracks and manage the grunt work for Paizo's savage art directors, James Davis and Sarah Robinson. This usually means managing the digital archives, making changes the editors want, and topping off the coffee. The harder I work, the easier it is for James and Sarah to weave their arcane rituals, transforming the mad, gibbering scrawls the editors create into those glorious Pathfinder and Gamemastery products we all know and love. Also, twice a week I descend into the sub-basement and feed the cave-raptors, lest their terrible hungers overwhelm them and they rampage through the offices, making books late.
And none of this would be possible if I hadn't worked up the nerve to talk to Sarah about learning the layout arts. So remember, if you really want to work for Paizo Publishing, the secret is propositioning someone in the bathroom!*
Crystal Frasier
Production Assistant
* The secret is not really bathroom propositions. Neither the author, nor Paizo Publishing, LLC endorse this course of action. Paizo will not be held liable for resulting criminal charges or civil lawsuits that may result. Offer not valid in Minnesota. Side effects include nasal discharge, headaches, and dice bags under the eyes.
