App and eBook developer and...

[Liam Campbell]

Just discovered this site today. Already found some great information and stoked to see people on the forums!

I'm a mobile app developer specialising in cross-platform development and fixed-layout and enhanced eBooks. I am particularly interested in working with authors to bring their stories to life in a digital form, and love working with Children's authors. But my overall passion is for all things digital and I love finding ways to take a product or service into the digital space.

I can't help but naturally be the Jack-of-all-trades IT person, but am finding that the 'one stop shop' doesn't really cut it when marketing your services. I find it is best to try and market a specialty and then find clients who ask if I can also edit some video, fix their website or do some writing for them as well. I find most of my work comes from referrals.

I recently moved to Melbourne after about 20 years in the Northern Territory. I have a PhD in Australian Indigenous Studies and experience working in a number of different fields and on collaborative media projects. After working for myself for the majority of my working life, I'm a bit confused about where I fit in to the jobs market in Melbourne. I've dabbled with applying for jobs and had conversations with recruitment agencies who advertise jobs but won't tell me who I would be working for (what's with that?). But I've found they lose interest when they can't easily put me into one of their boxes. So, I've been flying solo.

Working for myself means low overheads, which in turn means I can offer an affordable hourly rate. I'm also committed to quality and detail (sometimes too much!). But I do struggle with the business side of things working solo. I much prefer just to focus on creating things. Having to find work, do the books and strategise are necessary evils for me, which I guess I have to do if I want to work for myself! For this reason I've been thinking about looking in to finding like minded people to possibly establish a business with, but those people can be hard to find.

When asked to quote or submit a proposal for a creative project, I tend to look at the problem to be solved and think of the best way to approach it and apply a particular media to it. Is it a book, a film, an app or a website? I've discovered while this approach might work well in the NT, it's not necessarily the way things work in a big city where things seem to be a bit more compartmentalised! So, I'm here trying to learn about how things work for a small business in a more structured and established marketplace. It's been a bit of a challenge, and despite there being a hell of a lot more people here, working as an indie has been a bit of an isolating experience.

So I'm looking to make connections with people in Melbourne outside of the corporate IT sector. I'm always up for a yarn or happy to chew the fat about apps, ePublishing and other topics. My contact details are on my website tootable.com if you want to connect.

Cheers,

Liam

[FS Concierge]

Hi Liam,

Thanks for your nice comments about Flying Solo - I think you're going to fit in quite nicely around here if you keep that up

You're not alone in finding soloism isolating, so please do feel free to pop in here for a chat any time.

You'll also find some great networking opportunities here. I suggest you keep an eye on the Victorian Flying Solo meet-ups section of the forums, and if there's not currently a meet-up happening in your area, then you're most welcome to jump in and start one. (We'll give you a hand by plugging it on Facebook and Twitter, and in our Friday newsletter).

Looking forward to getting to know you and following your business journey.

Jayne
PS: Apologies that your post got held up in our moderation queue for a while there

[Divert To Mobile]

Hi Liam,

Welcome to the forum.
I'm interested, what drove the move away from NT its such a beautiful place.

Steve

[KarenC]

Welcome Liam - great website.

If you go to Control Panel, scroll down and you can add your web address to your signature for future posts.

Cheers,
Karen C.

[Liam Campbell]

Thanks for the responses and the welcome.

Steve - you never really leave the Territory.

(-:

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Cathie]

Hi Liam,

I'm an ebook publisher who recently moved from Melbourne to Tassie.

I might have some work for you later in the year - I want to develop a game that complements an ebook we just published. I'm also working on a 'choose your own adventure' type game and want an interface that's fancier than the interface that you get with a flowing-text EPUB.

I suspect Melbourne IT recruiters would have trouble getting their heads around your background. Keep your CV simple, leave out the interesting bits and they might hire you. ; )

Cheers, Cath

[Liam Campbell]

Hi Cathy,

The game sounds interesting and there would be a number of different ways you could produce a choose-your-own-adventure type of interface for an eBook or app. I'd be happy to talk to you about it, but I'm not sure that I'd be able to take it on later in the year as my workload is filling up.

Cheers, Liam

[dextereugenio]

hey Liam

welcome

Id love to catch up and have you attend a meet up in mel (app focused) im trying to organise in another part of this forum.

Expressions of interest - app meet-up

would be great to have you there.

dEx

[AGMBris]

Hi Liam

Sounds really interesting and I will keep in touch with what you are presenting as we would like to look into both apps and ebook ideas.

Welcome and hope all goes well.

[bluewoodstudio]

Welcome to FS!

Great website and work. I'm not in Melbourne but I am always on the lookout for other creatives to collaborate with on work.

My expertise is in book design (printed) but I love the ergonomics and design issues that surround interactive book design. Fascinating stuff!

Heidi