Wow Nick, this is sad...
You have done truly awesome and massive work resurrecting and preserving tons of hand lettered typefaces, which otherwise would have disappeared forever.

Thanks, Pablo—

I appreciate your sentiment and your efforts to assist where most others would not dare.

I also have ten or twelve boxes of type specimen books, sign-painter's manuals and related bibliophilia which I had hoped to offer to the Library of Congress (many are not in the collection, and the only copy of BB&S catalog #25 is in the Rare Book Room, which makes access limited and tedious. For obvious reasons, the name of the donor will now read "Anonymous."

Even my plans to donate the remainder of those books not accepted to colleges and universities in doubtful, except as noted. Good thing I don't qaulify for tax deductions anyway.

However, I am reasonably confident that the three million+ people who downloaded my free fonts will continue to download them, ask for free tech support and/or figure out a way to make a buck on a free gift of love…but not contribute a dime in appreciation. Wow.

Even better: all evidence of malfeasance have been removed from Craigslist PhiFo. Blank pages indicate massive eradication of content. Except where I saved the pages offline. Maybe a bit of paranoia is in order, Or not.

holy ****ing shit, man.

> bit of paranoia is in order

"If they really are out to get you it isn't paranoia."

Or: "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

Nick: I hope that, somehow, things work out.

hhp

I can relate to the part about tech support for free fonts wearing you down. You make free fonts and in return you get a full email inbox every day for the rest of your life. It's not without its rewards but it's just relentless.
If I could do it all over again, I'd make them all public domain and release them anonymously.

Is there a possibility you could nuke this thread and present the sale of your font collection in a more professional way? If anyone is going bankroll this it'll probably be some corporate types rather than one of us indies. I can't picture the cock going over well in an inter-office memo. Or maybe, I dunno.

Nick, sorry to hear about your difficulties; sounds like a very tough situation.

If you don't mind a suggestion, I'm sure that in your city there are social service agencies that can offer free advice and assistance to those who have financial, medical, legal, and other issues. You mentioned you're in your 60s, so a phone call to your local senior citizens' organization might be a good place to start, as they could suggest which specific organizations might be able to assist you.

My church works closely with similar organizations in my community, and I've seen many fine people who found themselves in tough situations who were helped by these organizations.

Nick, a little simple suggestion:

In Dafont, you can easily add your Paypal email account and start getting donations right away. (LogIn -> MyAccount -> Donate Link)

All the donations goes 100% to your account, and usually range from $5 to $25.-
Given that you have 113 fonts and about 5000 downloads per day, I guess you will get many donations. They are small, but can accumulate quickly and provide you with some extra income.

In my little experience, people are always happy to donate when provided with the Donation button. I will also happily donate and encourage all my social network to donate as well.

I would talk to Monotype. It's probably correct that none of us around here have the kind of spare cash you'd be looking for. MyFonts might be interested as well, especially if you're looking to sell these outright and make no more income off them.

Damn Nick, I feel for you… That’s one hell of a kick in the nuts life has dealt you. My dad is in hospital, dying of cancer; my GF died 33 days ago in the same hospital — can’t enter the place without choking…

I hope you will find the strength to deal with this. Friends and family will help coping, is my experience.

oldnick, I've tried to reply to your post so many times, but all I do is delete the text time and again thinking I shouldn't say what truly needs to be said. After all, how personal can one be in such media?

But anyways here I go ...

oldnick, things don't always work out. Good (and bad) people get run over every day, people get used up to their very death. It happened to my father (as an only son dealing with that is entirely another thread), I won't bore you with the details.

oldnick, your work will speak for itself, take solace in that!!!

'nuff said.

I bid $1.00 for your lifes' work.

n.

.

$1.00? Wow, what a smack in the face.

@Ryan I'm sure that's not how Neil meant it. Something got lost in the editing.

@Nick: I think a good place to start would be to design and sell a specimen book. I certainly couldn’t afford a life’s work, but I’d be willing and able to pay money to look at it.

Yeah you could start a Kickstarter campaign for a specimen book.

Or go print-on-demand. I'd buy one. And I'm pretty cheap.

hhp

Hi Nick,

Font Bros specializes in font library management and would love to talk with you further to see what's possible. We've done the same for Harold of Harold's fonts and Ben of Fontalicious.

Please email me off-line at stuart (at) fontbros (dot) com where a more detailed and private conversation can be had!

Best,
Stuart

@HVB , yep indeed thanks.

n.

Hey, Stu—

Screw you.

Pablo and Ray—

I am finally linked in for donations. Let's see how many folks among the millions who have downloaded my fonts think that ponying up a buck or two in return. Ray, of course you can relate: your relentless efforts at the beginning of your career is what sparked my interest in trying to match your output…which, quite honestly, I haven't. You're still the reigning and undisputed champ…you bastard.

Naaah: just kidding. You rule, dude. Keep sharing the LUV...

Screw you.

Nick, this looks suspiciously like the personal rancor you were complaining mars Typophile on another thread.

Craig,

Personal rancor? Why, yes, it is: thank you for noticing. Have Stu tell you about Honey Script...