Down the FoxHole: Featured Author wangruyi

He’s a top 10 author on FlashDen with over 7,000 sales, and his best selling file Dynamic flash video gallery has sold an incredible 1438 copies at the time of writing. In fact, this file is currently one of the top ten selling files on FlashDen. With a stunning portfolio and incredible sales, we need to find more about this Flash maestro! Ladies and gentlemen, meet wangruyi!

1.Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from, what do you do for a living?

Hi. My name is Wang Ruyi. This is my Chinese name. My english name is Allen. I am a Flash designer and coder working in Beijing, China. My office is in ChaoYang, Beijing. I think I am a little bit older than many other authors on FlashDen becasue I already have a daughter. Her name is Mary and she’s seven years old. I am working for her.

2. How long have you been using Flash and what made you start selling items on FlashDen?

I’ve been using Flash since Flash version 3.0. At the beginning, I only did some simple animation for fun and then started coding from 2002. I learned about FlashDen via a Macromedia blog. I set out just to try out FlashDen but now, I love FlashDen! I definitely changed my life.

3. Do you create files from scratch for FlashDen, or do you re-use work that you’ve created for a client?

Most works of mine are created from scratch for Flashden. You cannot find my work on any other site. Some of my work will be re-used however in my Chinese projects.

4. Where do you get your inspiration from for your FlashDen work?

I often visit the FlashDen forum and get some requirements from buyers. I also often go to sites like the FWA and other cool collection sites, and then try to create and test some effect or function I might find.

5. What is your work flow like when starting a new file? Could you walk us through the steps you take when getting ready to create a new file?

Before I start to create a new file, I strive to ensure the file has a unique feature not already available on FlashDen. It’s not easy however because there are many many talented authors on Flashden. When I get an idea, the first thing I do is list the function on a paper. I then design the layout and every element in Photoshop. Then, I create the xml file followed by all the code work. By the time I upload it, I find my unique feature has already been uploaded by other authors, hehe!

6. What do you do to market and brand your files?

Like many authors I upload my files to Adobe Exchange. Also, I often visit the Kirupa.com forum and forum to leave comments or reply to other threads. There are then many people who will visit my FlashDen portfolio via my forum signature. My next step will be to create a new English blog on my portfolio site.

7. What advice can you give to authors that might help them increase their overall sales?

Improve the file quality and updating your old files is very important. Get the info from the buyer and make the file easy to change, write good help documentation and write some FAQs for your files in your description. Another good point is that, even though you might be a good coder, I think nice design is more important than your nice functionality. I am still trying to improve my design skills to increase my sales.

8. Besides yourself, who is your favorite FlashDen author?

I like RimV and VF, nice work guys! I also like ADG3studios work, he is a good man and I get a lot of help from him, thanks, Adrien!

9. Which file do you think is your best file so far?

The Dynamic Multi Flash Video Gallery Template 2 is my best file so far. I have already updated it two times so far with new features. This file has many functions and a nice design.

10. What one thing would you like to change about FlashDen if you could?

Hehe. If I can change something on Flashden. I would like to change the price of file, for example,I can make my old files price lower for more sales or adjust the price when I update my file.

11. When you aren’t building Flash files, what do you do for fun?

If I am not building Flash files, I would like to sleep and sleep! Either that or take my daughter out to play, that is fun.

12. Would you like to give a sneak peek of the latest file you are currently working on to our readers?

View wangruyi’s portfolio.

Read more interviews with FlashDen authors.