What’s Next?

Hi folks,

With the launch of Pencil Bible V2 in the rearview mirror and most of the new bugs sorted (like the crashing of big chapters), we have been pondering a little about what to focus on next.

We have an endless list you see. Or that’s how it feels.

The only way to really decide it is to focus on what has the biggest impact, but also is doable within a few weeks.

So we are focusing on a better page slider or swiping (for transition between chapters) which seems to be a bigger task than anticipated. Another new feature for brand-new users will be a playground or demo page that opens the moment when you launch the app for the first time.

Growth

Since the launch of V2 revenue is on the rise again after a steady decline for three months and things are slowly going into the green in terms of growth.

I hoped for hockey stick growth, but as always - as the Japanese saying goes:

"slow & steady"

So what’s next?

New Subscription Model

Let me get this out of the way first. I’m scraping the whole subscription model and replacing it with just one payment gate. That will be for drawing on more than 10 pages. That’s it. The rest is totally free.

This has various advantages:

• Simpler is better. Less is more.
• No confusion or surprises for new users. We will also better communicate with new users since this has been a problem when they buy an ESV before finding out they have limited use.
• No more popups. Users were complaining about this as well.
• Only real users - who actually use the app for notes on more than 10 pages will be bothered to upgrade.
• Cloud costs. Cloud is a big cost and free users get free cloud which is unfair. Now on the new upcoming subscription model - they can’t rack up more than 10 pages of space in the cloud.
• It’s cleaner and easier to maintain.

We will launch this in the next month or so.

More Translations

We are almost done adding the CSB. Just about there. That will be launching very soon. Maybe this weekend if all goes well.

Which translation should we add next? I can get the NKJV, NCV, ICB, Amplified, NBLA (Spanish), or RVR (77, also Spanish) for $1500 each plus dev costs. The NIV rights we can get for everywhere in the world except the USA. Basically, the USA rights holders to the NIV said no.

Let me know what you would like to see next please:  erin@pencilbible.com

I’m happy V2 is finally launched after a year of waiting and promises. I feel the app is much closer to what I envisioned back in 2020 although there is still a ton to do..

Slow & Steady.

Erin

P.S. Please leave a 5-star review if you be so kind 😊

Words by Erin Walker (Founder of Pencil Bible) + Image from Unsplash