Santa Dragon Claws Presents, 25 Holiday magic items (DnD5E OGL)

Happy holidays everyone!


Back in October, while the Whispers of Persephone KickStarter was running, I came up with an idea for a holiday themed RPG book detailing useful and fun magic items.  Zack Viola liked the idea, and so he launched the KickStarter campaign for the book last night.


While I'm finishing up Whispers for fulfillment, Zack is going to be running the campaign for the Holiday magic item book.  It will be good for him to learn the creator applications on KickStarter for his future endeavors. 


What we did with this crowd funding campaign:


This project is something of an oddity, in that we launched the campaign to fund our marginal costs but we wanted to keep the campaign simple and the pledge level low.  We hit upon the idea of having only one backer tier and keeping the rewards as digital only for simplicity sake. 


$4 backer tier:  The only backer tier for this campaign was specifically created to provide value for the backers while minimizing fulfillment expenses and facilitating a rapid delivery of rewards.  To maximize value for the backer, we are distributing PDF and Print on Demand codes for hard cover and soft cover versions of the book.  {Yes, this means we aren't making any money on the print versions through this campaign.  The purpose is to provide the best value possible for the backer. This is our way of saying 'Happy Holidays' to the KickStarter community}




How it's going so far:


We didn't promote this campaign much before launch but we've seen several people sharing links for us on social media platforms.  As of this writing, the campaign is less than twelve hours old and hasn't yet funded.  With six days left in this short campaign I'm optimistic that we'll reach our goal.




Fulfillment:


Normally, I wait to fulfill campaigns until after the money comes in from Kickstarter.  This is due, in large part, because I usually need to use that money to pay for printing costs and shipping.  With this campaign, where are rewards are digital, fulfillment will begin Christmas Eve night after the backer survey goes out.  PDF files will be sent out starting that evening, and the print on demand codes will go out once they are available from drivethrurpg.com. 




For other creators:


Running a campaign like this, where you are collaborating with someone you work well with, is a lot of fun.  This project benefits from having little stress on either Zack or I and is a fun holiday project.  If you decide to run a campaign like this yourself, I recommend far more advance promotion that Zack and I did, as we limited ours to a few social media blurbs and reached out to some bloggers and podcasters we know.  Give yourself a couple of weeks ahead of launch to build interest.


Here's to one last KickStarter campaign for 2018!
Now, I'm going to get back to work finishing up the things I've left to do for Whispers of Persephone.  Backers are getting that book this month and I've still a few things to take care of.


Check out Santa Dragon Claws Presents at the link below.  Happy holidays to you all!

D&D Facebook Subscription groups and other stuff

It's been a busy three weeks since my last post here.  Sorry for the delay, but life has been unforgiving with my time of late.  There are a few things I want to touch on today, so lets get to it!

Recently, on Facebook ~

It sounds like the continuation of a television drama, doesn't it?

A few days ago, on the Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition closed Facebook group, I noticed that one of the admins had posted about a closed subscription group known as the "5e Adventure Academy".   As that group allows for advertisement of crowdfunding campaigns by members, I didn't think anything of it beyond the question "Facebook has subscription groups?"   Like many of us, I quickly turned to Google to see what information was out there about this group model.  One of the articles I found (released in the summer of 2018) can be found HERE (Written by Josh Constine).

For the record, I fully support people making money from content they create. I myself have a Drip page, I know several people who have Patreon pages and I am an avid creator and consumer on KickStarter.  I don't see anything wrong with people creating new content (within licensing boundaries) and making that content available to the community in a fairly priced way.

As this is a relatively new model for Facebook, it can seem a bit alien. There have been a wide range of responses to the announcement and posts by the Admin who made the announcement.  People have condemned the idea, supported the notion, been surprised by the list of contributors, and have expressed a wide range of opinions regarding this new development.

While I am not subscribing to that group, it isn't because I don't care for the model or that I'm condemning the use of Facebook in such a way.  The reality is that I'm a single father and a creator who puts almost all the revenue generated from my own work back into new projects. To be blunt, I can't justify the additional expense at this time.  Even as I write this entry, I wrestle with this decision because the list of contributors does include people whose work I am somewhat familiar with. I am of the opinion that you can always learn from others.  I'm afraid that I may miss out on a valuable learning opportunity, at least for the next few months, by staying out.

My understanding is that new, original content is going to be generated by the contributors within that group.  Such creative energy is something the RPG community always needs.  How you and I, the audience, choose to consume such content is up to us.  I am not endorsing nor condemning this new subscription group, but I do think that all of us should be aware of it.  If you like the idea, you can always elect to join and can leave if it doesn't live up to your expectations.  If you don't like the idea, don't subscribe.  It really is just that simple.

Full disclosure: During the discussion within the Facebook thread, I expressed my opinion that people charging for original content was a good thing, which prompted a bit of blow back directed at me and my releases.  When I went back to respond to the comments that had been directed at me, I saw that my comments as well as those who were actively discussing the matter in that same conversational "comment" thread had been deleted.  I did not ask for that to occur and I'm not certain what spawned that decision.  It does seem that one of my most vocal detractors has since left the group, which is unfortunate as I believe it is important to hear all sides of a discussion.  Whether he left voluntarily or was kicked from the group, I do not know. What I do know is that I did not ask for the content to be removed, for his criticisms of my opinion and my own creations to be censored, nor for my own comments to be deleted.  I'll chalk that up to admin or moderator intervention and leave it at that.


Whispers of Persephone ~

Work on WoP has picked up and is nearing completion as I now have all of the information from the backers who pledged at the Acolyte of Death and Fallen Hero levels.  While I had originally hoped to have all of that content formatted in before the Thanksgiving holiday, that didn't happen as life intervened (details involve my children, so I'm not going into that here). 

I had believed that fulfillment would occur early, before December 1st, but now it seems it will be on time and be delivered in December.  This puts my holiday magic item book in jeopardy, but I'm working furiously to resolve the timeline.  More on that as it develops.

Christian Martinez is creating the final two art works for the book, and I believe they will be wonderful as he never fails to impress me.

To all of you who supported the campaign, pledged your support and helped make this book possible:  I thank you!

Several pieces of art for Whispers are now available on merchandise on my Society6 and RedBubble pages.  (More on that below)


Creators, Explore your options ~

Sites like Printful, Redbubble, Society6 and so many others open an opportunity for creators to expand the use and market for their art.  If you are a small publisher who commissions art for your work, be aware that before you use art you've commissioned you need to make certain you own or have license to use the art for merchandising purposes. I have written such language into the contracts I use with the artists whom I hire.  We negotiate the price for art with those rights in mind.

You're probably asking, 'But, will I make money?'.  I can't tell you that.  Personally, I've made about $18 after expenses on merchandise sales this first week.  Of that amount, about $4 is attributed to friends of mine who both liked the item(s) in question and wanted to support my efforts.  The remaining $14 were from users I do not personally know.  As I had already paid for the art in question, I'm calling that a profit.  This may not seem like much to many people, but for me I see it as a few grocery items for my kids.  Which is something I'm very appreciative of.

If you haven't explored these sites yet, take note that there is a considerable overlap in the type of goods they offer, the terms of sale, your own access to merchandise at discounted prices, and whether or not they have templates available for your use. 

As most such sites have no fees for you to pay to maintain your page (they make their money on their cut of the individual sales), it is a nice way to offer merchandise to your audience if you cannot yet afford to have items produced in bulk.  Be aware that such merchandise has a smaller profit margin that if you had items produced in bulk and the retail price is often slightly higher than what you may otherwise charge.  This is due to each item being produced to order.

Examples of my own merchandise creations are indicated below. You can click on the image to go to the site to see other stuff I put together. This will give you some idea of the kinds of things that are available to these two sites specifically.  There are several other sites where merchandise can be created and it can be fun to play around with the images as you develop what the final product will look like.  As examples I have my "Ritual of Sacrifice Cutting Board" (yes, I think that is pretty funny) and one of the phone cases I designed using art from 47 Furious Tails (art by: Alexia Veldhuisen).

Drip, Patreon, Indiegogo and KickStarter are all valuable resources for us as creators.  It can seem intimidating when you first use them and can be disappointing if you don't reach your expectations.  I encourage you to keep creating, to been open and engaged with your audience, and to never give up on your efforts.  Being able to create is a wonderful thing.  Be proud of what you create, happy with how your audience receives your work, own your mistakes and your accomplishments and you will find that whether you make a dollar or a thousand dollars, you did well.

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Thank you for joining me once again on my continuing adventure in game design, writing and self-publishing.  I hope that you find the information here of use in your own efforts and fun to read.

I hope you'll join me next time, as the adventure continues.

Creating content: What is working for me...

I set my pen aside for many long years.  It was the nineties and I had basically given up on the idea of becoming a game designer.  In short, I gave up and took on a different line of work.


In 2017 I returned to writing with a vengeance.  I dug out old ideas, brainstormed new fun things, and wrote as quickly as I could.  I wrote quickly because I wanted to get the ideas down on paper (and I mean that literally, I like to write on paper) and I promised myself I would work on cleaning up the content once the work was roughed out.


When I have a flash of inspiration I write it down, I outline, I plug in stray thoughts associated with the concept and I write as much as I can about it as soon as possible. When I run out of immediate ideas, I set that aside and focus on a project I'm actively developing.  I am finding that this tends to clear the stray thoughts out of my mind and allows me to focus on a project.  It also gives me that little jolt, that quiver of excitement about a new idea to explore without the guilt of not acting on it.  I know I'll come back to it in the due course of development.


If I'm tired of working on a particular project, I don't move it on my development timeline.  I keep it there.  I alleviate any weariness by playing a game, baking treats for my daughter, reading something by Charles Stross, watching anime or writing fan fiction.   This last option is, I believe, most useful.  Writing fan fiction refreshes me.  I know I'm writing for me and a few people who happen to enjoy my stories.  I also base my fan fiction on old game session and campaign happenings so I reminisce about old friends and fun times while I write.  It is a liberating experience and one that I find makes writing more enjoyable overall.


I have been refining my processes with each book.  My current process is loosely laid out below.  Please note, that as I continue to evolve my processes this may change with each book.  The process described below reflects the process used in the development of Whispers of Persephone (now on KickStarter).  Please do keep in mind that I have only been doing this for a year, so if you have suggestions on how I can refine the process please do comment below.


Development:
Once I have my concept written down, I gather any and all notes on it and from those I construct an outline.  Now I realize that writing from an outline seems old fashioned and like it adds work but I have found it most helpful when I want to define what actions are placed in what order and as a means by which to chart the flow of the narrative.   By way of example, when I wrote Comet over Echo Rock I had a section in my outline that mentioned natural hazards but I hadn't defined them yet.  Looking at the placement in the story from the outline was easy.  This also allowed me to plan out the encounter with an eye toward total party attrition and how it affected the narrative.


Following the outline provided me with a roadmap through each section.  Introduction, background story, new NPC's, and encounters all flowed into place with remarkably little effort.  I soon had a first draft I could send to my first round play testers.  Next step, leave the play testers alone and wait for feedback.


Waiting is hard.  Getting feedback from your play testers is well worth waiting for.  Collect their feedback and let it weigh in on whether you need to make any adjustments to your project. This play test version can be a little rough, formatting can be imperfect, but it must be complete conceptually.  You don't want to test half of an idea.


Once I have the information from my play testers I evaluate the entirety of the information.  Don't try to please everyone, take a look at the things they point out in common and work to remedy those common issues first.  Once you've done your rewrite, clean up any loose grammar and work on the formatting to bring it into line with what you plan for final release.  This still doesn't have to be perfect, but I find it useful to start getting the product together throughout the process as it makes for less work in final editing.  I'm specifically talking about RPG work here, for comics it is critical to have your concept format laid out ahead of time. 


Second Round of Testing:
Once I have addressed issues identified in the first round of play testing, I take the document and put it out to the rest of my play testers. These folks get to dive upon the document now that it has been prepped into a document that almost resembles final product. These folks have the benefit of a document that is largely fleshed out with full text descriptions, narrative segments, (full game play mechanical data is done before going to the first tier play testers so these guys have a more polished version of those mechanical elements), and any art that you may already have for the book. 


Feedback from this second tier of play testing is (generally) more specific in its criticisms. Be thorough in your analysis as play testers are people and can suffer from observational bias.  You'll want to polish your rough spots, refine those problems that are identified, and realize that you'll never satisfy everyone.  There will be things that some people don't like which other people think are fantastic.  Weigh those opinions against your own concept of the product in order to determine whether you change it or not.


One thing I did for Whispers of Persephone it that I ordered proof copies of the play test edition.  Weird, right?  It was incredibly useful.  Not only did I have the book in hand to help with future edits, it also gave me an appreciation for what the book would look like in its final format and helped me to identify problems with color saturation, font issues, and how border art was affecting the overall feel of the book.  I recommend this for any book you release, as it really is that valuable a tool in your development process.  A side benefit of this, I had a physical copy to show during the KickStarter campaign.  I'm convinced that this helped my funding efforts.


Editing:
I edited my first book release.  That was a horrible idea.  Have someone else, or even a few people, review your final draft for edit purposes.  Run your spell checking application before handing it to them as you don't want them distracted by bad spelling when they are reviewing the text.  Grammatical corrections are important as they make the difference between a book that is easy to read and one that is difficult to comprehend. 


I find it wise to have your document reviewed twice in your editing process.  Editing it following the first pass, then a second pass after you have made those first corrections.  This has worked well for me in the past.  You may still find things that need corrected afterward. Be patient and fix those problems as you find them.


Final Proofs:
Once final edits have been completed, order proof copies of the book so you can conduct a final review of your product before release.  This is an amazingly cool moment for me, as I am still struck with wonder when I hold a book I've written.  I hope you have that same experience. It is a great feeling!
*****


This has been the briefest of overviews on the processes I've been using to get my books out. Whether you have been releasing titles yourself or are just starting, I recommend you research as much as possible before settling on your method as you may find processes that work better for you. I continue to revise my processes as I learn more from each release. In all things do your own research, your own due diligence, to arrive at your own method. 
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Thank you for joining me on my adventure in game design, writing and self-publishing.
I write this as way of recording my own experiences and sharing my insights and failures.  It is my hope that people who are interested in developing their own games from learn from my failures (and avoid the same mistakes) and that they can take the productive experiences shared here and use them for their own success.  Best of luck to you!


I hope you will join me next time as this adventure continues.


At the time this entry was written I have my latest book "Whispers of Persphone" live on KickStarter seeking to fund its art (and fulfillment) costs.  I hope you'll check it out, support it if you can, and please do share it with others.


I have also launched a Drip page, where people can subscribe to support my creative endeavors. I have a monthly release available there and all subscribers get behind the scenes information on coming projects.  I hope you'll check that out as well.


Thank you! 

Crowdfunding: the impact beyond the money

Art by: Nick Caponi
From the coming comic book anthology (final title pending)
to be released in 2019

Today I would like to say a few things about crowdfunding and the impact it has made in my work, and the lives of contributing artists.  This entry talks about projects that were made possible by KickStarter backers, as well as some coming projects and the impact these have made in the lives of the contributors.  I hope you'll enjoy and share this around!


Cover of my first RPG release "Tale of the Wizard's Eye"
Front cover by: Phoenix O'Faery
Back cover by: Brian Lee

Its been a little over a year since I released Tale of the Wizard's Eye.  From work on that first book, I became familiar with crowdfunding, book layout (that was harder than I had expected), fulfillment, and final publication/release. I still have much to learn, but with each book I release I strive to improve.  Remember this, it is important to focus on improving your knowledge and the quality of your work.  People will see your efforts reflected in the books and games you produce. 




Cover for "Tarot Adventures, Book One:"
Artist: Rebecca Coulthart

With the development, crowdfunding and release of The Draw of Glenfallow, I began my first series. I think this book benefited from my experiences with TDoG.  The Kickstarter campaign ran smoothly and fulfillment went well, though it ran a little late due to a printing problem.


It was during the development of Tarot Adventures, Book One: The Draw of Glenfallow that I began to realize the (unexpected) impact these publications were having.  By commissioning art specifically for the books I release, those artists were reaping the benefit.  It feels great to cut the checks and pay people for such work, but it took on a whole new meaning when I heard things like "this paid my light bill" or "this paid for my kids lunches".  I think about that often. 


Crowdfunding and what it has done for me (beyond the money):


Crowdfunding (GoFundMe, Indiegogo, KickStarter, etc) is a fantastic way for people with aspirations, creativity and drive to fund their creations. It took me a while to realize that such funding really does benefit people. 


Because of the success I've enjoyed from crowdfunding my books, artists have earned revenue and had their work recognized. I've seen artists who were looking for opportunity suddenly burst forth with an eagerness to create that is simply inspiring.  This energy makes creating new books even more exciting for me. 

Cover art for by: Alexia Veldhuisen
(coming soon to Kickstarter!)

That said, not all crowdfunding campaigns are successful.  My first attempt to fund 47 Furious Tails failed.  I should have waited on the effort for more of the art to be done, and should have spent more time promoting it.  This was my fault (as it always is when you own the company and/or are self-publishing).  The key thing to remember, if and when you have a campaign that fails, is to not let that discourage you.  Learn from the experience and carry on.  I'm going to re-launch 47 Furious Tails later this year and I'm very excited to see it succeed (I hope you'll check it out and help that comic book see print).  My first comic book.  This is the realization of a dream that has lived in my heart for thirty years.

Cover for "Tarot Adventures, Book Two: Comet over Echo Rock"
Artist: Brian Lee

As the Tarot Adventures have continued (Books one and two are out, book three is in development), I find that I have the several artists who are willing to work on these books.  There is an audience for the Tarot Adventures, a small group of game masters who have found a lot of use in these pages.  I'm looking forward to launching book three, and injecting some dark horror into the story line!  No art for that project is done yet, but I'll be teasing out material once it is. 

Promotional Image from "The Steel Road"
Artist: Zachary Viola

Crowdfunding made The Steel Road possible.  That cannot be understated.  The volume of art that went into this book (one hundred pages of illustrated weapons alone!) is not something I could have funded without such a fantastic level of support from the KickStarter community.  (Thank you all!!!!)  Zack Viola worked on art for this book for over a year, sketching with meticulous detail to make each piece of art fit the theme of the book. His dedication to making The Steel Road see print has been remarkable. 


The Steel Road is a great example of how crowdfunding your projects can have far reaching benefit beyond the immediate monetary concerns.  The backers of this campaign proved (to me anyway) that Zack and I were correct in our belief that this kind of book is needed, that people would want something with this authentic look.  I'm pleased to report that formatting is nearly complete on this project and I expect to fulfill the kickstarter rewards before the end of the month!  I also made the acquaintance of several of the KickStarter backers, received some fantastic feedback as well as encouragement to continue to develop. As a new game designer/publisher/writer I can attest that having people send you messages saying "I really enjoyed *your book*" is an amazing feeling.  I hope each of you who have been following this blog have that experience with your own releases.

From: "Whispers of Persephone"
Artist: Christian Martinez

I use the money from crowdfunding to create the best books I can.  If there is any additional revenue, I use it toward future products.  Eventually I will take an income from business, but for now I'm focused on creating the best quality I can and on expanding my catalog.  This has made it possible for me to put a little bit of money into projects like 47 Furious Tails and Whispers of Persephone. 


A year ago, the idea of releasing an RPG source book was fantastic and something I longed to do.  I knew I would have to learn a lot, work hard, and I would need funding for the art and assorted publication expenses.  Now, a year later, my first source book (The Steel Road) is about to come out and I am looking forward to producing Whispers of Persephone.  Once again, crowdfunding helps me to realize a dream and makes it possible for me to pay my contributing artists (and to pay them fairly.. which is important).

From the coming comic book anthology
Art by: Brian Lee

Several months ago I was approached by artists who had worked on projects for me before. They wanted to do a comic book anthology together, showcasing their individual properties and bringing their work to print.  I am happy to help make this happen.  We're going to launch a crowdfunding campaign for this anthology in 2019.  Right now each contributor is working on the art, color, and lettering for these comics.  It will release under Sinopa Publishing LLC (my company) with proceeds going primarily to print production and to benefit the artists.  Crowdfunding this project will make it possible for this anthology to be produced in print, giving the artists copies they can take to conventions and sell at their local comic shops.  Each month, as more pages come in, the book begins to take shape before my eyes.  I want to give a heartfelt "Thank you" to Alexia Veldhuisen, who took on the job of art coordinator/editor to oversee page production.  I look forward to sharing more about this project with all of you soon!


I hope that you will benefit from crowdfunding your projects and that you will take the time to enjoy the enormity of the impact it can make in your life, the lives of those people contributing to your project, and the joy it can help bring to your audience. Your life and work touches the lives and work of so many others. Having the funding made available to complete your project can certainly provide monetary benefit but, to my thinking, the benefits of crowdfunding go well beyond your wallet.  Give each project your best effort, your audience deserves it.

Use your crowdfunding efforts to get to know your audience, connect with the community, and bring about success for the people working with you.


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Thank you for joining me again as my adventure in writing, game design and self-publishing continues.  I hope you continue to find these entries useful to your own efforts.


As always, comments and questions are most welcome.

Four little things about self-publishing (very basic stuff)

Art by: Lotus Blair
From Sinopa Publishing's first comic book anthology
Coming Summer of 2019

You can learn more about the artist Lotus Blair at her biography page HERE


Writing, publishing, and game have become a fierce passion of mine.  Over the last year I've made the acquaintance of (and built professional relationships with) several artists, other game designers, a handful of bloggers and podcasters, and received some very helpful criticism.  Since I've begun this journey I've launched five Kickstarter campaigns, with four funding.  I'll soon be fulfilling The Steel Road, and will then launch my sixth KickStarter campaign for Whispers of Persephone.  I've had a fantastic time as release books and plan for the release of exciting new titles!

This is just my experience, short as it may be.  For all of you who have been reading this blog, the trio who follow it and all of you who follow me directly, I want to thank you for joining me on this journey.

Thank you.

Many of you are creating your own content and planning on publishing.  Some of you have been planning on doing so for quite some time.  I would like to encourage you to take the next step, to put your material together, to copyright and upload your book and share your vision with the world.  Whether you write darkly beautiful horror, romance, fiction or non-fiction, comics or games, your creations bring you joy.  I tell you that it is a wonderful experience when people are reading your work or playing your games.  Yes, even if it is only a handful of people.  Yes, even if you aren't making your living or even most of your income from your writing and development, it is worth it.
 
*****
What you really need to do to publish your stuff (a very basic overview)


1) Something you created ~ Write the book, create the game, draw/ink/color/letter the comic (yes, comics are a LOT of work).  Have a few people look it over for any problems.  Accept the criticism for what it is worth. If people aren't being constructively critical, I don't listen to them.  "I don't like" isn't enough, you need criticism that analyzes the problems so you can understand them and decide whether they are actually 'problems' or not and if they need to be edited or left in.  Produce to the highest quality you are capable of and keep at it.  Hone your skills by using them and create better books each time.


2) ISBN and Bar code for printed works ~ This is an expense and was one of the things that pushed me toward crowdfunding (along with the need for copious amounts of art).  Amazon talks about these at length.  As my use of these is based on that source I'll leave the link to that information HERE, but you can also get a lower cost per ISBN and Bar code by picking them up directly in larger numbers (see details HERE).  Do yourself a favor and read it.  Don't skim it, don't just go to the comments on forums, read the information and digest it.

Screen capture from Bowker ~ basically $30 per ISBN for a ten pack
rather than $130 each.  Save yourself some money in the long term.

3) Digital, Print or Both ~ Decide how you make your book available. 

If you are releasing digitally, and I think anyone who self-publishes will probably recommend that you do, identify the platforms you are going to be making your book available on.  Read their terms of use.  Let's say that again.  READ THEIR TERMS OF USE! Decide if you're going to be release under an 'exclusive' agreement or not.  For me, I'm not exclusive with any one platform.  I like it that way but it means I have more than one site to keep up with as far as looking at my overall traffic.  Keep this in mind!  

If you are releasing in print or by print on demand:  Ordering a print run is expensive.  I strongly recommend that before you order a print run of any product that you have funding well in hand.  Crowdfunding is a great way to do this and minimize your financial risk.  If you are releasing by print on demand, READ THE TERMS OF USE for the sites that will be producing your POD copies.

For those of you who have a print run done, make certain to identify where you will sell / distribute these copies.  Conventions and book signings are a great place to go, but having copies in local book/comic/game stores can be fantastic.


4) Have fun promoting your book ~ I want to thank my old friend, author Micah McGurk, for inspiring me to start writing again.  One of the things I learned from watching Micah is that you should enjoy promoting your work.  It really is that simple.  Do things that you enjoy and introduce people to what you are doing.  By way of example, I do book signings at comic and game shops, I blog and do podcast interviews (thanks to everyone who has had me on), I talk with my KickStarter backers, and I have fun doing these things.  This makes promotion of your books less a chore and more of an experience.  Try it, I think you'll like it.


These four things are the bare bones, high level overview of self-publishing, as I understand it.  This is about getting your feet wet, and creating a habit of being an author and game designer.  Put yourself out there, invite the criticism, be gracious with everyone (fan and troll alike), and share your vision with the world.

One of you may be the next Charles Stross, Jim Butcher, Stan Lee, or James Vail.  The world won't know until it sees what you can do. 


I hope you'll be sharing your vision soon. 


As always, your comments are welcome. 

******


Thank you for joining me once again for my adventure in writing, game design, and self-publishing.  I hope you get good use from my experiences, mishaps and opinions. 


Opinions expressed are my own.  I don't claim to be an expert. I'm just sharing my own experiences and understandings.  Please do your research (read that as: READ THE TERMS OF USE) to make certain your publication plans best suit your interests.


Art for this entry was created by the very talented Lotus Blair, and comes from a comic anthology project currently in development.  I'll be releasing that project in 2019.  I hope you'll check it out as it is AWESOME!






Help yourself: Focus on the artist ~ Zachary Viola

The first piece Zachary Viola every did for me
From: Tale of the Wizard's Eye

It's been a long week of formatting text, convention appearance, day job, playing with the kids, and catching up with my fan fiction.

As you may have noticed, I try to make this blog useful for anyone who is thinking about designing their own game, writing their own books, publishing and / or crowdfunding.  One of the key things I've written about over the course of this blog's history, is the relationship with artists you may hire to produce content for your publications/games.  It's no secret that I have a lot of respect for people who are able to create visual art.  I don't possess the skill to do so and that means I have a real need for talented professionals to produce that content for me.

Today I want to focus on one particular artist,though I plan to do a posts on the other artists I've worked with in the future.  So today I want to speak about Zachary Viola (the link takes you the artist biography page I set up for him).

Zack's first contribution was to my first adventure release.  Zack came through in a clinch when I made a drastic to the encounter in a key part of the book.  He was able to put together the piece above ahead of deadline, all while going through the final preparations for his graduation from the Kubert School.  The next time we worked together was to partner up on The Steel Road!

Working with Zack on The Steel Road was a real treat.  He was great about asking questions and providing feedback on stylistic choices, had a really strong insight for the visual style of the book, and was always consistent and professional.  Would I work with with Zack again????  You bet!

Now, how is this useful to you?

As I've written before, treating your artists with respect, being professional, and paying fairly are essential.  My recommendation, find artists whose work you enjoy and build a working relationship that benefits both of you.  After all, you don't want to be in a position where you are forced to seek out new artistic talent because people who have worked for you in the past aren't wanting to work with you again!   Cultivate the talent of those whom you work with.  Elevate their opportunities and you'll see your own grow as well.

Whether you are a new writer / designer looking for art, an established publisher looking for new talent, or a comic and RPG fan who wants to see who the new talents are that are bursting out onto the scene; keep your eyes on Zack Viola.  He's not done, by a long shot!

Promotional image from: The Steel Road

Thank you for joining me on my adventure into game design, writing and self-publishing. I hope you'll find useful information in these entries that may, in some small way, help you find joy and success in your own endeavors.

As always, your comments are most welcome.

RPG Creators: A few thoughts on Stretch Goals for your crowdfunding campaigns

Original cover art file from: Tale of the Wizard's Eye
Artist: Phoenix O'Faery

Cover art from Tale of the Wizard's Eye by Phoenix O'Faery

I was exchanging messages with some important people recently.  Specifically, I was exchanging messages with several of the backers from my previous KickStarter campaigns, in other words, my audience.  These conversations were informative, ultimately quite useful, and I encourage any of you who use crowdfunding to reach out to backers in a safe and professional way.  You will learn a lot about your own efforts by speaking with those who have bought your work.  Don't miss out on these opportunities!

Social & Stretch Goals:   

Stretch goals have long been a tough thing for me to put together.  This is because I want to create rewards that are fun for the backers, easily fulfilled, and that don't terribly inflate the costs of the project.  Still each stretch goal should enhance the value of the project in some way.  That last point is key.  Digital rewards can be a good way to produce value without damaging your costs overly much.

By way of example, I point to a project that is in the late stages of writing (so first third part of development for me), Tarot Adventures, Book Three: Death comes to Glenfallow.  With this book, I have a pretty firm idea of the page count (which is high), I know I've got a LOT of art costs to account for, and I'm not going to want to add pages to the book itself.   With that in mind, I know that I do want some stretch goals in place so as to motivate other backers and to provide the backers with the best product, and best deal I can.  I looked at my page count and realized I had a couple of pages that I could spare for more books material. With that in mind, I decided to add two pages of content.  But rather than create additional adventure material and then need additional art for that, I decided to include two pages of comics about the Tarot Adventures.  This is a bit pricey but so worth it.  It fits into the existing page allotment, and definitely tunes up the book.  The second stretch goal is a secret that I'll not release until that campaign has exceeded it first stretch goal, as I want to build anticipation.

For social goals, I wanted additional content and I wanted to coordinate with some existing goals I have (regarding audience size).   Firstly, 200 backers for a Tarot Adventure: not too many RPG adventure books on KickStarter see that kind of turn out but I really want to be one of them.  So I set that as a benchmark.  I wanted something really fun for the backers, so I hit upon the idea of a treasure map and side quest.  It will be art-light, with just the treasure map for art and encounters and hijinks for the backers to use.  Inexpensive to produce, loads of fun for everyone, I think it is one of my better goal ideas. 

My second social goal has me writing about 5000 words as an excerpt from the prophesies that are referenced in the first three Tarot Adventures.  I like this idea a lot, it will only cost me the time it takes to write it and have it edited (those associated costs) so its a very affordable and interesting option.  Both Social goals will be delivered electronically and thus I do not worry about shipping!!!

My point here, ladies and gentlemen, is that creating Social and Stretch goals need not be expensive to create real value for your backers.  Think about your audience, and give them something they want that you can easily afford.

*****

Thank you for joining me again on my adventure into game design, writing, and self-publishing.
I hope you can use this information in your own efforts.

Remember, you can follow me here as well as on KickStarter to keep up to date with titles I'm working on, crowdfunding, and releasing.

I hope I'll see you here next time as the adventure continues.

Japanese combat fan and The Steel Road ~ and shameless self-promotion

Art by: Zachary Viola
From the working draft ~ grammar and spelling edits are forthcoming

When I created the list of weapons to include in The Steel Road, the tessen was a weapon I knew I wanted.  Tessen show up in the history of feudal Japan in unexpected ways. Whether being used to prevent Oda Nobunaga from killing you with a door (seriously, this is believed to have actually happened!), or deflecting the sword of a young general trying to kill his adversary in his tent, the stories associated with this elegant weapon are always interesting.

In RPG moments, the tessen has fantastic opportunities to shine in social encounters that turn violent.  Are you attending a ball thrown by a local count and can't bring your sword?  Bring the your tessen, just in case things go badly.  Were you disarmed by guards and locked in a cell?  Having a tessen with you provides a discreet weapon that is often overlooked. 

Don't miss the opportunity to boast of your victory. "He pulled a dagger from under his coat, so I beat him unconscious with my fan,"  is a fantastic story to tell.

Look for the tessen, appearing in The Steel Road,
coming to KickStarter May 24th, 2018 at 7:00PM (EST)

*****

If you've been following this blog you know I talk mostly about my experiences in game design, writing and self-publishing.  The above segment is an obvious plug I slapped together to remind people of the coming KickStarter campaign. 

When you are working to promote yourself, please provide something for people to enjoy.  I like the history of the tessen as a weapon.  I wanted to share some of that with people because I think other people would enjoy it too.  Make a point to provide people with that kind of value.  Give something interesting and genuine in your promotional efforts.  I'm sure you'll find it both rewarding and rewarded.

I do hope you'll come out in support of the KickStarter on Thursday.

I also hope I'll see you here next time as we continue the adventure into game design, writing, and self-publishing.  I hope I can encourage you to launch your own creations, explore your own writing, and to create fun games for people to enjoy.

I'll see you next time!

Fun things you learn when you let people see a preview of your new KickStarter campaign

Screen capture from the KickStarter campaign for : The Steel Road
This image was grabbed last night while I was working on the page

Hello everyone!

I'm about to launch my fifth kickstarter campaign.  With my fourth campaign I had made previews of the campaign available to some bloggers I'm acquainted with, and ran the information by some friends to look it over.  It was helpful.    For The Steel Road I wanted a broader spectrum of people to take a look at the campaign prior to launch.  I was looking for feedback and I got it!

Things I had pointed out to me from the earliest of drafts were that I had too much text. Really, I had written to much, put forth a lot of detail, and had pretty much made the page read like installation instructions.  That kind of format is no fun to create, and no fun for the people coming to the campaign.  So, don't over do it, be honest and sincere, and don't worry about things that people are likely to already know.

Also from The Steel Road Kickstarter page
This  capture shows the pledge level for pdf and pod after the early backer tier expires

The next thing that was pointed out to me, was that I needed to tell people what the book was for.  Somehow, in all the excitement and in the process of putting words to page, I had forgotten to indicate the book was for the 5th Edition game mechanic.... oops?    So I did a bit of work to clean that up.

I cut down the extraneous matter (still clipping that back a bit), and tried to stick with just the meaty bits of the thing.  Its a book for your 5th Edition game, it has a bunch of weapons, all are illustrated, please support it... that kind of thing.  I found it was much more fun to read through, easier to digest, and people didn't have to try to interpret things.  All good things I believe.

Page from: The Steel Road
Art by: Zack Viola

Stretch Goals:  

Everyone seems to want more stretch goals.  I've been torn on this point as I don't want the project to get out of hand, but then something great happened.  One of the people looking at the page had been a backer of a prior campaign and he made a suggestion about something he would like to see as a stretch goal.  Its easily done, and I like the idea, so I'm checking the math to see if its feasible. Thank you very much Alexander for such insight!

My position on stretch goals is that they should always be something that makes a great contribution to the project.  Additional art, more content, better quality materials, and things in a similar vein are what I like to see.  As a creator though, you must balance these ambitions against your costs.  It is critical if you are to succeed in the business side of things and be able to afford to create new projects in the future.

So for all of you who are planning campaigns, be mindful of your stretch goals!

original page art for The Steel Road
Art by: Zachary Viola

Audience  

I talk a LOT about how to treat your audience when you are a crowdfunded creator.  I always encourage people to do all they can to make the best products possible, in order to give their audience the best value.  Yesterday, I was reminded that people appreciate the effort.  I'll not get sappy about it, but I received some very kind words from a few backers of my last KickStarter (for Tarot Adventures, Book Two:  Comet over Echo Rock) which had its fulfillment running late (two weeks late as of this writing, but fulfillment is underway).

Once again, I'll recommend that in all dealings with your audience be honest, realistic, and put forth your very best effort.  I hope that in your creative endeavors you receive the same kind of messages I have.  They really do mean a lot to me because they are encouraging and really make all the work more worthwhile.

Yesterday I was told that my work mattered, that people are looking forward to my next book, and that they have fun with their friends as they play through the adventures I've created.  I can't think of a better reason for all the hard work, than knowing that the people supporting my kickstarter campaigns, my audience, are enjoying what I do.

(Thanks folks, you ladies and gentlemen have been the best!)

Your audience makes your creations possible.  Cherish them all.

*****

Thank you for joining me once again on this adventure into game design, writing and self-publishing.

I'll be continuing the countdown toward the KickStarter campaign for The Steel Road with a new entry tonight.  

I do hope you will share this entry with others to help fellow creators.

Adventure awaits!

50 Exotic weapons and 50 Enchanted weapons in one beautiful book: Coming to KickStarter May 24th!

Art by: Zachary Viola

Announcing the KickStarter campaign!

The Steel Road     (link takes you to details on the book)

This is it: the KickStarter campaign will launch on 
Thursday, May 24th, 2018 at 1900 EST (7:00 PM Eastern)

Backer levels start at $8 (USD) for PDF and PoD codes for the early backers.

I hope we'll see you at launch for a great campaign.

Please do share this with RPG fans everywhere!

Written for the 5th Edition game mechanic (we like our DnD)!

Zack Viola and I will be on KickStarter live, taking questions at launch.  Come hang out with us and support the project.

Thank you all!

Preparing the KickStarter Campaign (Art:The Steel Road)

Art by: Zachary Viola
From: The Steel Road

Things are busy for me.  I'm finishing up the fulfillment for Comet over Echo Rock, I've been working on the first proof copy draft of The Steel Road, and also working on the test draft of Whispers of Persephone.  As promised at the beginning of the year, 2018 is shaping up to be a very busy year indeed!  As The Steel Road KickStarter campaign is launching soon, I've been preparing that campaign.


Having survived four KickStarter campaigns so far, I have learned a few things about setting them up, the mathematics behind them, and fulfillment.  So today I'm going to talk about setting up a KickStarter campaign, and I'm going to use The Steel Road as an example and as a shameless plug (hope you'll support the campaign when it launches) 😇.




Art from: The Steel Road
Artist: Zachary Viola

Calculations:


For purposes of our discussion today, I'm going to assume you have developed your project fully.  What I mean by that is that your book is written, your game is designed, your widget prototype works, etc.   You may be raising money for art, printing, manufacturing or whatnot: that is fine.


You should be very particular when calculating how much money you will need to raise.  Keep in mind the costs associated with the project, the KickStarter and transaction fees, shipping costs, and your tax obligation (as applies or may not depending upon your jurisdiction).  I would also recommend building in an additional amount to help cover unexpected expenses. 


For The Steel Road, costs are very small, so we set the goal at $1000 (USD).  While we certainly hope to reach a much higher level of funding, it is important that a funding goal that meets the project needs is set.  It is also important that the goal be realistically attainable, otherwise you may be wasting your time as well as the time of your backers.  I have a high degree of confidence that The Steel Road can reach $1000 in funding. I am not as confident that it would reach $25,000 in funding. Fortunately, KickStarter is a very flexible platform that will permit a project to fund well over its goal. So I've set my goal low, and hope that the value to the backer, and the cool concept will help to attract much more funding beyond the base goal level.


A few words of advice here:  Shipping can be tricky!  When you are designing your campaign, be very attentive to your shipping options.  If you are planning on shipping items yourself, don't forget to calculate your costs for your shipping boxes, envelopes, packing paper etc.  Also, factor in the time it will take you to process your shipping (particularly if you are doing it yourself) when you calculate your fulfillment timeline!  Remember that the funds collected for shipping are also subject to the KickStarter fees.




Read the Creator Handbook


While this may seem obvious, it is critically important that you read the handbook before designing your campaign.  Read the handbook, its not long, and you need to be conversant in it. 




Images and Video:


KickStarter's page recommends including videos and/or images in your campaign.  They claim to have statistical evidence supporting the assertion that campaigns with videos and images receive more funding. I believe this to be true.


Select relevant, high quality images that accent the text and show off the project.  Use your images intelligently to drive home your points and show prospective backers why they may want to support you. 




Screen shot from campaign Preview
Art by: Zachary Viola

For the video, I would suggest keeping to the same guideline as for images.  Make it relevant and of the best quality you can.  Regardless of whether you record yourself speaking to your backers, or a sophisticated animation, keep the video on topic.  I have seen many people recommend to keep the video at or under three minutes in length.  I don't subscribe to that theory so much as I believe that so long as the video is interesting and engages the audience the total length can range beyond that recommendation.




Backer Rewards:


Reward tiers should constructed to afford options to the backers, while being priced to help you raise the money you need to fund your project.  You should ask yourself, "would I be willing to pay $X for this?" as you build the rewards.  There should be value for the people who are supporting you.  Don't treat your backers like they are your personal money machine. 


I want to point out that having just a handful of backer rewards makes it far easier to fulfill your obligations than having several different ones.  Take a long look at the logistics of fulfillment when determining how many backer rewards you will include and what those tiers should be priced as. 


Once you have your calculations for your reward tiers, take a few minutes and compare your numbers with those of campaigns from similar genre/type projects.  (Example: if your project is a new board game, take a look at similar games to see what reward tiers were popular and what those price points were.)


My opinion and a few words of advice on backer rewards:  In the long run it is more important that many people support your project than a handful of people give you a lot of money.  Having many people come out to support you creates an audience.  While some may come and go between campaigns, it has been my experience that people continue to support your projects as you continue to provide good value.  (Example: for The Steel Road, I have created an Early Backer tier which rewards the backer with a PDF copy and a POD code for only $8!  This is to provide a great value opportunity to all of you who have been following my adventure here as well as those fantastic people who have been following me on KickStarter! As always, "Thank You" to all of you who have supported my campaigns.) 

Art from: The Steel Road
Artist: Zachary Viola

Books:


Whether it is a novel, RPG book, or comic book make certain to have the file formatted and backed up somewhere before you launch. I've had a bad experience where my computer died, which forced me to reformat all of Comet over Echo Rock.  I would like to recommend that you save your work locally, to a removable medium, as well as to a cloud storage for redundancy.  This was careless of me in several ways, and cost me more hours than I care to admit.  Don't make the same mistake I did!


All books should be written, at least in the first draft stage, before launching your KickStarter campaign.  If additional content comes in through backer contributions, make certain the backers understand the timeline for submitting their material.  If stretch goals add to the project, make certain to have that material in development or fully developed before the campaign ends.


For printed works, be fully aware of your print and shipping costs.  I will point out that signed copies get shipped at least twice: once to you for signatures and then the second time on to the backer.  Be certain to factor in the additional shipping in your calculations.


Books that are released electronically or via a print on demand code the backer uses are inherently easier and faster to fulfill.  I strongly recommend a digital version of any book created as a backer reward.  I'll be offering POD codes as backer rewards for The Steel Road.  This is my first time employing this option, but I've read up on it and I believe it will allow for a more rapid fulfillment and will lower costs for fulfillment. 




Screen shot from Campaign preview
Art by: Zachary Viola

Promoting your KickStarter campaign:


I'm a big believer in using social media to promote your projects.  I'm also a big fan of building community and helping others.  Make connections to people who share your same interests, tell them about your project and campaign, and ask if they would help spread the word. 


Reach out to other creators whom you have supported in the past, Social media circles, and any social media personalities you may be acquainted with.  Whether it is a podcast channel that has fifty followers or a just your friend who has five hundred facebook friends, ask them to help promote your project.  Be cordial, professional, and honest in all such dealings.


Many people will tell you to use paid ads of one form or another.  I can only say that I have had more people find me from word of mouth on social media than I have from


{Example:  I routinely promote KickStarter and Indiegogo campaigns I find interesting or which are being conducted by people I network with.  This is great for building a mutually supportive community but it does take effort on your part.  You also have to begin building that community well in advance of your own campaign launch.}



Communication:

Communicating with your backers is incredibly important.  I would go so far as to say that it is incredibly rude not to do so. 


I recently added a link to a KickStarter campaign I found interesting.  I had never communicated to the creator before, I don't know her, but her campaign was really neat.  Over the last few days I've been watching as she has failed to respond to comments from backers.   This appears to have cost her some backers so far.  I have no intention of embarrassing anyone so I will not specify which campaign this is.  What I will say is: Do not make this mistake!


Be genuine in your communications, honest in your statements, and realistic in the expectations you create.

Art from: The Steel Road
Artist: Zachary Viola

Money:


KickStarter provides a magnificent opportunity for your to develop and release your creativity.  Where once a person may have left an idea to linger and die, now you can pursue your idea with the help of others.  I strongly recommend that you utilize the funding available to create the best version of your project possible.   By creating the best product or service possible, you will be able to realize income outside of the crowd funding campaign. 


Don't get me wrong, you should hope to make some extra money from your campaigns.  What I am recommending is that you create the absolute, best version of your vision before claiming any funds as revenue.  See my previous post concerning my recommendation on what to do with "Profits" in my previous post HERE


Summation:
This has been a very basic overview of how to put your KickStarter campaign.  I would like to recommend that you do your due diligence and research crowd funding at length before designing and launching your campaign.  If you have questions, please post them in the comments below.  I will make every effort to answer the questions I can, but those I cannot answer I'll try to point you to resource if I know of one. 


Be honest in your promotions, be meticulous in your calculations, innovative in your project, and treat your audience and those who support you with respect and professionalism.  Do all this and you'll find that during those moments when you may wonder if you'll reach your goal that you will know you have done your best and acted ethically.  You cannot put a price tag on that kind of peace of mind.


*****

Thank you for joining me for this entry.  I hope this helps you in developing your own crowd funding efforts. 

The Steel Road is coming to KickStarter in coming weeks.  You can follow me on KickStarter to receive notification of the launch, or follow this blog as I'll be announcing the launch date here.

Thanks for joining me on my adventure in game design, writing, and self -publishing.  I hope to see you here next time!

Productive uses for KickStarter "profits" ~ advice to new creators

Art from "The Steel Road"
Artist: Zachary Viola

KickStarter

There, do I have your attention?   Good.   KickStarter and other crowdfunding platforms have been a terrific boon to small press self-publishers, game designers, and indie comic book creators.

Money from your crowdfunding campaign allows you the luxury of creating your project and may also provide the funding to improve upon it. I have always advocated that you use the funding to enhance your product to make it the best value for your backers as is possible.  Hold on to that idea, as it is important in building and retaining your audience.  People who see that you are creating high quality products are more likely to support your future endeavors. 

I would like to point out that you will very often have some residual funding left over.  While it's nice to call this "profit" and go about your day, I want to point out some uses for these funds that I advocate for, and which you may wish to consider.  Please note: this entry is NOT addressing the costs incurred by the KickStarter campaign (fees, production costs, shipping/fulfillment, etc.), we're just looking at the money made in excess of what you need, and how any such funds can be put to good use.

Art from "The Steel Road"
Artist: Zachary Viola

Productive Uses of 'profits' from a KickStarter campaign:

1) Bonuses:  For my first KickStarter I was able to provide a small bonus to my artists. While this was literally just a few dollars, it was very well received.  I tell you, without hesitation, that I don't miss those few extra dollars but my artists definitely appreciated it.  Morale has been very high ever since.  You cannot put a price tag on having people who are eager to work with you, who enjoy working for you, and who respect / trust you.  Consider this as an option, and be certain to weigh it against the following considerations.

2) Product marketing:  Extra revenue is a fantastic resource for your project once it is ready to be made commercially available.  Even a small amount can go to good use in paying for add space.  Give this some critical thought, as a well run marketing campaign should translate into sales.  This is where your revenue begins.

3) Product production:  Do you want to take your project to a convention for sale?  Do you want to make your product available for sale on your website?  If so, then odds are you're going to need inventory, which means you'll need money to create it, store it, ship it, etc.  A word of caution on this, however, be mindful of your tax obligation on inventory at year's end.  Consult a tax professional for specific guidance on this point.

4) Research and Development:  Fancy way of saying, 'costs for developing future products'.  This is one thing I've been terrible at doing.  I've focused my efforts on my first three points here (above) and have historically neglected this point.  This has put me in the position of having to fund initial costs out of pocket.  I don't recommend you do that.  Instead, I recommend that you take any excess funding and allocate a portion of that for future product development.  This will help ease the burden of your future crowdfunding efforts.

5) Taxes:  This is IMPORTANT!  Consult a tax professional regarding your tax liability.  This is one thing I had found very little information on in my own research before launching my first KickStarter campaign.  Now I'm factoring it in for each.  I recommend finding a local Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in your area, and consult with them on this issue.  Save yourself a tax-time headache by planning ahead in this point.  Once you are aware of your tax obligations (if any), then you can put aside the funds to cover any tax obligation you may incur.

Art from "The Steel Road"
Artist: Zachary Viola

I hope you will find great benefit in using KickStarter and other crowdfunding platforms to bring your projects to new fans and so you can see your dreams realized.  I hope you'll take these points and use them to enhance your own experience with crowdfunding and project development!


*****

Thank you for joining me today on my adventure in writing, game design, and self publishing.  It is always my hope that by sharing my experiences and insights that this blog will help you to avoid pitfalls I have encountered, and that it will help you to achieve your own goals in developing games, writing, and publishing.

As always, your comments are most welcome!

I hope you will share this entry with others.

The art included in this entry is from my coming project "The Steel Road" which I plan to have up on KickStarter in May (2018).  All art for "The Steel Road" is copyright (c) of Zachary Viola (2017 and 2018) and is used under contract and with permission. All rights are reserved.  I hope you will support that great project and share it with others.

Thanks again!

W.S. Quinton