Thoughts from a first-time self-publisher Part 25: The Balancing Act.
Hey everyone! Welcome back. Apologies for missing last week.
Best Part of my week (so far): I’ve been having a lot of fun playtesting and getting Dice Dogs ready for the Cardboard Edison. Here’s the video overview for my submission. I’ve also been playing lots of games and playtesting lots of other designer’s games. This week’s blog is about balance and this has definitely felt like it has added some balance back to this part of my life. I’m also thrilled to see my friends Levi and Chris having a successful Kickstarter with Hissy Fit, and friend, Kenny on the cusp of funding his game, Scrap. I’ve playtested both games and am excited to see them succeed and get the physical versions!
Most stressful part: Read on…
Financials: Not a ton more to report. The Backerkit Pledge Manager is now at $4,500 more raised post-campaign (no shipping charged yet), and I’m thinking that it will land around $6000 when all is said and done (retailer pledges- assuming, they don’t back out - will bring in a minimum of another $1,000, when completed).
Balance:
For this week’s blog I wanted to give a snapshot of what it looks like to be at this point. This point specifically being: post-first kickstarter campaign+ mid-everything else Kickstarter (finalizing, fulfillment, manufacturing, etc.) + pre-whatever I am doing next. Before this campaign, I was a designer with a dream of being a self-publisher. Now, I am a publisher. What’s changed?
Super Snipers:
Unequivocally, the most important thing on my plate right now is fulfilling my promise to my backers and capitalizing on any additional successes I can get from Super Snipers between now and the day it has arrived to every backer, retailer, and distributor. The to-do list is long and ever-expanding, but here’s a basic rundown:
Weekly or more playtesting and data collection to make sure that everything that has been added during the Kickstarter is fully tested and of the highest quality possible. Right now, a lot of effort is going into making sure the solo automas are as good as they can possibly be. I am lucky to have some dedicated playtesters who have been instrumental in this process. I can always use more!
Getting everything together for the manufacturer. This includes finishing all the art and updating the wording on all cards that need it(including art that needs approval from our Elite backer), finalizing everything that needs to be on the box and any safety testing or other certifications that need to happen (do not just rely on what’s worked for people before, there are a lot of things going on in the UK and EU around this that you need to make yourself aware of), getting the final components list to Matt Healey to make our insert (thanks, Matt!), and determining my numbers for what is now three separate print runs: the game, the mini-expansion, and the acrylic upgrade packs
Completing the rulebook in all promised languages.
Getting files over to one of my licensees
Making very big and consequential decisions around freight and shipping. I need to determine if the cost of separating out my freight to two locations is offset by the reduced shipping costs of having a UK based fulfillment partner. Signs currently point to “yes”, but to say it is complicated would be a severe understatement.
Related to the above: finalize my shipping rates and charge them in the pledge manager
Create a sales sheet for Retailers and distributors. Also, research and create other marketing materials that may be needed.
Get organized around my fulfillment plan. I have a lot of games promised to reviewers, a number of backers doing local pick up, and a determination to make about how many games I want to keep in my personal stash for convention sales, etc.
Start (and I know I am late already) coming up with my plans for which conventions to have a presence at.
Update my TTS mod (in process)
Maintain communications and presence with my professional partners and my community. This takes up more time than I imagined, and I don’t think I’m doing the best job I can do.
Make and run ads for the Pledge Manager.
Setting the stage for my next successes:
Last Fall, I was able to make a decision that has granted me more time to work on this stuff than many people might have. And, it’s less time than is ideal. I have Mondays and Tuesdays off, and half-days on Wednesdays. I have childcare every other Monday, and every Tuesday and Wednesday. This means I “have” 1.5-2.5 days a week to dedicate to my publishing business (and late nights on some weeknights and weekend nights, and a chunk of Sunday daytime where I go to a local playtesting group). That said, this is also the only time I have to do a lot of other things and it is challenging to keep the time sacred.
The above list takes up a good chunk of that time quite often. But, if that’s all I do, I will not be setting myself up for continued progress. Here are some of the other things I am doing that are related to setting up my next successes:
Pushing forward on some of my other designs, including Dice Dogs. I am undecided which ones I am most interested in self-publishing and which ones I would like to pitch, but it is my hope to be announcing titles in both of these venues on a yearly basis. I have a number of games that I feel confident can be brought to that level. The time needed to achieve that is where the challenge lies.
Working to take a co-design over the finish line. I have a design that we are actively working with a publisher on. We meet with the publisher an average of twice a month and dedicate additional time in-between for iterating and testing. I look forward to announcing this one; but it has been a ton of work!
Considering taking on submissions. This is what Publishers do, right? Galen’s Games next title may be an amazing game from Hwa Siang (the artist for Super Snipers). We still need to work out some details before announcing. I am not yet at a point where I’m ready to open for other submissions.
Making connections. I’m back to entering contests, playtesting with other designers, reaching out to new folks in the design space, keeping up with local designers and playtests, and planning convention appearances. This business is all about connections. And, it’s one of the most rewarding aspects of doing it.
Playing lots of games! Research!
What I will be doing:
The above has me feeling like I’m always behind. But, there are a few more things I want to fit in:
“Finalizing” designs and having a stable of pitchable games and prototypes.
Attending conventions
Opening an online “store” for my games
Set up the community (ies) for the next game(s) Galen’s Games will be publishing.
Actively work out the campaign style idea I have for additional Super Snipers content
Teach myself marketing (paid for the CFN course, just need to dedicate time to taking it)
Make a plan around taking submissions
Balance?
So how do I proceed? How can I keep laying a foundation for future successes while fulfilling my current obligations? One step at a time, is all I have to say at the moment. Looking forward, it would be nice to have more than just me as an employee, but that is awfully hard to justify at this point.
As always, thanks for reading!
Galen.
