A new blog about RPG design, freelancing and RPGSS

[Mikko Kallio]

Firstly, thanks to all who voted for me and supported me! It's been a very good year of RPG Superstar regardless of who wins. :)

Actually, I've got some news. I decided to start a blog about RPG Superstar and related subjects, please have a look and comment. The first post explains what sort of things I intend to write about, and the newer post is actually the first in a series of RPGSS related articles.

A Sword for Hire

[Mike Kimmel]

Awesome! I'll be sure to check it out.

I am considering starting a blog as well, but I'm pretty busy getting Freelance Forge started at the moment. We'll see!

[Mikko Kallio]

I might actually write an article about the FF sometime in the future. :)

[Mike Kimmel]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

I might actually write an article about the FF sometime in the future. :)

That would be excellent! Let me know if I can help with anything.

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Firefox says the connection's not trusted, Mikko...

[Mikko Kallio]

That's weird, it's Google's Blogger site I'm using...

I'll have a look at the problem.

EDIT: I removed the "www." and changed the ending from ".fi" to ".com". Does it work now?

[Jacob W. Michaels]

Yup. That did the trick. Off to give it a look.

Interesting reads. Definitely would recommend it for anyone interested in running the Superstar gauntlet.

[Mike Kimmel]

Never trust Mikko.

[frank gori]

I'd be happy to see any of you on The Flying Pincushion....

Blogs are a solid move for freelancers.

[Mikko Kallio]

Jacob, thanks!

Frank, feel free to send me information about any upcoming projects you think would be a good match for my skills. At least initially, I wish to work with as many publishers (big or small) as possible, and since I already know you like my work, the FP seems like a logical place to start. (I write this assuming that I don't win RPGSS; in the off chance that I do, I may have to adjust my plans.)

Also, I intend to write a series of articles about 3pp businesses, so if you are interested, let me know.

[Curaigh]

Nice read Mikko,
I am interested in learning about the contest from the side of the competitors. We have have a lot of judges' opinions and a lot of 'would haves' but the Top 32 are usually too busy (and have a non-disclosure angle) to share much.

[Andrew Marlowe]

Must be a blogging kind of year I started mine a couple weeks ago. I need to get a new post up soon but in the meantime looks like I have some new reading material.

[Mikko Kallio]

Curaigh, thanks! I hope it'll be interesting for the fans of RPGSS and anyone who wishes to do freelancing.

Andrew, thanks for the link; I'll be sure to also mention your blog in my next update tomorrow!

[Acre]

Thanks for all the good information, Mikko! A Sword for Hire is a swell read. Keep the great posts coming!

[Curaigh]

Andrew thanks for yours as well :)

[Andrew Marlowe]

Curaigh wrote:

Andrew thanks for yours as well :)

You're quite welcome. Thanks for giving it a look.

[Mikko Kallio]

Today I published an interview with Mike Kimmel. Go check it out if you want to hear some of Mike's thoughts about RPG design and freelancing!

From now on, I'll be posting regular updates every Saturday.

Andrew, by the way, if you have a banner or logo for your blog, I can place a permanent link in the sidebar if you wish.

[Mike Kimmel]

Thanks again for the interview, Mikko!

[Andrew Marlowe]

If I come up with a logo I'll shoot it to you Mikko. Thanks!

[Mikko Kallio]

I published a translation of my recent interview about RPGSS. Check it out here.

Some of the upcoming articles in April include discussion about freelancing and NDAs, a design article about mapmaking, and an interview with Victoria!

[GM DarkLightHitomi]

I am curious if you would be willing to glance over my game system and review it. I would really like another set of eyes on it, particulrly from a design perspective, as I haven't been able to find very many test players (the internet seems to be a poor medium for testing a full system).

Though I admit that it is different in terms of core mechanics, but the playstyle focus is like d20 except leaning towards storytelling rather then tactics-fests like 4e ( don't take that the wrong way, I like 4e, but more as a miniture tactics game rather then RP.)

[terraleon]

GM_Solspiral wrote:

Blogs are a solid move for freelancers.

Writing is a solid move for freelancers. Better to spend those words on material for Wayfinder, or Pathways, or Gygax, or (should it arrive,) Yggdrasil, or soliciting one of the shops looking for freelancers who are generating material you want to pursue.

Personally, I find blogs to be words you could have spent working on something else. Maybe that's just me, but after 7 years of freelancing, that's my experience.

-Ben.

[Kiel Howell]

That's actually an interesting observation terraleon. It would also make for an interesting blog post ;)

It is good to hear from veterans in the freelancing field on their perspectives both sides of the blogging fence.

I do know, from an SEO perspective that the more eyes on ANY of your work raises your chances for exposure. In this particular area, it would have twofold accomplishment: exposure to industry and practice for your writing skills.

I would like to see some studies on this topic actually. Hmm...any sociologist/psychologists out there?

[Mikko Kallio]

Thanks for the comment, Ben! You may be right, I really have no idea since I'm only just getting started in freelancing. Maybe in 7 years I can comment on how blogging has affected my freelancing. :-)

I'd like to point out, however, that blogging is writing. What I think matters the most is a) how many people see your work (exposure) b) how many people like your work (perceived quality).

A good thing about blogging is that you can write about anything you want, not just what your publisher tells you to. In a blog you can also include "behind the scenes" information that people rarely get to see. So they'll see you actually understand what you're writing about.

Of course, I do intend to write for Paizo and 3rd-party publishers (and actually, I already do), so I don't feel like I'm missing out on something because I blog. And what's a better place to talk about the products you've written than a blog!

Anyway, my blog isn't 100% about freelancing, actually the majority of my posts so far have been about the RPGSS contest. Looking at your voter tags, I can tell you have at least some interest in the contest, so I hope there's something interesting there for you as well!

[terraleon]

Mikko Kallio wrote:

A good thing about blogging is that you can write about anything you want, not just what your publisher tells you to. In a blog you can also include "behind the scenes" information that people rarely get to see. So they'll see you actually understand what you're writing about.

I'd say that's the good thing about writing for a fanzine or pitching to something like Adventure Quarterly or Gygax Magazine; you can write about anything you want to pitch and it helps develop your craft.

Mikko Kallio wrote:

Anyway, my blog isn't 100% about freelancing, actually the majority of my posts so far have been about the RPGSS contest. Looking at your voter tags, I can tell you have at least some interest in the contest, so I hope there's something interesting there for you as well!

I read through it, and it's an interesting look at the contest. Personally, I find there's enough out there on RPGSS, though. It's cool that you've got time for it and want pursue the posts. For me, I need to spend pretty much all of my time on deadlines, because of the limitations I've got on my free time. I know that's not the same for everyone, but given a choice between 500 words of blog and 500 words of deadline, the deadline wins every time.

EDIT: And I'm not saying that it's otherwise for you, either, or that you'd make a different choice. I just don't find the same utility in a blog that it appears you do, and that's ok.

-Ben.

[Mikko Kallio]

Check out the latest blog post, interview with Victoria J.!

[Mikko Kallio]

I don't know if a lot of people are reading the RPG Superstar forum this time of the year, but I just wanted to mention that I have a lot of 3PP interviews coming over the next few months! I already interviewed Frank Gori of the Flying Pincushion and Marc Radle of Kobold Press. And I did an interview about the upcoming Snow White Kickstarter.

If you're interested in freelancing, have a look! (link in first post)

[Jeffrey Swank]

Great interviews so far, loved each of them!