8 Guidelines for Finishing a Creative Project

Cryptic Explorers Solo Mode

I finished my solo variant for the board game Cryptic Explorers in early June. Cryptic Explorers is a "one versus many" board game where 1+ players take the role of the "Cryptonauts" teleporting into the land of the dead to steal its knowledge. The other player takes the role of a Goddess of Death wielding occult powers to defend her kingdom. It's fun, metal as hell, and was begging for a solo mode. You can take a look at the draft rules and print-and-play files here. Why does it matter that I designed a solo variant in a single month though? 

8 Guidelines for Finishing a Creative Project

I struggle with perfectionism. This impulse usually overtakes me when starting a new creative project. I use to imagine all the 1000-page novels, 200-page RPGs, and campaign-style board games I would write, but as I started working, these projects unsurprisingly never materialized. 

Here are eight guidelines I've used to help me work through perfectionist thinking and complete five zines in one year:

• Set firm deadlines. Not aspirational deadlines, pencil down deadlines. 

• Cut like crazy (when you realize there's no hope of making your deadline). This can mean cutting the original scope of your project by 50% or more.

• Release Often. Regular releases diffuse the pressure of making one project perfect. 

• Learn by Doing. Try new things with the knowledge you will struggle and you can learn from your mistakes. 

• Pick your Battles. Some things can't be fixed or changed in time to meet your firm deadline, focus your work on what you realistically have time to change. 

• Work on One Project at a Time. New ideas are enticing but don’t succumb to the temptation, instead, use the excitement of a new idea to finish what you've started.

• Authentic Communication is Always an Act of Vulnerability. Expressing yourself requires vulnerability, vulnerability requires bravery, and being brave is never easy. Expect the act of creation to be scary!

Hot Stuff on Shore Leave Now Available on Itch.io and DTRPG

Digital copies of Hot Stuff on Shore Leave are now available on Itch.io and Drivethrurpg.com. This was the last step of fulfillment for the Hot Stuff on Shore Leave Kickstarter campaign (aside from a few stragglers). Although fulfillment through DTRPG and Itch.io was not part of my original plan, it makes sense why folks would want to add the zine to their collections on these sites. With Hot Stuff on Shore Leave more or less wrapped, I can get my head into the writing and illustration of some upcoming RPG projects. Speaking of...

Status of Upcoming projects

• "MOTHERLOAF," a pastoral fantasy rules-light Mothership hack, will drop in early July in a pre-alpha version.

• "Party Finder," a JRPG-inspired solo tabletop roleplaying game is planned to launch on a crowdfunding site in early 2023 (likely to correspond with next year's Zine Month). Work will start when MOTHERLOAF is up on my itch.io account.