Blog – Page 4 – Stonemaier Games

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Secrets Revealed: Results of the 2023 Stonemaier Games Teaser

At Stonemaier Games, we tend to keep the future a mystery until it becomes the present. We heavily invest our time, energy, and resources into a product we love, we announce it when it’s on the way to fulfillment centers, we put it on our webstore soon afterwards, and then we ship it to you […]

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Interview with a Literary (and Game) Manager

Recently I wrote about the concept of tabletop agents to connect designers to publishers. As I learned from the resulting conversation, there are actually a few agencies who represent designers (for a fee paid by the designer, which isn’t the model I proposed). I also heard from Allen Eckhouse, a literary manager who also works […]

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7 Insights from Our 2023 Demographic Survey

Last week on the Stonemaier Games monthly e-newsletter (subscribe here), I shared a demographic survey with our subscribers. I’ve done this a few years in a row now, with the intent being to learn more about our followers so we can better serve you in the future. I try to focus on questions with actionable […]

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12 Ways to Overcome the Mid-Campaign Doldrums

It has many names: The mid-campaign slump, doldrums, slog, etc. If you’ve run a crowdfunding campaign, you know what I’m talking about: Most projects attract backers during the first 48 hours and the last 48 hours. Everything else in between is a major challenge. Yet the middle of the campaign is its heart. Those 20 […]

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Quick Kickstarter Lesson Recaps: #131-135

In today’s flashback post, we’ll look at articles about becoming a publisher, giving backers a voice, commenting on the internet, naming a project, and shipping.   Everything a Kickstarter Creator Needs to Know About Trademark Law (#131): The Board Game Lawyer, Zachary Strebeck, joins us for a lesson on tradmark law! In short, trademark law […]

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27 Types of People for Whom I’m Grateful as a Small Business Owner (2023)

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to express my gratitude for various types of people who have had a positive impact on me and Stonemaier Games this year. Perhaps some of these people will be good resources for you as well. I’m incredibly thankful for… Backers, Fans, and Followers (Facebook, enewsletter, YouTube, Instagram, Discord): None of this would […]

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How to Be a Better Playtester

I am incredibly grateful for anyone who has ever playtested a Stonemaier game or expansion. Whether it’s a local playtest with me or a blind playtest somewhere in the world, every playtest makes a positive difference in developing the best possible version of a product. Every few years I send a test to Stonemaier Ambassadors […]

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I Should Have Tried StreamYard Years Ago

Have you ever used a new app, software, or technology for the first time and realized things could have been so much better if you had adapted it years ago? That’s how I felt when I recently tried StreamYard for the first time. A few weeks ago I shared the excellent feedback I received about […]

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A Fan Designed an Expansion for Your Game: What Should You Do?

Some of the greatest surprises and delights over the last 11 years at Stonemaier Games have come from various forms of creative fan engagement. Even dating back to Viticulture’s Kickstarter project in 2012, I was amazed that some backers wanted to playtest the game and offer feedback during the campaign. One of those early backers […]

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What Impact Would Agents Have on the Tabletop Game Industry?

If you write a novel and are seeking publication, you basically have two choices: Find a literary agent or self-publish. In the tabletop game industry, though–particularly for hobby games–there is no intermediary between designers and publishers. If you want to find a publisher for your game, you need to research publishers and their unique submission […]

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