You Decide: What Should I Write About Next? – Stonemaier Games

You Decide: What Should I Write About Next?

I keep a running list of topics to discuss on this blog. On Monday and Thursday I look at that list and find something I’m excited to write about that I think will be invaluable for you to read.

Usually I’m able to quickly figure out which topic to write about, but today was different. I have a list of 10+ potential topics, and I really couldn’t make a decision.

So I thought I’d turn to you to see what you’d like me to write about next. Below you’ll find a poll of those topics, and you can choose as many as you want. The results will impact my next few blog posts (unless something urgent happens in the world of crowdfunding).

A few things to consider:

  • The primary focus of this blog is on crowdfunding, with a decent dose of entrepreneurship, and a touch of tabletop game publishing.
  • If you have a specific story from your experience as a creator or entrepreneur that would contribute to one of these topics, please let me know.
  • If there are any other topics you’d like me to cover, let me know in the comments. I may point you to a Kickstarter Lesson where I’ve already discussed it in detail, but it’s possible I haven’t written about it yet!

Oh, and I was in a short documentary!

16 Comments on “You Decide: What Should I Write About Next?

Leave a Reply to Jamey StegmaierCancel reply

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  1. […] most popular option on my recent poll about upcoming blog posts was for “the current state of Stonemaier Games.” This idea […]

  2. As I have journeyed through life I have moved from North America to what, in most Kickstarter campaigns, is generally known as “the rest of the world.” (The actual area is Japan and southeast Asia for business) Living and helping to run a multilingual game group in this part of the world presents certain challenges related to board games. Mainly in acquiring games and translating rules/story into the multiple languages members of the group speak. We live in digital times so news travels fast. All of the members of our group can read about new games, or new versions of old games, almost immediately through news/blogs in the language of their choice. But the hobby is by its nature analog. Getting our hands on games, new and old, can be a challenge. When it’s not a challenge it usually comes with a shipping cost that often equals or exceeds the price of the game. Kickstarter is usually our best bet for acquiring games not locally available as the shipping costs are almost always better than online game stores. But sometimes we miss them or pass on them for various reasons. Like we had to do with Viticulture.

    However, to our great delight, one of our members found ワイナリーの四季 on Amazon Japan! Although it quickly sold out, for a brief period we were able to buy a popular game in our own market in a language spoken by many of the group members. Thank you!

    So what I would like to hear about is the process of licensing you work for translation/localization into non-English markets. How much effort does it involve? What are the challenges that don’t arise when publishing in English?

    Thank you again!

  3. It may be discussed before, in that case I apologise, but I think it would be really interesting a post about pro and cons of having a name with different localisations against a language indipendent game and a game localised only in English but distributed everywhere in the world.

    But every topic in the list will be really interesting, so it’s just matter of the order.

  4. I read you pages religiously before launching my own Kickstarter, even still I’m sure I have read everything. So my request is directly related to what I see me and a couple other small guys going through.
    – What’s the best way to contact stores to carry your game that aren’t local?
    – Is getting into distribution worth it when most of your product is being resold on Amazon for less that retail?
    – How do games that have fairly non-traditional or exotic components get manufactured, especially Kickstarter games? Who does the actual designing,modeling, and manufacturing of those components?

    1. Thanks Joe! I have an article that touches on the first question, and I’ll consider the last one, though it probably isn’t something I’ll cover in detail here. When I want a cool component made, I simply go to my manufacturer and say, “Can we make this?” They take care of the rest. https://stonemaiergames.com/the-secrets-to-making-your-tabletop-game-kickstarter-project-appealing-to-retailers/

      As for the second question, if you’ve tried distribution and it’s simply not working, then you might as well be the entity selling on Amazon (instead of someone else). But I would recommend trying distribution first. It’s not the price that’s relevant–it’s the volume.

  5. As I stated on Facebook, if you already have a list of potential topics, then it’s inevitable I’m going to read them all, just in different order. There’s no “right” time, as a new subscriber who has just discovered your blog will find a pool of information and select those needed.

    Of course, some topics like “innovative KS techniques” are bound to be hot news.

  6. I have read a lot of your articles and they are great, but I am sure there are many I have missed, so I apologize if you have written about this topic already.

    ‘Women creators in the tabletop game industry, specifically Kickstarter projects, funded (and not funded??).

    If you have, can you please pass any my way, thanks!

    1. Thanks for the request, Chrissy! I can definitely think of some female creators. There are many, but here’s a few who come to mind off the top of my head:

      Cynthia of Meeplesource: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/meeplesource/game-upgrades-30-by-meeple-source

      Carol Mertz: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/carolmertz/pass-the-buck-a-game-of-corporate-responsibility-m

      Laura of Pieces: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/piecesstl/pieces-the-st-louis-board-game-bar-and-cafe

      1. Nicole Kline of Cardboard Fortress is another fantastic female creator:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/933157520/resistor-hacking-on-the-brink-of-nuclear-destructi/description

        Though after their first kickstarter they’ve moved to going through publishers instead.

        That said, a blog about the unique challenges for female creators and their presence or lack thereof in the industry would be fantastic. Frankly, as long as there is hate and pushback against them, it’s a topic that could always use more coverage.

        1. I’m glad you mentioned Nicole! I was on a panel with her at Pixelpop last year–she’s great.

          Would this topic perhaps be best covered by a female guest? I’m absolutely open to that.

          1. Totally agreed. She’s an awesome individual!

            I could definitely see the benefit of a female guest. A lot of what you would be writing would be second hand, whereas a female guest could talk firsthand about it, so yeah that might be the best route to go about it.

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