In the Works, Part 2

Last time I wrote about The Poor Wizard's Almanack (working title). As mentioned, this is just one of many projects I am working on. This week I want to talk about another project: Flames of Freedom. Flames of Freedom is a project that has had a rough road. I think of everything I have done, Flames of Freedom suffers the most. One reason for this is recovery from my nervous breakdown, another is a simple fact that I lost the plot, and the other reason is writer's block. The more I worked on Flames of Freedom the more the book spiraled out of control. The more the book spiraled out of control, the worse the manuscript, and by default, the entire project became. I got to the point that I was ready to simply pitch the whole thing and come up with something else. Then Walt Ciechanowski comes along. With his arrival, I found a new enthusiasm for Flames of Freedom. I also found a co-writer to help share the workload this campaign requires. So, what does this mean for Flames of Freedom?

A lot.

Here we go. Flames of Freedom is going to be a one book campaign. The reason for this is simple: end the sprawl Flames of Freedom was becoming.

By making this a one book campaign it then becomes hyper-focused on the plot and events. Mind you, this does not mean the campaign will be small, it is still epic. Plus the overall plot has not changed, but the voyage it takes has. Here are Flames of Freedom current chapters. Keep in mind Walt and I are still in the early stages and some of this might change.

Prologue: The Trenton Papers
Chapter 1: Cutthroat Cabal
Chapter 2: The Water of Life
Chapter 3: Fire in the Mountains
Chapter 4: An Unexpected Betrayal
Chapter 5: The Price of Victory
Epilogue

Is there more? I will get to that in a bit. Flames of Freedom: Beginnings is still part of the overall campaign. It sets the table for what is to come and is still important. Without it, the overall plot and events are not possible. What about the sourcebook material? Good question. In order to make the Flames of Freedom campaign happen, it needs a new approach.

That approach is a Kickstarter. In the past, I have been leery about Kickstarters. It is a lot of work, and if you do not get funded (as was the case with Sh adow, Sword & Spell 2E), you are left scrambling to figure out how to get what you Kickstarted out the door. Flames of Freedom deserves to be special, and the way to make Flames of Freedom special is Kickstart it. My early plan for the eventual Kickstarter is this:

The whole manuscript is done before the campaign starts
The main goal is to get Flames of Freedom published and out
Stretch goals will center on side adventures and source material
Success allows for maps and art
A successful Kickstarter means the book is able to be shipped (I am not looking forward to dealing with this due to the fact I have no control how much shipping costs)
A successful Kickstarter allows the book to be published and everyone is paid

For stretch goals, it will be content only.

There will be no tchotchkes. Tchotchkes -- dice, t-shirts, coffee mugs, glow in the dark fuzzy slippers -- eat into the funds raised. I want the book out, I want everyone to be paid, and I will not risk funds on tchotchkes that have no use for Flames of Freedom. Content, after all, is what Colonial Gothic is known for. The research and time spent on creating supplements take time, but in the end, they are worth it. I want to provide backers a PDF on New York City, various secret societies, other locations, and small add-on adventures that enhance the campaign.

I do not think you want fuzzy slippers. So there you go, another project in the works. One, that for me, is a important one. More next week.