A New Direction

I have been giving several matters much thought.

This blog has become something as a dump zone for random musings these last ten months, since my decision to take my principle D&D writing behind closed doors.  That experiment has been both productive and moderately disappointing.  On no account did I expect a rush of subscribers to the closed blog, given that most of those who are able to tolerate my authoritarian, slap-handed way of writing were already supporting me through Patreon.  Nor do I think I pushed the agenda of driving new viewers to that other blog as aggressively as I might have.  I believe that is because I continue to see writing a blog as an enjoyable pasttime and not as a business model ~ and as such, I do not vigorously apply myself every day towards pressing for more money from my readers.

That is a good thing.  That is also a bad thing.  In this time of Covid, with the expectations I have for the economy and my chances of finding work (since I am unemployed), more and more I begin to wonder if this blog, and my writings about D&D, are my only chance of survival.  If so, then in these last 12 years I have made an awful mistake of every allowing my personality to show through the content.

That bridge is burned, however.  That horse has escaped the barn.  Which means either I must invent something so outrageously genius that even my detractors will be interested in donating more money towards my continued welfare, or I must lower my standards in order to create content I know people will pay for.

At this time, I don't know who still reads this blog, who isn't among my energetic and loyal supporters.  Even some of those supporters have drifted away in these very unpleasant times, which is understandable and believe me, they go with my blessing and my best wishes.  Nonetheless, who may yet be reading or no, it is my responsibility to produce content that can and will be read, both by people who do not like me and by people who do not yet know me.

To this end, I have a plan.  Three plans, really, affecting different parts of my online presence.  The plan for this blog is to return to regular Dungeons & Dragons content, rather than once a week or less.  Unlike others who might have ceased writing on their blog, only to come out of the darkness and announce they're going to write more (and then don't), I have been writing this whole time.  Just not here.  That will now change.

I expect to write smaller posts.  I feel very strongly that I'm not going to write about the gaming community or company.  My personal feeling at this time is that popular D&D has been ruined and destroyed beyond all redemption.  What further I might say or write on that subject would be a waste of my time and yours.

I shall, therefore, suffice with writing mundane material about rule-making, philosophy, game structure and DMing methodology.  As far as worldbuilding is concerned, I will reserving that for the closed blog (costing $3 per month through Patreon), which will go on.

I thank you for your patience in these troubled times.  I will commence writing ordinary material for this blog tomorrow.