Melina.Vortex
Explorer
(This is a re-post from r/RPGdesign. It was suggested to me, that this post would be interesting for this forum as well.)
Before I dive into the lessons, a bit of context:
I recently wrapped the crowdfunding phase of the second project by Vortex Verlag – a historical fantasy RPG setting that I wrote, art-directed, managed, promoted, and will eventually produce and oversee shipping. Yes, I wore every hat.
Unlike our first project, where we had a dedicated crowdfunding manager, I decided to take it all on myself this time – partly because our first campaign ended in a financial loss, and partly because I believed in the project deeply. I only took a small fee for running the campaign and opted out of any regular compensation for all the other jobs, hoping we’d at least break even.
Spoiler: we didn’t. Not entirely unexpected — printing a richly illustrated, full-colour 400-page RPG book with high-quality add-ons is expensive, and our niche (historical fantasy with deep lore) is… well, niche.
Vortex Verlag is a passion project run with close friends. The Vortex owners invest substantial private funds and together, we dedicate our time and energy to create something beautiful. We also pay all our external creatives properly: additional writers, artists, editors, layout designers. But I chose to work (almost) for free for nearly two years.
Alongside all this, I’m also a full-time tango teacher, travelling across Europe and the USA and running large events. As you can imagine, my bandwidth was pushed to the edge.
So, what did I learn?
1. Never work for free again.
Yes, I love what I do. Yes, I’m proud of the result. But I’m also dangerously close to burnout and financially stretched. I couldn’t give enough time to my actual income-generating work, and that’s not sustainable. For future endeavours, either the project is profitable — or I need to step back.
2. The “U-curve” of crowdfunding is dead.
We did everything “right” – but backing was front-loaded, with only a small bump at the end. Forget relying on that final 72-hour push. What matters now is pre-campaign momentum and community-building. That’s where the real work begins. (See also my post/discussion here 10 days ago.)
3. Organic reach beats paid ads.
Social media, Discord, forums, blogs, YouTube, Reddit — these got us more backers than paid email blasts or ads. Content creation and outreach matter. I did what I could and had help from a brilliant tango student who works in marketing, but next time, we’ll need a better marketing strategy, start earlier and pay for the job.
4. Conventions aren’t for selling – they’re for seeding.
As a tiny publisher with a high-end product, we didn’t move many units at expos so far. But we did make valuable connections and increase visibility. Worth it – if you treat it as a long-term investment, not a sales channel.
5. Collaborations are worth it – even if the numbers don’t show it.
We collaborated with several RPG-related companies. The result wasn’t huge in terms of backers, but the creative exchange was incredibly motivating. I learned a lot.
6. Find your people.
We initially created Serenissima Obscura for 5e — but I’ve always been closer to the Ars Magica community. I translated the 4th edition into German and have years of ArM campaign experience. When Ars Magica went Creative Commons in late 2024, we decided to offer a conversion guide. The ArM community responded immediately — and enthusiastically. (Especially after a shout-out from Atlas Games.) Almost half our backers came from there. We might have lost some 5e folks, but the ArM fans are keeping me going.
7. Don’t take the hate personally.
Some people will attack you for… existing. For marketing. For being enthusiastic. One person accused me of being a “paid shill” because I posted about our campaign (ironically, I am not being paid at all). Even here on Reddit, some comments cut deep. But after 25 years as a freelancer in the arts, I know: ignore the trolls. Show up, stand for your work, and keep building.
So that’s where I am. Exhausted but proud. Struggling but wiser. I love what we’ve made – and I’m learning how to keep making it without breaking myself in the process.
If you’re curious, here’s the campaign we just ran: Serenissima Obscura – Setting Guide & Modular Adventure
Happy to chat with others navigating the indie publishing maze — I’m still in it, boots and all.
Before I dive into the lessons, a bit of context:
I recently wrapped the crowdfunding phase of the second project by Vortex Verlag – a historical fantasy RPG setting that I wrote, art-directed, managed, promoted, and will eventually produce and oversee shipping. Yes, I wore every hat.
Unlike our first project, where we had a dedicated crowdfunding manager, I decided to take it all on myself this time – partly because our first campaign ended in a financial loss, and partly because I believed in the project deeply. I only took a small fee for running the campaign and opted out of any regular compensation for all the other jobs, hoping we’d at least break even.
Spoiler: we didn’t. Not entirely unexpected — printing a richly illustrated, full-colour 400-page RPG book with high-quality add-ons is expensive, and our niche (historical fantasy with deep lore) is… well, niche.
Vortex Verlag is a passion project run with close friends. The Vortex owners invest substantial private funds and together, we dedicate our time and energy to create something beautiful. We also pay all our external creatives properly: additional writers, artists, editors, layout designers. But I chose to work (almost) for free for nearly two years.
Alongside all this, I’m also a full-time tango teacher, travelling across Europe and the USA and running large events. As you can imagine, my bandwidth was pushed to the edge.
So, what did I learn?
1. Never work for free again.
Yes, I love what I do. Yes, I’m proud of the result. But I’m also dangerously close to burnout and financially stretched. I couldn’t give enough time to my actual income-generating work, and that’s not sustainable. For future endeavours, either the project is profitable — or I need to step back.
2. The “U-curve” of crowdfunding is dead.
We did everything “right” – but backing was front-loaded, with only a small bump at the end. Forget relying on that final 72-hour push. What matters now is pre-campaign momentum and community-building. That’s where the real work begins. (See also my post/discussion here 10 days ago.)
3. Organic reach beats paid ads.
Social media, Discord, forums, blogs, YouTube, Reddit — these got us more backers than paid email blasts or ads. Content creation and outreach matter. I did what I could and had help from a brilliant tango student who works in marketing, but next time, we’ll need a better marketing strategy, start earlier and pay for the job.
4. Conventions aren’t for selling – they’re for seeding.
As a tiny publisher with a high-end product, we didn’t move many units at expos so far. But we did make valuable connections and increase visibility. Worth it – if you treat it as a long-term investment, not a sales channel.
5. Collaborations are worth it – even if the numbers don’t show it.
We collaborated with several RPG-related companies. The result wasn’t huge in terms of backers, but the creative exchange was incredibly motivating. I learned a lot.
6. Find your people.
We initially created Serenissima Obscura for 5e — but I’ve always been closer to the Ars Magica community. I translated the 4th edition into German and have years of ArM campaign experience. When Ars Magica went Creative Commons in late 2024, we decided to offer a conversion guide. The ArM community responded immediately — and enthusiastically. (Especially after a shout-out from Atlas Games.) Almost half our backers came from there. We might have lost some 5e folks, but the ArM fans are keeping me going.
7. Don’t take the hate personally.
Some people will attack you for… existing. For marketing. For being enthusiastic. One person accused me of being a “paid shill” because I posted about our campaign (ironically, I am not being paid at all). Even here on Reddit, some comments cut deep. But after 25 years as a freelancer in the arts, I know: ignore the trolls. Show up, stand for your work, and keep building.
So that’s where I am. Exhausted but proud. Struggling but wiser. I love what we’ve made – and I’m learning how to keep making it without breaking myself in the process.
If you’re curious, here’s the campaign we just ran: Serenissima Obscura – Setting Guide & Modular Adventure
Happy to chat with others navigating the indie publishing maze — I’m still in it, boots and all.
