Attention nerds, bibliophiles and TTRPG enthusiasts! This is a longer read, but hey—you like that. So stick around. I’ve got a question for you.
I’ve been working for years on two separate projects behind the scenes, and I’d like to gauge interest in the following two categories of content.
First, my fiction. I’ve been writing fiction on the side since I was 13. That’s the majority of my life that I’ve spent telling stories, even just for myself. My biggest pull for future fiction will be CLEAN, STORY-DRIVEN, and CHARACTER-FOCUSED. Think of Angel Studios and “The Chosen.” That means parents can get something exciting out of the content without worrying about reading with their kids. Of course, the subject matter of certain content might be better suited to grown ups, which is why I want to include basic content guidelines for each piece. And while we’re at it, let’s get a few big-ticket items cleared up: I’ll never release anything p*rnographic, or violent for the sake of violence. Period. Full stop. I’m sick of seeing this content sneaking into my own media, and I want to ensure my own kids have the option of media that’s thrilling, uplifting, fun, and—yes—, clean. My content will discuss topics at an age that’s appropriate for them, as I would my own kids. If you have a similar sentiment, I hope to have your support.
These pieces will be released as short stories: one-offs of 2k to 5k words each, or as novellas released chapter by chapter, each between 2k and 5k words, with clear deadlines and chapter limits so you always know there’s an end in sight to the commitment you make to support me. With enough funding, I’d expand the production value to audiobook content, read by yours truly. And with enough interest and support after that, I’d expand the production again to include full casts of actors, music and SFX. I’ve gotten tired of “fully casted audiodramas” where listeners have to squint with their ears to get the story behind the noise. My goal is to produce expertly mastered audio, so the written word, the background SFX and the music never distract or detract from telling the story.
The pieces will cover the Fantasy and Science-Fiction genres, with major inspiration from the Ancient Greek and Roman myths in a story pattern known as the Monomyth. (It’s more commonly known today as the ‘Superhero’ story.) My current project is a novella of 13 chapters, currently 70% through its second draft of editing. My process goes as follows:
- First Draft: Backbone—Get the idea on paper
- Second Draft: Narrative, Characters and Setting—Fine-tune the story
- Third Draft: Readability—Final check for grammar, spelling, etc.
- Fourth Draft: Design—Make it look pretty
My second project is a table-top roleplaying game that was grown out of my written projects, to solidify the rules that I use to tell stories, write combat scenes, and have mind-blowing worldbuilding. I‘d first facilitate this project by seeking players that share my views in clean-content as per my fiction writing project above, and would favor any that can meet in person in the SLC valley area. This would allow for me to play test the mechanics of the game as I prepare to seek publication. I would then record and post these play-testing sessions for free in limited run series and short-run campaigns for viewers to enjoy.
Funding for these projects would likely come through donations as contributors fund me on a monthly basis. As I’m currently restructuring my Ko-Fi page, I’m not taking new subscribers. But, I’m looking for confirmation that interest in these projects—in clean, high-quality stories set within new and interesting worlds—would be something you and others could get behind. You can check out my previous tiers and donation options here: https://ko-fi.com/aeternal
Thanks for your time. Let me know in the comments what your thoughts are!