Writing for the Ducks

As some of you may know, my first published product for Dungeon Crawl Classics was also Purple Duck Game's first DCC product - AL 1: Bone Hoard of the Dancing Horror. It's nearly five years later, and I have 24 products with Purple Duck Games, either already out or nearly there. I've written for other publishers as well - they're like Pokemon; I gotta catch 'em all - but it is Purple Duck that I keep coming back to.

So, the purpose of this blog post is twofold: First, I want to convince you, budding would-be adventure writer, that you should submit to Purple Duck. Second, I want to tell you about a Patreon project Purple Duck Games just started.

As to the first, Mark Gedak, the publisher of Purple Duck Games, is a great guy who has never in any way, shape, or form been anything less than a joy to work with. If you don't know it, publishers in this industry bleed money. After paying for writing, art, cartography, and layout, every project leaves them in a hole waiting for the Gentle Reader to become the Gentle Buyer and dig them out. Despite being the first hand out in the Great Bloodletting that is getting a project from manuscript to print, I have never once had to nudge Mark, or began to wonder if he had forgotten.

In fact, I have approached Purple Duck Games on more than one occasion, with a wild scheme that required him to making payments before a manuscript even existed. Not only did Mark Gedak give me help and advice, on all of those occasions he bought into the project, taking the upfront costs out of his own coffers. Of course, we already had a working relationship at that point, but even so Purple Duck Games has treated me more than fairly.

Purple Duck Games has also supported me when I wanted to help my friend, Raechel Henderson, with her kickstarter (this is why you can get Prince Charming, Reanimator, as a free pdf) and in terms of prize support for Odyssey Con this April. (Other prizes are supplied by Shinobi27 Games, Straycouches Press, and Goodman Games!)

If you're looking for a publisher open to new authors, and that has both the desire and tools to help you succeed, you could do far worse than Purple Duck Games.

Which brings me to my second aim: To announce (and support) the Dungeon Crawl Classics Patreon set up by Purple Duck Games.

This Patreon is designed to help fund the development of further Dungeon Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game from Purple Duck Games. It will allow Purple Duck to continue to offer releases in the AL, CE, FT, Dispatches and PM lines and provide both their writers and artists with a greater return on their investment.

The initial release schedule would look something like:

1st - AL 8: Fire in the Mountain by Daniel J. Bishop
2nd - Dispatches IV by Daniel J. Bishop
3rd - PM 1 - Temple of the Locust Lord by Daniel J. Bishop and Mark Gedak

Everything in that tentative initial release schedule is already written.

It should be clear to you, Gentle Reader, that my name comes up a bit often on the DCC side of Purple Duck Games' catalog. There is plenty of room for other writers in that stable!

Purple Duck Games can be reached at their Facebook page if you want to pitch an idea. I encourage you to do so. The AL Series needs more writers, and not everything Purple Duck Games does needs to be part of a series - witness the excellent Death Slaves of Eternity by Marzio Muscedere!

In any event, please consider the Patreon, because there is a lot more coming from the Ducks!