“Raiders of the Abyss” was meant to be a small project where I produced monthly content for readers, and they gave me precious bill-paying money in return. I structured the project around a poll I ran here on BKC and my workload of the foreseeable future.
“Foreseeable future” is an oxymoron, and I lesson I just can’t seem to learn. Of the one hundred fifty people who said they would support the project only fifteen did so. Please don’t misunderstand: I’m very thankful for those few, especially with how long they stuck with the project. Also, I lost two of my regular books and began hunting down new leads. Somewhere along the way, the website hosting the project – Patreon.com – changed their format so that I could no longer post and distribute the “Raiders” content. Apparently they don’t support .PDF anymore.
So I’m chalking this up as a failure, and primarily on my part. I did not keep a close enough eye on the project for one thing. And five months between updates is a long time to keep on top of your creative planning, especially with other projects going on at the same time that demand more immediate attention. Looking back, I realize I was naïve in my expectations; perhaps even a little arrogant. The website no longer working for me didn’t help.
So for now, “Raiders of the Abyss” is going on the shelf. I might return to it some day, since I’d put some considerable work into laying the foundation, but for now it’s done. The patrons who did support me will still be receiving the content I promised: the next chapter, and the bonus story I promised for their months of support.
In the future, I think I’ll go for a more direct “all or nothing” scenario where it’s clear what needs to be contributed, with more tangible results, and a shorter timeframe in determining if I’ll move forward or fail again. With the holiday season looming, though, I won’t be launching anything until next year at earliest.
For those of you who read “Raiders of the Abyss,” I thank you. For those of you who supported me, whether it was one month or for the entire train wreck ride, you have my deepest gratitude.
Until next time, BumbleFans
