As I write this, I’ve just printed my boarding pass that will allegedly get me on a plane to Houston, and am trying to remember what vital thing I’ve forgotten to pack this time. Scrambling? Oh, yeah.
But earlier this week, I offered a vague half-promise of revisiting the question of the best way to establish a new storyworld — and I am nothing if not a man who keeps his vague half-promises. You know what that means? Yup, it’s rambling time!
When choosing the type of media (traditional, interactive, or trans-) the two most important things to keep in mind are your audience and your goals.
- Your Audience: A wise man, possibly Ghandi, once said that it’s essential to know your audience. When you know your audience, you know what stories they want, and how they want them delivered. Armed with this knowledge, you can meet your audience where they live rather than chasing them from the wrong side of the media tracks.
- Your Goals: Now, I’m just going to assume that your main goal is to deliver awesome stories and worlds to an audience who appreciates them. But beyond that, is your (immediate) goal to make money on these stories? Grow your audience? Catch the eye of a venture capitalist who knows the true value of a well-designed storyworld? These goals can help you pick your delivery vehicle. Telling stories via intricate iOS puzzle games may not acquire your world a big fan base, for example, but it probably pays better than releasing the stories for free on a your blog.
Okay, that’s enough rambling for one week. I’m off to Space City Con for the weekend, running games of the Anointed RPG for my friends at Dark Skull Studios. If you find yourself at the con, please stop by and say hi.
