Running a Kickstarter

Since age 3, I have played chess. Overcoming opponents is one of the most thrilling things to do. Learning their moves, understanding how they think, even predicting their behaviors. Chess has taught me how to manage stress, psychologically defeat someone, and how to overcome my own emotional downs.

However, running a Kickstarter can be quite different. With chess, you concern yourself with one person at a time. With a Kickstarter, you must concern yourself with millions. Questions come up:

How do I spread the word without being a spammer?

How much money should I spend on advertising?

Who is willing to work with me?

Can I handle the stress and work load?

Hours and hours have been spent on Kickstarter research but nothing can truly prepare you until you press "Launch." The 30 seconds after you press launch can be some of the most productive moments during the 30 day KS campaign. You begin to realize the things you need to do, the things you want to do, the things you realize you forgot to do, and you begin to mentally triage.

While we are only a few days in one of the biggest lessons I have learned is the need for a Social Media Network. Having concerned myself with one person across the chess board at a time my entire life, I realize how opposite a KS can be from my life's experience with chess. Blogger, Facebook, Twitter, E-mail lists, Reddit, fan sites, conventions, "going viral" - these things take time to build up and can be quite difficult to do during a KS.

Having read hundreds of articles on successful and unsuccessful Kickstarter Campaigns, I have decided that the only one thing ever mattered: the 30 seconds after pressing launch. We are determined to get this Kickstarter to its goal. We have over 20 days left and we're going to work very hard to meet the demands of the customers.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/672378393/mapping-tiles-terrain-for-any-tabletop-rpg