Writing an RPG - That Choke moment

Well here I am again, at the keyboard. I actually got some work done tonight on the RPG! However I have noticed that in the last week or so I have struggled to maintain focus.

I am calling this current phase in the development "Choke Moment". It is that time when I have the bulk of everything written. I'm re-writing bits, tidying up and generally dotting i's and crossing t's.

I have spoken to an excellent cartographer about some work so that I don't have sucky Maps. I have also started talking to an artist who has a style I really dig, and I'm hoping I'll be able to work with over the years on multiple projects.

So there is plenty going on so what do I mean by the "Choke Moment". Well it is that moment when I am dangerously close to having to release my baby into the wild for play testing. That time when I find out all the bits I missed, the holes, the pit falls. I realise this is all a learning experience. This is adventure 1 of many (according to my 5 year plan) and I need to make the most of any and all feedback as I try and grow my online presence. I need to hone my skills, and use any feedback I get to get better. But that doesn't stop the butterflies, it doesn't stop the self doubt and the worrying.

I am quietly confident in my ideas. I think they offer the potential for people to play and explore interesting worlds and themes and adventures. What concerns me is my ability to express that in a way that ensures that others get as much enjoyment out of the adventure as I have when I originally run it .... I never mentioned that did I ... before I commit to turning one of my one night RPGs into a real live online pay something possibly for it book, I play it with people. If it doesn't work, or just sucks, then it will get canned. It will only progress if the players have fun.

So there you have it. I'm guessing that anyone writing an RPG with the intention of releasing it to the world will at some point reach this choke point, where everything else seems far more interesting as they work on ways to procrastinate rather than finish that final 5% of the writing.

However I have a deadline. I need this written to my initial satisfaction for 2 weeks time (that's the plan). Then I will alternate between layout, and writing another RPG for a good friend.

So there you have it. I am going to force through this choke point. I am out tomorrow, but the weekend beckons and some 4 day work weeks. So time enough to get this complete!