Kickstarter

Having jumped the funding hurdle with your help it's time to start making plans...

* Most importantly, the pledge for the Elite: Dangerous writer's pack went in this morning, so that's another £4500 for the game.

* I've secured a domain name, outofthedarkness.info, for the book's website. It's where I will post acknowledgements, progress reports, news, useful links etc. Please note: Until I have sorted out content for the site, the link will just take you to my main Kickstarter project page.

* I will be making moves to fulfill the short-term rewards for backers as soon as I can.

* I am also thinking about potential story ideas, and I will be immersing myself in Elite lore, both for inspiration and to ensure the story fits into the Elite universe.

If you have any questions, just let me know by Kickstarter message or in the comments below.

There's a journey ahead, so let the fun and hard work begin...

***Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Commanders. Don't forget to buy yourselves that Elite: Dangerous upgrade you've always wanted this festive season***

Firstly, I want to reiterate my thanks to everyone for their support, whatever their pledge level and for any promotion they've done.

If you are feeling frustrated that I haven't been able to be more specific about thresholds for the stretch goals for professional editing and artwork, then I apologise but there are a couple of reasons for this.

The first is I cannot get a quote until I know a) the length of the book, and b) which service I intend to use. Finding an editor is as much about finding the right one as it is about getting the cheapest. A cheap edit will harm a manuscript more than no edit at all. I intend to find an editor with actual experience editing science fiction stories if at all possible, and someone who will add to the vision and scope of the book.

The second reason is because several backers have reduced their pledges I have no way of predicting the final total of this project, so I cannot issue a guarantee that their will be professional editing at the close of the project because even though the number of backers has gone up the total pledge is wavering.

Let me state I am not blaming backers who wish to change their pledge, that is their right. I am saying that I cannot guarantee a stretch goal when funding is erratic.

What I would ask backers is, please don't pledge more than you want to or can afford and then withdraw it later. I leaves uncertainty in everyone's minds, including the other backers. If you do downgrade your pledge (as is your right to do so) please consider putting the money into the other writer's Kickstarters - it will help them and the Elite: Dangerous game get the funding they need.

The funding seems reasonably secure at this stage, unless there is a flurry of cancellations and downgrades, but the stretch goals are in your hands. Pledging is great, wonderful and exciting, and extremely welcome, but please, no matter who's project it is, do so consistently as it helps everyone concerned.

We're coming into land in about twelve hours. Cargo will be evaluated and another update given as to our next destination and itinerary. Buckle up, weather conditions uncertain but sunshine the most likely outcome... You may now switch on your telephones and wifi devices. Drinks will be served shortly and the inflight entertainment can be found here:

Elite: Dangerous videos and announcements.

Thanks for everyone's input. A few key points:

1) The backer has decided not to go ahead with the £2500 pledge. No final commitment was made, nothing legal was broken, and no one died: questions were asked and answered.

2) They are not a corporation, a Thargoid invasion scout or CIA agent, but a decent human being with a love for the game and an intriguing idea that I endorse but it turns out that the rights offered don't particularly help the realisation of that idea.

3) The funding is moving, and if we carry on at this rate we stand a good chance of achieving the necessary funding for a professional edit AND keeping the locations in the game. (I also have some beta-readers who are willing to take a look, for free).

4) A quick tally of the comments reveals that the overwhelming majority favour putting the names in the book into the game. So that is what I will do.

5) I have in my email inbox a message from Michael Brookes from Frontier approving the transfer of rights. I asked before I offered the reward because I'm not stupid.

End result: Names in the book are going in the game. Currently a professional edit looks hopeful, but not completely secure.

Thanks for your commitment to the project, and your passion for the Elite game. It's been an interesting discussion, but with the backer choosing not to proceed it's now a moot point. If you have any other questions, please contact me here or via Kickstarter mail.

Fly well, Commanders!

You may have noticed the disappearance of the £2500 reward, offering the rights to the non-writing benefits of the writer's pack (as per the Elite:Dangerous Kickstarter page). As backers, you are entitled to know why.

A potential backer has privately expressed their interest in the £2500 reward as was previously offered. I've removed it while we clarify details before possibly moving ahead. Since the reward was posted the situation has changed somewhat: we've secured the pledges we need for funding the project. The £2500 was originally posted in order to increase the chances of this project reaching its £5000 goal, but thanks to you we've managed without it. Which leaves us with a choice:

If the backer and I can agree terms, the project is given another £2500 which should enable us to achieve the stretch goals of professional editing and possibly commissioned artwork (subject to there being no unforeseen problems in providing these).

YOU GET: Professional editing/artwork.

YOU LOSE: The names of stations, planets from the book being placed in the game by Frontier (the backer will have bought the rights to these). You won't be able to visit them in-game because they won't be there.

Currently there are not funds to achieve the stretch goals, and have the book contents to be included in game. We may reach our stretch goals before 23.59, Sat, 23rd Dec, 2012 without this backer's extra funding and so you would get both, but that is then entirely dependent on community pledges.

***So, what do you want?*** Professional editing and possibly cover art, or the ability to visit the book's locations in-game as offered by Frontier? Would you like me to accept this backer's offer on your behalf, or not? Please let me know your thoughts by Kickstarter mail, or comment below if want to discuss them publicly.

At the end of the day, it's your project too and your opinions will be taken into account.

It's nearly 1.30am as I type this and I've just logged on to find out how things have been going, fully expecting to have reached around £4400. Not even close. We've flown passed that estimate and the £5000 goal in just a few hours, and it's all thanks to you.

I can't put into words how amazed I am by everyone's generosity and support. The closest I come is a heartfelt, "Thank you," but somehow that doesn't seem quite enough, even though it's the best I've got - I'm still pretty stunned to be honest. So, thank you: over the course of the project I'll do my level best to write you the story you deserve, which leads me on to stretch goals.

Onwards and Upwards: Stretch Goals

We still have until Saturday 23rd, 23.59. We could sit back and twiddle our thumbs or layout some stretch goals. The most obvious are:

* Professional developmental and copy editing. In order to really nail the quality of the manuscript and give you, the reader, the best experience possible. It'll cost around £500 to £1500 depending on where I go and the length of the book. After costs, as I write this, we haven't raised enough to achieve that. It would be great if we could.

* Professional Artwork. Frontier has allowed me the use of some their excellent concept art for the purposes of this project, but the cover design I use is already used by at least one other author and I don't know whether Frontier will allow me to use that image, whether I would have to purchase the right to use it, or whether I will have to design another cover altogether.

Every book released needs a good cover to establish its unique identity in the marketplace, excite potential readers (spreading the word about the Elite: Dangerous game in the process) and give you, the reader, something you feel proud to own. I'd like to do a professional job and give you the best product I can, but commissioned illustrations can run to several hundred pounds depending on the image and the artist. With enough pledges I can offer you that. If Frontier allow me the exclusive use of the cover image, then I propose to commission internal artwork for the book.

That's my vision for the project, but what's yours? I'm open to suggestions of further stretch goals, so what would you like to see? Just contact me through Kickstarter mail if you have some ideas.

Thank you again for your support. You've got me over the Frontier, and now my work really begins...

(Note: I will try to catch up with individual thank yous in my project comments thread, but with Christmas around the corner time is tight and I don't know if I can get around to everyone before the close of the project. I'll try as time and family permit.)