Launch pilot. Submissions are currently open!
Are you an indie tabletop RPG writer, publisher, or designer? Do you have a free-or-paid TTRPG product or resource you wish to have showcased? Are you looking for a place to get the word, share your creation with the community, and establish some more social proof for yourself?
Then Dungeon Delve is for you!
Dungeon Delve is a monthly article series where we @ Chaotican Writer showcase some of the internets lesser-known, but newest tabletop RPG products and resources within the independent TTRPG scene!
Each month, we choose submissions from a list, provide a brief synopsis, and publish those resources together in one issue. The submissions are free, but the posting may require a fee dependent on the category of product.
We accept a large range of resources and products:
- Full TTRPG Game Releases
- TTRPG Starter Kits
- Modules/Adventures
- Game Supplements
- Worldbuilding Guides
- TTRPG Zines
- One-Pagers
- Websites / Blogs
- Craftmaking Services
- Free Resources
- Game Events / Charity Drives
- Youtube/Twitch Channels
- Digital Artists
- TTRPG Communities
Its like a smorgasbord of geeky activity! … Monthly classifieds for sword-carrying, spell-casting, phaser-shooting, dragon-seducing creators! … A celebration of the independent tabletop scene!
A perfect opportunity to discover something new, and get the word out about your independent endeavor!
NOTE: At this time, we are only accepting submissions for digital products and services.
What is a Spotlight?
In short, it’s an advertisement. … A brief review, which can be either sponsored, or free.
However, it is one that I am exclusively offering to small, independent creators, producers, and publishers. A way of getting your stuff out there, and creating a bridge between creators
The products are chosen from a list of submissions, so we don’t just post anything sent to us. We determine which ones fit best for the upcoming issue, let the submitters know that we are interested in providing the spotlight, and then write up and post a 1-2 paragraph segment in the issue with images and links.
Paid versus free Spotlights!
First, what does a spotlight cover:
- One to two paragraphs of text written by the CW editor for a product or service.
- Written and graphical placement in an issue of Dungeon Delve.
- Promotion of that issue across social media and various other platforms.
However, most product categories are charged a fee for this spotlight, while others are not. This is due to the time and effort it requires to review it, write up the spotlight, post, and promote the issue. These are always labeled as “Sponsored‘.
Others are free, either because it is a resource a reader can access for free, or because it is a charity drive. We also support Kickstarters for new games or projects. We believe these items should remain free and enjoy the benefit of broadcasting!
- See “How much does it cost” section below!
LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Paid spotlights are NOT written to be exclusively positive or negative. However, any paid (Sponsored) spotlights are clearly labeled as such in the issue, and a notice/disclaimer to the reader is communicated openly at the beginning of the issue. This is for both ethical and legal purposes; it is important for readers to know whether any exchange of payment was performed for a spotlight, as it technically qualifies as a paid review.
If you have legal questions, here are some helpful articles by the FTC:
- Federal Trade Commission Announces Final Rule Banning Fake Reviews and Testimonials
- Soliciting and Paying for Online Reviews: A Guide for Marketers
While this article below is not written by a legal expert, it helps explain our approach.
How is Dungeon Delve distributed?
Free of charge! Each period (month or quarter, depending on availability), Dungeon Delve is published to the Chaotican Writer article feed, and through the CW weekly newsletter. In addition, of our own initiative, we proactively promote new issues on the following platforms:
- Social Media (X, Instagram, Threads, Pinterest, Facebook)
- Discord (partner sites and communities)
- Satellite Posting Platforms (Substack, Medium, Tumblr)
- High-DR Link Pages (CW Github, Docker)
For both transparency and legal purposes, ALL paid Spotlights are clearly labeled (“Sponsored”) so the reader is properly informed that the specific Spotlight is a paid advert.
This is a small endeavor, but the goal is to use the incoming submissions as a cross-networking tool, and a fundraising endeavor to establish larger modes of distribution, and help cover expenses of the Chaotican Writer website.
How much does it cost for a spotlight?
As this is an early endeavor, we are pushing a pilot of this series over the course of the next few months (two to three issues). Therefore, here is the current breakdown of cost:
Spotlight Submission Rates
- Submission: Free!
- All submissions are welcome. We select the best to feature in spotlights.
- Note: Payment is required before any sponsored spotlight is published.
Spotlight Fees
- TTRPG Game Releases, Modules, and Supplements: Price Negotiable, Est $30
- TTRPG Zines … $15
- TTRPG One-Pagers: … $10
- Website/Blog Features: … $10 – 15
- YouTube/Twitch Channels: … $15
- Communities and Events: … $10
- Digital Artists: … $5
- Free Resources: Free!
- Charity Drives: Free!
- Indie Kickstarters: Free!
Depending on the reception of this series and the effort to generate and maintain it, fees will be adjusted appropriately. That being said, if the reception grows, so does the exposure and the value of the spotlight!
Submission Requirements
- ONE ITEM PER SUBMISSION
- While you might have, say, a published zine, a character art portfolio, a Youtube channel, AND a Discord, only one of these items will be considered for the spotlight.
- Secondary items or link are only considered if it is directly relevant to the original product. For example, if a free TTRPG zine has its own crowdfunding page, this is fine. However, if the zine submission comes with a plethora of links related to the creators other endeavors and not the product itself, this undermines the value of a “spotlight”.
- LINK TO ACCESS/DOWNLOAD PRODUCT:
- To provide the best spotlight, send us a copy of the work. Providing it to us should be free of charge. Naturally, we cannot guarantee acceptance without reviewing the product first.
- NO GENERATIVE AI.
- ChaoticanWriter does not accept, and will not entertain submissions that were even partially created using Generative AI tools. More on our AI policy here.
- All submissions are subject to personal inspection, AI detection tools, and community/character witness.
- We reserve the right to deny any submission with even remote suspicion or ambiguity.
- BACKLINK TO THE ISSUE (optional):
- Accepted submitters are encouraged to link the article in the description of their product or service, on the site the product exists for sale/download, or on an appropriate page. Alternatively, if no such item exists, please consider promoting the issue on social media This is to help spread the outreach of Dungeon Delve, everyone’s spotlight, and to assist in organic SEO.
- EXAMPLE: Great news! Our product was featured in the Dungeon Delve #21 spotlight for February! *link below*
Here’s how you can send your submission for a spotlight!
- Send your email to dd-submissions@chaoticanwriter.com
- Follow this format.
- SUBJECT: Dungeon Delve Submission – (product name)
- Provide the following in the description.
- Your full name.
- A description of the product or service.
- Link(s) to the product or service.
- Digital product attached/downloadable.
- Any preferred images.
- Please wait 3-5 days before a response.
Of course! Its your spotlight, and you want to spend it wisely! … If you need to ask me whether it would qualify, or if there are issues or concerns, you can reach out from the Contact Us form.
While the format of each issue may change slightly as time goes on, see this article as an example:
https://www.chaoticanwriter.com/2024-biggest-ttrpg-winners-of-the-ennie-awards/
No. The product or resource has to be finished.
Please only submit finished, published, and publicized products and resources.
This is fine!
We consider this its own release… as long as it is an official publicized release that is available to the public to download, view, or purchase.
Fees for Sponsored Spotlights help compensate for the time and labor of reviewing, writing, posting, and promoting each issue of Dungeon Delve.
The goal is for this compensation to be used to cover expenses, enable website enhancements, promote the outreach of Dungeon Delve, and support the continued operation of the CW weekly newsletter, and the Chaotican Writer website.
Harshly. We want nothing to do with any product or resource that is being passed off by someone who is not the creator. Equally, using generative AI as a black box that remixes content taken from a large batch of creators without their consent is no different.
I am open to discuss those concerns! … I want this series to be a help to the community, while also helping support the Chaotican Writer website. Transparency and legality is extremely important in this endeavor, and I am performing this at my best effort.
Please reach out to us using the Contact Us form.
Here are some links to learn more about Chaotican Writer, and its chief editor.
Chaotican Writer Home Page
Chaotican Writer – About Matt
Chaotican Writer – Why Does This Site Exist?