Why I Started Raging Swan Press

I was chatting with some friends the other day about Raging Swan Press and how happy I was with the way things are going at the moment.

 

I realised, though, I’d never posted why I started Raging Swan Press in the first place. While this post doesn’t contain any earth-shattering revelations or business advice I thought you might enjoy it nevertheless.

In 2004 my first son was born. At the time, both my wife and I were in full-time employment. She was (and still is) a medical doctor while I was a Regional Account Manager for a large wine and spirit company (doesn’t that sound exciting and important). My sales area comprised a decent chunk of the south of the UK while my wife had a relatively punishing work schedule involving frequent nights and weekends. I lasted a whole year in full-time employment until the schedule juggling and so on became too much.

With the conclusion of Living Greyhawk—in which I was heavily involved as first a triad member and then a member of the Circle of Six—I looked around for a new challenge and ended up doing quite a lot of freelance work for WoTC. (It was during this period I won a silver Ennie for Madness at Gardmore Abbey of which I’m jolly proud).

I kept freelancing for a couple of years for WoTC and other companies, but I was growing increasingly dissatisfied with writing what other people wanted me to write. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the pay checks, but I had stories and adventures inside me I had to get out! Also, it didn’t look like work would ever be as plentiful as I’d need it to be to make a career out of freelance writing.

As luck would have it, as this feeling was growing I had an adventure pitch rejected by a relatively well-known publisher. My contact was kind enough to provide some great feedback on my pitch, though—feedback I would never have given myself—but they weren’t interesting in publishing themselves.

Thus, I decided to publish the adventure myself. (The adventure was Retribution—which is one of our best selling products to date released in March 2010). I quickly realized Retribution needed a mini-campaign setting (what would become The Lonely Coast) and a nearby settlement (Swallowfeld) and so Raging Swan Press was born!

Published by

Creighton

Creighton is the publisher at Raging Swan Press and the designer of the award winning adventure Madness at Gardmore Abbey. He has designed many critically acclaimed modules such as Retribution and Shadowed Keep on the Borderlands and worked with Wizards of the Coast, Paizo, Expeditious Retreat Press, Rite Publishing and Kobold Press.

2 thoughts on “Why I Started Raging Swan Press”

  1. I’ve never left a comment on your web site, and I thought this would be a good time to finally do so. I’ve been playing D&D since about 1981, and I’ve read plenty of adventures, settings, and modules, and Retribituion is in my Top 10. It’s brilliant and what got me hooked on your material and sites. So, while it may sound selfish, I’m personally glad that it was rejected, so you could found your own publishing company! Thank you!

    1. Blimey! Thanks very much for the words of praise. I am insanely proud of Retribution, and I’m delighted you like it so much!

      It’s funny how things turn out. When Retribution got rejected, I was initially gutted. However, it was actually the start of a new chapter in my life–one that I am enjoying immensely!

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