A Chat with JVC Parry | Big Green Experts

This weeks Big Green Expert is Joshua Parry…

My name is Joshua Parry, though friends call me Josh, and clients/customers know me as JVC Parry. I'm a freelance writer working primarily in the TTRPG sphere, though I've strayed from the scene for a few projects here and there. I've come an unexpected route to writing, as I did my undergraduate degree in Zoology with the University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus (where I met Dan), and then went straight on to do a Masters by Research in Biological Science at the same place - not exactly relevant expertise, but there you go! I'm not sure I could pinpoint exactly when I started writing casually, as a hobby, but probably around GSCE age. I remember having to write some short fiction for my exams, and I think I stuck with it, writing things from time to time but never with any intention other than creative outlet. I was quite into comic books at that time, and spent a fair amount of time doodling short strips and making animated sequences when I should have been studying. The first thing I wrote for publication was in 2016, which was an adventure for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition, which I published through a community content program on a website called DMsGuild. I was still doing my undergraduate degree at the time, but when I noticed that it was actually selling copies, I started to write more and more of these adventures in my spare hours. I soon became quite successful on the DMsGuild - it was a new platform and I think the frequency with which I published kept the audience's attention. Eventually people started reaching out to me, having noticed my work on the DMsGuild, to write stuff for them. From there I've just grown and grown. I worked in a vintage lighting reclamation studio for a while, but as freelance work became a larger part of my life, I quit and started doing it full-time. I've been officially self-employed as a freelance writer since late last year (2019).

It’s been difficult for many to write and work creatively through the past six months. What projects have you been working on, and what have you done to stay motivated through this tough time?

I've been extremely busy. Most of my work comes from companies who need help with Kickstarters, and I think during lockdown a lot of people who would otherwise be working their day jobs realised they had impending deadlines, or took the opportunity to start new projects! The biggest projects I've been working on are Treacherous Traps and the Ultimate Guide to Alchemy, Crafting, and Enchanting by Nord Games, plus Heroic Challenges and Wondrous Expeditions: Forests, by LoreSmyth. I've also published a Dungeons and Dragons campaign myself called Dragon Relics, which is on the DMsGuild. In terms of staying motivated, I take a double-barrelled approach. Firstly, I try to remember that if I don't keep up with the workload, I won't get paid! I typically perform better under pressure, and nothing piles on the pressure more than filling in the monthly spreadsheet and realising you've barely drawn even on a month. That said, I have been struggling with creativity, and with my general headspace. I think a big part of that is lack of socialising. I've always considered myself a bit of a hermit, but I think the lockdown has made me realise how much socialising recharges me - I miss playing games face-to-face with friends, catching up with family, and going to events (read Lit Night). All I can suggest is taking any opportunity to recharge that you feel you can, no matter what form it takes.

Do you have any advice on how to become a successful tabletop designer?

I primarily write for D&D, but I think part of being a good designer is having a broad research base. If you're looking to write an adventure centred around murder mystery - see how other game systems do it, read related fiction, and watch related media. Inspiration can come from the strangest of places, and I think pushing boundaries is an important element of successful design. My second suggestion would be to keep designing. The more you do it, the better you'll get. Start by copying the greats, getting your eye in for the style, then try and push that each time you release something. The more you do, the more you'll improve. My last tip is to playtest your design wherever possible! You'll never know if what you've written works until you've played it. Maybe once is enough, maybe it needs a hundred reviews, that really depends on the project, but I guarantee that playing through what you've made can only improve it.

Have you had a positive self publishing experience?

It's a pretty mixed barrel. I used to think it was great - especially using the community content program. That meant I could use established IP with a massive existing fanbase, as well as write D&D material (the biggest TTRPG out there). It also gave me access to art assets and to style guides which meant I could create something that read and looked like official material pretty easily, and market it to an existing audience. Nowadays, I have a more jaded view. The DMsGuild places a lot of restrictions on what you can do with your content, how you can fund it, where you can sell it, and they take a pretty hefty cut (50%) to boot! I think self-publishing is a great way for hobbyists to make a name for themselves, and to get a foot in the door, but I can't see that you could make a career from self-publishing alone. I wouldn't be here without it, but now that I am, I can't see myself doing much in the future. That said, I do think Kickstarter is the place to be in terms of RPGs. Kickstarter allows you to genuinely self-publish. It's a lot of responsibility, and it requires more work, but you get to know whether something has an audience up front, and you only have to do a small amount of work before committing to a project!

Outside of your professional work, what other creative outlets do you have - music, art, or anything else?

As of lockdown, not a lot! Before lockdown though I did a fair bit. I've played in numerous bands over the years, and music has always been a big part of my life. My parents encouraged it in me from an early age, despite not being particularly musical themselves (although my dad does sing while washing up frequently, and was possessed to ask for a tin whistle for his birthday, lord alone knows why). I think music offers a different kind of creative release to writing. My writing especially, because a fair chunk of it is design, is actually quite mathematical, and relies on structure quite a lot. Music offers a more free-form creativity that I really appreciate. I've also written a few bits and pieces for Greenteeth, which you might have spotted in previous anthologies, and I've been a dedicated lurker at Lit Night for many years now.

What does a typical day look like for you, and how do you get past “writer’s block”?

I'm a sucker for routine, to my own detriment, so my days tend to be quite mapped out. Prepare for a schedule.

6:00 - I awake, rise (slowly), and let the dogs out. I get all my morning business done (breakfast, shower etc.), say goodbye to my fiancee as she leaves for work, and sit down at my desk.

7:30 - I try to catch up with notifcations, emails, and anything else that might need immediate attention (it's rare that I recieve a letter, but it has been known to happen). I try and get this stuff done as quick as possible, because I work best in the mornings.

8:00 - Admin aside, I start on whatever project has the most pressing deadline. I use Notion to keep track of what I'm working on, which has been a godsend. I used to just scrawl notes on paper and leave them hanging around, which absolutely did not work for me. Inevitably my concentration is broken numerous times during the morning by unscheduled meetings, the dogs, hunger, the dogs, and distractions (primarily started by social media).

11:00 - Time for break. I walk the dogs for an hour or so. I use this time to think about stuff other than work, give myself a breather. Take in some nature or listen to a podcast about something totally unrelated. Stuff You Should Know is my favourite.

12:00 - Back at it for a while before lunch. By this time my initial fervor for work has started to wane, so I try to work on something I'm motivated and inspired to write, rather than things with pressing deadlines.

14:00 - Stop for lunch. I take a bit of time over lunch to just sit and eat. I might play some games, watch TV, or read a book to declutter my mind a little. By this point I know I've done my best work in the day. It's downhill after digestion.

15:00 - Just because of the nature of my brain, anything I write from this time onwards will not be great. I try to use this time to catch up on fun things like, for example, writing interview answers for epic indie publishers! I also try to schedule any meetings I might have for the afternoons, because I can focus better on a conversation than a dreaded blank page. Also, a lot of my clients are in the US, so later for me is better for them.

16:30 - Close the laptop. I have a habit of overworking myself. If I'm motivated, I'll just keep writing. Knowing when to stop is really important, and that's how I combat things like writer's block and burnout. Stop when you need to stop. Absorb more media. Take a break. Then get back to it! From here on out it's just the rest of my life. Cook some tasty dinner so my fiancee has something to cheer her up after a hard days work, sit around and watch tv for the rest of the evening, bed by 23:00 at the latest. Thankfully lockdown seems to be lifting (for the timebeing) so some evenings I can get out to do yoga, meet friends at the pub, whatever keeps me going!

What’s next? What are your plans for the future?

More of this! Each year I put up my rates so that I have some illusion of growth in my mind, and I like to try and plan out some of my own personal projects so that I maintain a presence for myself, not just working for other companies, and to give myself a break from freelance work. I think going forward I'd like to do more kickstarters for indie games that I work on. As long as the work keeps coming, I'll stay freelance. If I notice things seem to be changing for whatever reason, I might look for an in-house, salaried job at that point. In the near future you can look out for Drakar, my first solo kickstarter - it's a sci-fi, indie microRPG in which you leave planet earth in search of a new homeworld, Valhalla.

You can find out more about Drakar and Josh’s writing adventures on Twitter and Kickstarter.