Day one of Gen Con is a little different for me than most others in the gaming community.  For me, Gen Con officially starts on Wednesday, when librarians, teachers, retailers, and members of the press community converge on the Marriot hotel for “Trade Day”.  I remember the first time someone mentioned trade day to me and I was instantly put off simply because of the title.  I imagined game collectors from around the world bringing out their rare overpriced games and haggling in a giant room, speaking in strange gaming tongues.  Once I found out what trade day really was, I couldn’t wait to check it out.
 
This year was my second time attending trade day, simply because it was the second time that the press were invited to this special day.  Honestly, one of the big lures for me was an opportunity to pick up my badge one day early with no need to stand in line.  The other great reason was the variety of classes and presentations offered by professionals, teachers, and those in the industry.  My line up this year included presentations on Networking, Planning your Gen Con weekend for fun and profit, Why kids need superheroes, and finally some Tax Planning.  These were just a drop in the bucket of the seventy-three different sessions to choose from, offering something for everyone.  Check out this site for a complete listing of what you missed this year.  TRADE DAY LIST
 
I found each session very informative, even though some were geared more toward retailers or teachers, rather than a blogger / publisher / networker like myself.  Either way, I found myself learning about areas that were still interesting.  The only downside of some of the presentations was that they were so informative that they went for the complete hour, giving you no time to reach the next presentation by its start.  Each round of presentations started at the top of the hour and the rooms spanned two floors.
 
The presentations had varying amounts of people in attendance, but all presenters mentioned that there were more people this year than last.  Granted, I tend to pick the more specialized and unique presentations that often don’t pack the house.  I noticed that most rooms with game companies showcasing new products often had standing room only as I walked by.  The key here is that there is truly something for everyone at trade day.
 
If you’ve missed your opportunity to attend this year or if you’ve never felt like taking the time to see what trade day is all about, I strongly encourage you to give some consideration to the event in 2018.  These smaller satellite events at Gen Con really round out the show and are worth your attention.
 
I hope to see you there next year.
John Graham

Another INDYpendent Show has wrapped up this past Sunday and I’m once again filled with the feelings of satisfaction and exhaustion.  It is always great to see the show continue to evolve into my vision of a perfect networking and creativity event.  As I spend the coming weeks recouperating, my mind will turn toward additional promotional methods for next year’s show because I still feel like the INDYpendent Show is the best event that still isn’t widely known.

The show did incorporate some new things this year that I feel worked well and will hopefully continue into future events or spin off into their own.  This year saw the introduction of our “Young INDYpendent Creator” section featuring four individuals under the age of sixteen that brought different skills and products to represent them.  It was great to see them showcase their work, conduct demos, and be an inspiration to attendees of all ages that realized that you don’t have to be a certain age to create something great.

This year’s demos were also more organized and featured some of the best variety to date.  Each creator did their demo twice during the show so attendees had the flexibility to make a schedule perfect for their learning track.  Beyond the structured schedule for planning, this year also introduced special demo signs that were moved from creator to creator every thirty minutes to highlight their upcoming discussion.

The venue once again was great with Who’s Yer Con providing us the room and atmosphere that contributed to creativity.  Attendees were able to come through the show when taking a break from gameplay or just out of curiosity.  These folks, along with those who came out just for the INDYpendent Show, provided creators with a consistent stream of folks through the room.  I feel like it was the best attended INDYpendent Show so far, which is great to see.

Throughout the day there were many moments that reminded me why organizing and promoting the INDYpendent Show is so important.  I wish I could share them all with you, but there isn’t enough space in this blog for them, unless I wanted to publish it as a novel.  Here are a few that really stood out to me.

1.       Watching the Young INDYpendent Creators at their first show was a great part of this year’s experience for me.  These kids had no issues talking about their work, explaining their creative goals, and selling their work.  Half way through the show, an attendee came up to me to tell me how excited she was to purchase one of Mitchell Velikan’s paintings featuring famous MEMEs.  She explained that the picture of a cat playing the piano would be featured in her office because it was always one of her favorites.  I’m not positive that an “adult” would have thought about doing paintings of MEMEs, but Mitchell had quite a few.
2.       On Saturday at Who’s Yer Con I had the opportunity to speak with a father and his 11 year old daughter about the INDYpendent Show and they were excited to come back on Sunday.  The young girl was already a creator of various projects and looked forward to interacting with creators.  I noticed them arrive on Sunday around lunch time and they spent a good 2-3 hours at the show, talking and learning from the creators and their demos.  I spoke with them on the way out of the show and the girl was excited and charged up for her future projects, which was great to see.  The dad looked a little exhausted, but I definitely gave him props supporting his daughter at the event.
3.       Interacting with the creators at the show is always a high point for me.  Some of these creators have been doing the show since the beginning and I still get excited to see their latest project and catch up on what they’re doing.  Even with a constant stream of attendees, the INDYpendent Show maintains a relaxed atmosphere without the pressure to “sell” or “move on to the next customer” like some of the bigger shows.  This is important to me because I feel it contributes to a learning environment.
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Yes, there’s more and I’ll probably receive notes from both creators and attendees with their own moments from the show.  I honestly feel that this show format is very close to what I always wanted to see as a creator who enjoys art, comics, books, and more.  If you haven’t attended an INDYpendent Show yet, please mark your calendar for Spring of next year and I’ll see you there.

​All the best!
John Graham
 
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I've always been a fan of games and gaming, but I will admit that I lean more toward the ones that don't require a lot of time.  I am currently blaming this on my 8-year-old son's short attention span, but I think it's a trait we both share.  Even though I don't find myself playing many in-depth strategy games, I find the interaction of those that do fascinating.

I'm lucky enough to have some friends that really enjoy strategy games, and even better, they enjoy describing their gameplay to others in an attempt to help those of us that aren't huge strategists understand the joy involved in playing those games.  If you find yourself wanting to explore the world of strategy games for all ages, but you're afraid to make the monetary plunge, then you owe it to yourself to stop by their blog for some in-depth reviews.

Read through the different gaming reports by Grant, Tim, and Alexander as they submerse you into the games through their descriptive paragraphs and pictures.  Though they just have a well read blog at this time, I'm confident you'll be hearing more from them in the future through different media channels.

Take a moment and visit The Players Aid Blog and read through the archives.  You won't be disappointed.

Game on with strategy!
John Graham

As a writer, I realize that I’ll never achieve the level of popularity and financial security as the J.K. Rowling’s and Dr. Suesses out there.  I create and publish my books as a way to share a part of myself with the world and that’s good enough for me.  You see, something I realized over the past five years of working on my dream is that you can touch people’s lives as a writer, even if you don’t have the most Facebook likes or Twitter followers.  You just need to be open to the moments that present themselves and always keep in mind the reason you started creating in the first place.

Today was truly one of those moments for me, but it all started last week.  A first grade student named Eli brought my book, No Sweets For Santa, into his class and asked the teacher if she might be able to read it in the near future since he enjoyed the story so much.  His teacher contacted me and asked me if I would be willing to come to her class and read the story for Eli and his classmates.  What could I say?  I was incredibly honored as a writer and publisher that a child was a big enough fan of my work to bring my book in and want to share it with others.  The answer was a great big yes, and I asked the teacher for all the students’ first names so I could bring personalized books for everyone.

We kept my appearance a secret until this morning when I showed up at class with two wrapped boxes of books and my special Santa reading outfit.  I felt like quite a celebrity with the kids all excited to hear the story and Eli coming up to me immediately and saying hello.  I sat and read the book, followed with a discussion on writing and creating stories so the kids could understand that things they write now may one day become a book also.

Near the end of my visit, they opened the presents and I watched as each child received a copy of the book.  Just seeing the kids so overjoyed at receiving a special book with their name in it was the best reminder of why I do the things I do.  Shortly after, their teacher mentioned that she felt this experience could truly be a turning point for many of the kids to develop a passion for reading and it warmed my heart.

I left the class after thanking Eli for being a fan of my work and helping to make this experience for his classmates.  As I walked the halls back to the front office, it really struck me as a creator that these moments can truly have impactful ripple effects.  Sure it affected me in a positive way because I felt great after sharing my story and book with kids, but I hadn’t thought about what impact it could have on the kids receiving the books.  What if this moment was one that helped a child love to read or gave them the confidence to write their first story.  Who truly knows the positive potential something like this can create?

When you think of these things as someone who creates a book, some art, or anything else, you quickly realize the responsibility we have to help the wave of creators become inspired.  I hope I inspired someone today and I hope you find your “moment” to inspire someone too.
John Graham
​www.FIGIDPress.com

I may not be a pop culture expert, but I do know one thing for sure.  Years from now, when people mention they went to INDY Popcon 2015, other people in the conversation will ask them if they had a chance to see the Endless Dungeon event.  I would hope that they will be able to answer yes, because that would mean they experienced something just starting out, before it became the huge event it will be in the future.

In June 2015, Indy Popcon was host to the Endless Dungeon, a role-playing experience for charity created by Crit Confirm, a local media group.  This was the second time Endless Dungeon was brought to the public and the event has continued to grow and get better.  There was a room across from the main hall that held the Endless Dungeon, so you had to look for it, instead of just happening across it.  Those that found the room were happy they did.

I watched the first Endless Dungeon event at Indiana Comic Con and my son took part in being on stage.  It was something I had never seen before and was immediately impressed.  Their first event drew large crowds and folks donated over 1700.00 to the Extra Life foundation that supports Riley Children’s Hospitals.  After seeing the first event, I knew I had to make time to check out their program at INDY Popcon.

Before I entered the room I was already impressed because of the castle gateway I had to walk through.  Once in the room I fell in love with all the unique props that were created for the event.  You see, the Endless Dungeon has a foundation in a Pathfinder type of Role-Playing experience, so you have four players on stage with a Dungeonmaster guiding them through the dungeon.  The twist of Endless Dungeon though, is the incorporation of any unique item you’d like, such as Lumiere from Beauty and Beast, Pokeballs, Dragonballs, a Gravity Hammer from Halo, and more.  Players can get these items through donations to charity and the audience can also donate in an attempt to help, or hurt, the players on the stage.

When I watched the event, I was lucky enough to be there while local artists were sketching out scenes that were being talked about on stage.  After they finished the pieces of art, it was then auctioned off to the crowd, with the money going to help the Extra Life charity.  I was able to pick up two completely unique pieces of art featuring scenes and characters just discussed for twenty dollars, a bargain for original art.  The artist portion of the show was a test for this event, but my hope is that it becomes a standard part of Endless Dungeon going forward.

The Endless Dungeon event could not happen without the tireless efforts of the Crit Confirm team.  In the room was a team of seven people who were kind enough to donate their time to the event, making it a great experience for all participants.  These folks were focused on raising money for the Extra Life charity and in the end, they raised over two thousand dollars.  I can’t tell you how impressed I was with their drive and dedication to the cause. 

I’m looking forward to the next Endless Dungeon event and you should be also.  If you’ve missed the first two, then don’t wait any longer.  I strongly believe that in the near future, Endless Dungeon will be talked about on a national level and we in Indianapolis have a chance to experience it before then.  I would also encourage you to lend some support to the Crit Confirm team so they can continue to make the experience even better.  Please check out their Patreon page and pledge whatever you can to keep the creativity growing.

All the best!

John Graham

Hi All,

I Just finished a fun-filled weekend at INDY Popcon and I will say it was quite a success.   I had a booth again this year for my books and comics, along with spending time promoting The INDYpendent Show, which is coming up in November.  The only downside to the show was it contained so much coolness, that I didn’t have time to experience it all.

I might seem strange here, but I would compare the evolution of INDY Popcon to that of someone entering high school.  When I think of last year, their “freshmen year”, Popcon was new on the scene and trying to determine its identity.  There are so many types of conventions in the United States, and Popcon seemed trying to be something for everyone, which can create a situation where you can’t please everyone.  Enter 2015 and their “Sophomore Year”.  This show still had something for everyone, but certain elements of their identity started to move to the forefront.  The presence of Youtube sensations, the Amalgam Podcast Stage, Endless Dungeon, and the HALO competition, helped to create a specific energy that I have yet to feel at any other convention to date.  These improvements to the INDY Popcon identity make me excited to see what the Junior and Senior year's bring us.

Some great moments happened for me at the show and I wanted to take a minute to talk about them.  I was incredibly lucky to be on the Podcast Stage every day speaking with different folks about all things INDYpendent Show and here are the highlights.

The INDYpendent Show

·         November 15th is the date for the next show, which will be at the Airport Radisson on the Westside of Indianapolis.  Tables are still available for local creators.  Check out the website here.

·         The first ever INDYPodnet awards will happen at the November INDYpendent Show, which will highlight local podcasters and local geek celebrities, locations, and events.  Click on this link to get all the submission details.  We’re also looking for judges in that event, so shoot me an email if you might be interested in the details.

·         We will be taking the show on the road in October as part of the INDY Family Fest in Carmel, hosting cool activities for kids of all ages.  This event is Saturday, October 3rd at the Ritz Carlton in Carmel.

My goal is to help create more events in Indianapolis that promote and feature the amazing artists and creators in the area.  If you know of an organization, school, or library that has a desire to incorporate comic creativity into their next event, please give them my contact information.  John Graham at FIGIDPress@Gmail.com.

I’m looking forward to what the next INDY Popcon brings us here in Indianapolis.  This show is truly evolving into a “must attend” event in the Midwest.

I’ve recently made one of the biggest decisions of my creative life and it’s unlikely you would even notice.  It’s a decision I’ve been dreading to make, simply because it involves temporarily saying goodbye to such an important part of who I am, but this is something that’s been coming for a while and it's time has come.  This decision has also been prompted by other creative people I respect coming out and admitting they too need to make a change.

My trouble revolves around a creative person’s desire to create and then share those creations with the world.  I caught the bug almost nine years ago when I published my first children’s book, which started me on a road of creating books, comics, prints, shirts, and games.  It became addicting after a while, knowing that you can have an idea and then go out and make a final product.  You end up doing conventions, author fairs, and anything else that puts you in contact with the public, just so you can share your creations and hear positive things about them from other folks.  Unfortunately, you begin to realize that there is only so much time in the day and only so much energy you have.

Like others who live to create, sometimes you need to step back and evaluate what you are doing versus what you want to do.  When I look at the John Graham of two years ago, I would call myself an author and idea man, but that is only a small part of what I am today.  When I moved to Indianapolis almost two years ago, I knew this town was filled with talented people and lots of opportunity.  I had the pleasure of meeting amazingly talented creators and interacting with them in a variety of forums.  It only took a few weeks of being here before I realized that I wanted to help promote and network the creative people in this town.  That was when my identity crisis began.

I created a small local convention called The INDYpendent Show, which featured local creators who wanted to educate others on how to reach their creative goals.  I loved the unique concept and layout of the show, but I realized quickly that I couldn’t be “John Graham – Author” at my own show, there simply wasn’t time.  Later, at the many conventions I attended in the area, I ran into a similar problem.  When someone visited my table, I was trying to be a comic book creator, a children’s book author, a tshirt designer, a game creator, a creative services consultant, and also the promoter of the INDYpendent Show.  This typically led to a cluttered table layout and immense confusion as people tried to figure out what my company name, FIGID Press, stood for.  (For the record, it stands for Finally I Got It Done.)

My time at home was spent juggling my family, work, new creative projects, web design, social networking, and promotion.  While I was able to juggle them all, I found out quickly that not one area could receive enough time to become something great.  So I had to sit down and ask myself, “what is the most important thing in my creative life right now?”, and then give myself permission to take a break from the rest.  Not an easy decision by any means and it’s taken me weeks to get here.

In the end, moving to Indianapolis has revealed to me that I greatly enjoy promoting and educating others so they can reach their goals and dreams.  I love the look on someone’s face when they are learning that new trick about art or how to publish a book.  I love seeing people with an idea and a goal finally reach it and show off their finished product.  I love when people realize that they can do something they always thought was impossible.  I love to watch people teach as much as I enjoy watching them learn and I love to create a place where that can be done.

With that realization, I’ve decided to say goodbye to “John Graham – Author, Publisher, Game Creator” for a while and focus on ways to create more opportunities Indianapolis creators to promote themselves and network with each other.  Sure the INDYpendent Show is one avenue for this, but I feel like this city needs more events at libraries, schools, conventions, and other events that encourage the creative spirit.  While I do have a couple of final writing projects to finish up this year, my main focus will soon shift to promoting the creative culture in Indianapolis and I will devote the time it takes to make it happen.  I will be happy to help any organization in the area that wants to incorporate a comic-based learning portion into their show, event, or venue. 

If you know of any organization or group that might need some help in creating an event, please feel free to give them my information.  You can even refer to me as John Graham – the INDYpendent Show guy if you’d like.  I promise that my author side will not be jealous any longer.

All the best!

John Graham

FIGIDPress@Gmail.com