D&D Solo-play Gamebook: Building a Production and Narrative Framework from Scratch

Role: Creator & Art Director

Timeline: July 2025 – Ongoing (Target: Late Fall 2026)

Budget: ~$400 cover art commission + ongoing illustration costs

Context: Baby's first solo adventure module, planned for self-publishing on DriveThruRPG

Thumbnail version of the adventure's cover page

The Setup

I've played through many solo D&D adventure products—the choose-your-own-adventure/solitaire-style modules where one player navigates branching narratives without a game master. I knew exactly what I loved about the best ones and what frustrated me about the rest. So naturally, I decided to build my own.

The scope escalated quickly: 400+ interconnected entries, six acts plus prologue and epilogue, original worldbuilding (custom deity system, fictional emerging technology, 25+ developed NPCs), multiple resolution paths including a viable "dark alliance" option, and mechanics designed specifically for solitaire play. Target length: 375-475 pages.

This isn't a traditional PM case study—there's no organizational friction, no competing stakeholders, no resources I didn't allocate myself. What it demonstrates is how I approach complex creative production when left to my own devices: systematic infrastructure, disciplined scope management, and professional vendor coordination on a personal project.

The Framework Problem

Interactive fiction has a fundamental failure mode: branches paths that spiral out of control.

A 400+ entry adventure with four choices per entry could theoretically require tracking 256 different states by entry four. That's how ambitious projects die incomplete.

Before writing a single entry, I built the Node Constrained Tapestry (NCT) framework to prevent this. The concept treats major story beats as mandatory waypoints that all paths must reach, with controlled branching between them. Think of it as guardrails on a mountain road—they keep you from driving off a cliff, but you still choose your speed and take scenic detours when the view demands it.

The framework establishes priority hierarchies for the inevitable scope conflicts. First priority: page count target (non-negotiable—determines production costs and pricing). Second: content completeness (all necessary story beats included). Third: entry distribution (flexible when the story demands otherwise). When an investigation scene needs breathing room but entry counts are running high, I've already decided what gives.

Scope Discipline Through Iteration

Frankly, my initial scope was too ambitious. First-time creator syndrome.

Early versions included background-specific content paths creating 15-18% unique entries per background—significant additional work for modest experiential difference. I consolidated. Entry length targets were initially too long; I shortened them to accelerate player decision-making. Map illustrations were originally planned as fully commissioned artwork; I've since identified tools like Dungeon Scrawl that achieve functional quality at a fraction of the cost, reserving commissioned illustration budget for the cover and creature stat blocks where visual quality matters most.

The framework exists to enable disciplined flexibility, not to prevent all changes. Learning where to flex and where to hold the line is the actual skill.

The Cover Art Commission

The cover is the primary marketing asset—the thing that stops someone scrolling through DriveThruRPG. This needed to be right.

Artist sourcing: I started with BlueSky artist collections for horror and book cover illustration, then explored networks to find adjacent artists. This produced a Google Doc tracker with candidates, followed by templated outreach emails with personalized callouts showing I'd actually reviewed their portfolios. Before any conversation, I'd developed a formal art brief: project overview, key visual elements (lighthouse, fog, supernatural atmosphere, coastal setting), technical specifications, color palette direction, and reference images from other solo adventures.

Selection criteria: The artist I chose (Dan) worked for three reasons: affordable rates structured by effort level, timely communication, and a style that wouldn't lock me into one artist if I continue the series.

Art direction process: Dan's terms included unlimited revisions, but he smartly sent sketch variations for initial approval—preventing major direction changes late in the process. As a senior digital designer, I recognized this as effective scope management. You establish direction early when changes are cheap.

The front cover went through eight revision rounds because it carries the marketing weight. The back cover required one round—Dan crushed it immediately, and I'd already decided a half-panel design worked best since I needed text space (full-panel would require a high-opacity overlay for ADA-compliant contrast, covering his work). The thumbnail took two rounds.

Budget decision: Original budget was $300. I initiated a $100 increase after a small work bonus came through—more time for Dan to polish. Budget management isn't just "stay under the number"; it's allocating resources strategically.

I handled typography myself, sending rough mocks and safe zones so Dan could focus entirely on illustration. Division of labor based on comparative advantage.

Current Status

Act 2 drafted and in editing. Cover art complete. Framework, documentation, and worldbuilding comprehensive. Remaining: Acts 3-5 and epilogue, combat playtesting, town maps, creature illustrations (~12), publication prep.

Target completion: late fall/early winter 2026. I'd rather push a date than ship below commercial quality standards.

The project connects to broader creative work: Saltzhaven is Book 1 of a potential series tied to my Fool's Gambit Podcast pilot—shared worldbuilding across media formats.

Lessons in Solo Creative Production

Infrastructure before content: The NCT framework isn't overhead—it's what makes a 400-entry project completable by one person.

Scope discipline is learned, not innate: Defending initial plans is less valuable than adapting to reality.

Vendor relationships matter even on personal projects: Clear briefs, revision management, and strategic budget allocation apply whether you're coordinating a corporate campaign or commissioning cover art.

AI-assisted production changes what's possible: Systematic frameworks for AI collaboration make variable time investment viable. Waves of intensity work when your documentation is solid.