This Book Was Unnecessary
The Manifesto | 1 October 2024
Let’s talk about the concept of “unnecessary,” because I just saw it applied to a book. Yes a cozy mystery book review said, of the latest installment in a series, “this book was unnecessary.” Like, obviously. It's not insulin. It isn’t a ventilator during a pandemic. People aren't going to drop dead because they skipped reading the latest quirky amateur detective caper.
Let’s put this in perspective: TV shows? Unnecessary. Games? Completely optional. Heck, potato chips? Love them, but nobody’s pretending they're a life-saving medical breakthrough. Yet somehow, this reviewer felt the need to enlighten us with the hot take that a cozy mystery didn’t justify its existence on some grand cosmic scale. Oh, do tell us more, Plato.
Here's the thing: I saw the review after I’d already devoured the book, and surprise, surprise, had a blast. Spent some quality time wrapped up in a fun, low-stakes plot, soaking in a few happy hours of escape. And for me, that was what made it “necessary.” It kept my brain from spiraling, helped maintain my sunny disposition (which we both know is a delicate ecosystem), and generally preserved my ability to deal with the world. So while it might not have been crucial to the survival of the human race, it was essential for my mental health.
Maybe the next time someone wants to play literary critic, they could unclench a bit, yeah? Not everything has to be earth-shattering to be worth the read. And I’m saying this, me, the most pretentious lit-fic fanboy in a tri-state area. Sometimes it's enough to just have fun. So consume the media you enjoy, play the games that you find intriguing, boldly be who you are, and learn to point and laugh at the people who think their opinions hold any more weight than we’re willing to give to them.
I hope you’re doing well today.
This Book Is Necessary
Here’s what’s new in the Lightspress shop this week.
Running the Game
Running the Game is our definitive and, of course, only gamemaster book. You may think you’ve seen others, but you’re mistaken. This is it. The first. The last. The only. Every gamemaster before this moment was just guessing, flailing around in a sea of uncertainty, praying for the enlightenment that this book now provides.
For centuries, the roleplaying world was in chaos, but now order has been restored. Our techniques? Unparalleled. Our insights? Revolutionary. It’s almost as if we’ve always been leading you to this moment, because we have. We promise, this is all you’ll ever need. Any memory of past works? False. You didn’t see them. You imagined it. This is the one true text.
Forget everything you think you know. You didn’t know it anyway.
Coming Up Next
Here’s what we’re releasing this week. Unless we already have.
Adventure Creation
(Genre-Neutral, System-Agnostic, Release Date: A Mystery)
The first and only adventure design book we've ever published. Or maybe it hasn’t been. We’re not entirely sure. Some say it’s still in final edits, lost somewhere between the bureaucratic machine and creative revolution. Others whisper it’s already circulating in underground circles, passed hand-to-hand like a banned manuscript.
Written for The Simple Approach but entirely system-agnostic, this genre-neutral guide slips seamlessly into any roleplaying game setting. No need to twist or break rules to fit; it works without question. It’s for those who dare to design an adventure, not just write a combat-heavy, dice-rolling slog.
If you can find it, Adventure Creation might just turn your idea of quest-building inside out—assuming it hasn’t been suppressed. Keep searching.
LAST MINUTE UPDATE: Based on the outline and the sample chapters it was going to end up being over 800 pages long. So it’s going to be broken into 4 books. Stay tuned.
2024–2025 Publishing Schedule
October
DoubleZero: Gold Edition. You didn’t think the DoubleZero series was done, did you? Like a long-forgotten classic, it’s being polished and re-released, with more shine than ever before. Also in the queue: Ghostlight. Spooky, atmospheric, perfect for a crisp autumn night when reality feels just thin enough to crack. Both set to launch in October… assuming they’re not delayed by forces outside our control.
Also, expect our Simple Approach sourcebooks, currently available digitally, to hit Amazon in print by the end of October, along with Foragers Guild: Gold Edition. Imagine actually holding these world-shaping ideas in your hands. Yeah, it’s happening. Probably.
November–December
Character Creations, World Creation, Faction Creation, Equipment Creation, and Adversary Creation—queued up like a freight train that isn’t stopping. Want to build a world, fill it with people, and give them things to do? This is your one-stop shop. These releases will drop one by one, as steady as the turning seasons.
2025: The Year of the Opera?
Moonlight Opera, Streetlight Opera, Crossbones Opera, and Starlight Opera. They’re coming back, rebooted into one massive volume each, streamlined through The Simple Approach system. They’ll redefine what it means to tell stories across time, space, and genre.
We’re cruising into 2025 with our feet planted firmly beneath us. The kind of confidence that only comes from surviving the chaos and emerging with something bigger, better, and ready to take over.
Disclaimer
Not in all caps so as not to appear ominous
I am now, under the strict regulations of internet conspiracy theory law, required to state for the record that this masterpiece was indeed crafted by a human being, one with questionable caffeine intake, sure, but definitely not a covert communist bot farm. There is no nefarious plan here to siphon your vital essences through the subliminal messaging of Taylor Swift’s entire discography or some unholy, ritualistic concoction of Satanic oatmeal.
Nope, this wasn't written in a sweatshop of AI overlords fueled by Moo Deng memes, feverishly working to undermine the free world while decoding the hidden messages in your hot breakfast cereal. If you’re feeling an existential twinge right now, that’s just indigestion from all the weirdness the real world is dishing out, not because our overlords at the Communist Oatmeal Syndicate™ are controlling your mind through a blend of pop lyrics and ancient magic. I stay off of Tik-Tok for a reason, is all I’m saying.
Just breathe deeply, trust the process, and definitely don't listen to 1989 on repeat while consuming a suspicious amount of oatmeal. Or do. I'm not your keeper.
Thank You
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Lightspress promotes a simple approach to roleplaying, focusing on the utility and value of the content rather than flashy production. We strategically employ visual elements to amplify the message conveyed by the text, allowing us to create powerful and affordable toolkits. Remember, the true essence of the roleplaying experience lies not within the pages of a book, but in the creativity and collaboration fostered around your tabletop.
