The Hired Swords began in the middle of 2020. Blaise and I (Michael) had been wanting an excuse to play D&D together for a while and he had some friends who wanted to play too. We started with the idea to just play D&D, record it, and hope that a few people might listen. We started recording and were able to build up a pretty good community for a while. After a bit, however, that ever present bad guy started to emerge. Scheduling…
So many things contribute to the difficulty of getting several adults together (even just online) to play a game for several hours. Family, work, vacations, you name it, it has hindered the Hired Swords from recording. We started, back in the day, recording two or three episodes per session. We had to get together later and later until finally our old selves could only handle a couple hours before we were too tired to think or play, much less be funny or entertaining for a podcast.
You probably noticed a large gap in releases for the show a couple of years ago. This is when burn out set in. Members of our team struggled with the difficulty of getting everyone together, the pressure to keep social media buzzing, and then the major task of editing every episode and having them published weekly. We took a step back and just chatted, played video games together, and other stuff when we were able to meet up. Then, we discussed a new editing/publishing arrangement and The Hired Swords was back.
Releasing bi-weekly is super helpful when you can’t get together regularly. We also had to lower our quality/editing standards just a bit. Probably not in a way that is noticeable at all to the listeners, but we went from each individually editing a local recording of our part in the show and then uploading it for the final edit, to just having the editor (Blaise or Derek) download what our recording software captured, and go from there. You’d have to ask the editors if it made it a ton easier for them, but it sure took the pressure off the rest of us.
Now, our biggest hurdle is just the schedule. I, as listers likely know, have four very busy kids. They are busy all over town and I like to be involved in everything they do. All five of the Swords cast have full time jobs and relationships outside of D&D that we’re managing. This can lead to mental exhaustion and fatigue, as everyone pretty much knows. D&D should be a release for the pressure, an escape from the grind, but when you’re turning it into content that dozens or more people are listening to, it stops being that place of refuge from the grind. It can become part of it.
This is why The Hired Swords has had the sporadic schedule we sometimes have. We love recording and publishing episodes and we’re excited to do even more when this adventure concludes. It’s meant to be fun, though. It is intended to be a way to unwind and relax. A place to have fun with friends. This is what we believe you enjoy listening to and its what we love doing. That’s how you beat the Scheduling BBEG. You get together when you can, and you have fun. In spite of the bastard always looming between you and the next time you can get together, roll dice, and kick ass.
Thanks for listening and for reading, adventurers! See you out there.
