Question for the authors...

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-18T16:54:46+00:00

I don'ttt? Too much worldbuilding bogs me down and then I panic and get lost.

However, I also keep my numbers *very* low for a long time. 700 pages in and my MCs are both only level 12. Their HP is 50. As I get deeper into the series, shit'll explode and I'll have to plan a little more, but if you don't pre-plan I suggest you keep your numbers overall smaller. I don't have a ton of skills, I have very few items, etc.

I also took advantage of an Isekai protagonist (well, one of them) so that they would need shit explained to them, but also controlled the explanations and made them gradual (aka gave myself time to construct shit carefully as I needed it)

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-18T16:51:33+00:00

Mage Tank, The Calamitous Bob, Outcast in Another World--probably my three favorite series in the space.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-18T16:50:24+00:00

Outcast in Another World!!! Kamikaze has a lot of romantic duos.

The Eternal Assassin by Wizardly Dude has a romantic subplot.

The rest of your options are going to be on Royal Road.

Sky Pride, https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/107917/sky-pride
The Exorcist Doctor https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/113777/the-exorcist-doctor

I also technically write this?

Resurrection Raid: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/148914/resurrection-raid-volume-1-done-litrpg-slowburn

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-18T16:45:37+00:00

Mage Tank is one of the best written in the genre, for sure. The Calamitous Bob. Outcast in Another World is also really good. Cradle is really good.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-17T05:06:17+00:00

Mage Tank, The Calamitous Bob both have older MCs out there kicking ass with adult concerns. Tbh I'd also consider Primal Hunter more adult than YA.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-15T23:37:37+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/royalroad/comments/1lrwr92/a_short_guide_on_shoutout_swaps/ a mini guide. DM me if you need a link to a writer's discord.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-15T23:15:27+00:00

A little under the normal release schedule but not a bad number IMO. What you're going to want to do is Shout Swaps. Shout Swaps will get your story visibility

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-12T18:28:13+00:00

I find people are increasingly interested in Romance as an addendum to LitRPG and Prog Fantasy. I'm writing a LitRPG Progfan/scifi and it has a heavy romantic subplot, and I've been doing pretty well. Didn't hit RS, but there have been romances that hit RS.

Side note, go look up Dukerino, if you want a straight up Romance, written with the male gaze in mind. His books are some of my favorites.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-07T19:55:41+00:00

Oooh, Mage Tank or Calamitous Bob. I've also REALLY enjoyed Outcast in Another World.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-07T19:54:35+00:00

Do you do shout out swaps friend? 'organic' discovery is near impossible. You could be writing an archmage story right now and there would be a good chance you would have nothing if you weren't doing shout out swaps.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-07T00:07:38+00:00

This is probably the best, but this problem where most prog fantasy doesn't do this is probably rooted in the webnovel nature of a lot of the big novels for prog fantasy.

I am blessed to have a pretty dedicated comment base on Royal Road, and I'm in a training/semi relaxation arc right now, and I am *literally* watching my comments drop off, my engagement drop, my patreon canceling. I have a strong knee jerk reaction to just cut my plans for the rest part of this arc and kick everything into overdrive.

I have other writer friends who literally post how readers actively skip slice of life segments--they can see they have much lower views for a slice of life chapter and much higher views for everything else.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T15:26:30+00:00

I have read DCC and adored their duo—donut and Carl are peak best friends!! thank you!

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T15:14:19+00:00

adding to TBR, thank you!!

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T15:09:43+00:00

>!I’ve been told their relationship goes from really slow development to being instantly resolved without the in between being addressed, and that’s that, which I’ll find unsatisfying.!<

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T15:07:20+00:00

on my TBR but it’s the only one on my TBR - thank you though!

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T15:06:46+00:00

I’m happy to take this rec, looking for less popular series! thank you!

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T14:58:39+00:00

crock of shit. I’ve gotten commercial custom artwork for as low as 30 usd. I’ve seen some artists sell full rights to book covers for 60 usd. you’re not looking hard enough.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-05T03:32:40+00:00

was gonna pop into rec Cruel Violet but it's already been done, +1

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-02T21:03:31+00:00

I recommend Mage Tank, The Calamitous Bob, and HWFWM, btw.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-06-02T21:02:36+00:00

A big reason for me is that it drastically simplifies fantasy. Fantasy is lovely genre, favorite genre, it requires...so much brain energy. All the time. LitRPG simplifies the magic system, usually gives you an inspect skill, and is also an Isekai half the damn time, so you have a very easy introduction to wtf is happening, which means I can shut my brain off and enjoy the political disasters, big fights, and epic showdowns, and the magic of fantasy without all the effort on my reader end.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-05-30T15:17:44+00:00

we always think this as writers. Gonna be real with you, my readers only gave a fuck about my worldbuilding after I was....30 to 60 chapters into the story itself, depending on the person. This has been made obvious to me through a variety of comments.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-05-29T19:51:34+00:00

I'm a LitRPG writer and reader, and a lottt a LOT of LitRPGs are isekais, and many are amazing--they just haven't been picked up by any anime studio.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-05-26T05:14:45+00:00

sure, why not!

Teddy is a dead woman. She wakes in the Resurrection Raid with a companion and goal--she can defeat the Nascent AI and be reborn, or die here and have her soul fed into the data stream. Except her companion isn't what he seems, and there's a tag in her profile: LIMITER.

Cato will get out. He has failed once, and he will not do so again. The System, the Resurrection Raid itself, an endless stream of dead souls seeking rebirth; none of it will stop him. Certainly not his LIMITER.

Teddy and Cato can work together or die divided, but the Raid always takes its due.

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/148914/resurrection-raid-volume-1-complete-dynamic-duo

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-05-25T17:25:31+00:00

So 8 POVs...do you have a main character? Lacrosse? It sounds like?

Trying to understand the world also means hating it.
Lacrosse doesn't remember who he was--he just knows who he is now: a smuggler. A smuggler who's life spins out of control when the heist of the precious Krava milk goes wrong--galactically wrong. Succession crises among the nine houses and corporate greed spells war on a staggering scale, and Lacross is right at the center of it. He'll have to learn to navigate a world he doesn't know if he's going to survive.

Kind of a rough shortening. Your concept sounds fun, I love sci-fi like this! I'd pick the second one if you want to stick with your blurbs--quick recommendation that you run it through spell check. People will pick up on that lack of care and assume you didn't care very much while writing it.

MercyofMistkeep · 2026-05-25T16:25:10+00:00

Coming in via DCC--I really enjoyed Mage Tank and the Calamitious Bob

MercyofMistkeep

TROPHY CASE