Dakota Krout is a pioneering LitRPG author and visionary founder of Mountaindale Press, one of the leading publishing houses specializing in LitRPG, GameLit, and cultivation fiction. With a unique background combining computer science expertise and military communications experience, Dakota brings systematic, logical thinking to both his world-building and his publishing empire. His methodical approach to creating intricate magic systems and character progression has made him a standout voice in the rapidly growing gaming-inspired fiction genre, while his publishing house has become a launching pad for numerous successful authors in these specialized niches.

In this episode:

• Demystifying LitRPG and GameLit: What these explosive genres are and why they're dominating
• The systematic approach to building believable magic systems and character progression mechanics
• From author to publisher: The complete journey of founding and scaling Mountaindale Press
• Inside publishing metrics: What success looks like and the standards authors must meet
• Niche genre marketing strategies that build devoted readerbases in specialized communities
• The power of community engagement in genre fiction and reader retention
• Computer science principles applied to creative writing and world-building
• Military precision meets creative storytelling: How systematic thinking enhances fiction
• Building a publishing empire while maintaining quality and author relationships

Resources mentioned:

• Dragon Con -  https://www.dragoncon.org/
• LitRPG and GameLit online communities 
• Mountaindale Press publishing criteria and submission guidelines: https://www.mountaindalepress.store/
• Genre-specific marketing platforms and communities
• Convention networking and industry connection strategies

Book recommendations:

• "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034
• "Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity" by Peter Attia: https://www.amazon.com/Outlive-Longevity-Peter-Attia-MD/dp/0593236599
• "Something, Anything, and Everything" series by Dakota Krout: https://www.amazon.com/Anything-Full-Murderhobo-Dakota-Krout/dp/163766074X

Connect with Dakota Krout:

• Mountaindale Press website: https://www.mountaindalepress.store/
• Dakota's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DakotaKrout/
• Mountaindale Press Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MountaindalePress/
• Discord community: Mountaindale Press server

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• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
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