How It Works

Building a Better Path for Indie Authors

The StoryForge Initiative operates on a simple idea: when authors have access to affordable tools and transparent systems, everyone benefits.

Our model is built in phases, each designed to expand access, sustainability, and community impact as we grow.

Phase 1: Laying the Foundation

The first phase began with personal investment from our founder, Christopher Schlosser.
He funded the creation of the organization, the website, and the initial seed money for the first block of 100 ISBNs.

Community support through GoFundMe helps fund the remainder of this block, with each ISBN distributed at a significant discount — just $20 per ISBN, compared to Bowker’s retail price of $125.

A small portion of this initial batch is being used to pioneer the StoryForge Press imprint on the founder’s and his daughter’s novels, testing and refining the publishing workflow before it’s opened to all authors.

Phase 2: Expanding Access

Once the first ISBN block is distributed, StoryForge will reinvest funds into expanding its reach:

• Author Landing Pages: Affordable, professional websites and landing pages for authors to promote their books.
• Free Resource Library: A growing archive of templates, publishing guides, and checklists to support indie authors at every stage.
• Monthly Transparency Reports: Financial summaries and public ledgers available on the Transparency Page.

These projects ensure that the Initiative remains sustainable, transparent, and accessible to authors nationwide.

Phase 3: Grants, Sponsorships & Partner Funding

As StoryForge grows, it will enter a giving phase — launching micro-grants to help fund the needs that are hardest for indie authors to afford:

• Editing Grants — help with professional editing costs.
• Cover Design Grants — assistance securing polished, market-ready covers.
• Marketing Grants — for ads, reviews, or promotional materials.
• ISBN Grants — fully funded ISBNs provided to authors through the grant system.

In this phase, StoryForge will also pursue sponsorships and partnerships with publishing-related companies like Atticus, Canva, and IngramSpark to secure discounts and exclusive offers for community members.

Phase 4: A Transparent Partner Webstore

To further strengthen long-term sustainability, the founder — Christopher Schlosser — is launching a separate webstore venture dedicated to supporting authors, readers, and creative professionals.

This webstore will sell themed merchandise, creative tools, and author-related items.
A portion of every sale will be donated directly to The StoryForge Initiative to help fund ISBN purchases, resources, and future grants.

In keeping with StoryForge’s commitment to transparency, each product on the store will clearly list the exact dollar amount donated to StoryForge — not a percentage, but a fixed, easy-to-understand number.

This partnership will provide ongoing financial support without relying on traditional donations, helping the Initiative remain stable and community-funded for years to come.

Phase 5: The Long-Term Vision

Our ultimate goal is a self-sustaining, community-driven ecosystem that empowers authors without dependence on outside funding.

This includes:

• Expanding ISBN and resource access to a nationwide network of indie authors.
• Hosting virtual and local workshops to educate writers.
• Building a collaborative platform where authors can share experiences, advice, and creative tools.

Every step of this process will remain open, documented, and community-guided — because StoryForge isn’t just about publishing books.
It’s about forging opportunities for every story.

Transparency at Every Step

Every dollar raised, ISBN issued, grant awarded, and webstore donation will be logged publicly.
You can view all financial reports, founder contributions, and operational updates anytime on our Transparency Page.

Get Involved

If you’re an author, reader, or creative professional who wants to support the mission, you can:

• Get Involved to learn how you can help.
• Follow Updates for the latest milestones.

Together, we’re building the foundation of something lasting — a true community for storytellers.