Creative Services
Finish The Projects That Matter To You
Hi, I'm Mak, and I help writers, hobbyists, and worldbuilders finish meaningful creative projects through structure, accountability, and grounded creative support.
I'm an award-nominated fantasy author, tabletop games designer and founder of the Ironclad Forge.
As a fellow creative, you know what it's like to on unfinished projects for months, sometimes years at a time. To feel creatively burned out, overwhelmed by ideas, or too exhausted from work and responsibilities to create consistently.
This applies whether you're an aspiring writer, a tabletop wargamer, a Dungeon Master, a 3D sculptor, or any other kind of creative.
You want to paint, write, build and design,
But instead, you struggle, you stagnate, and then you start the next thing, always chasing that inspiration dragon.
Before you know it, you've poured your heart and soul into a pile of unfinished projects.
And then you burn out. You abandon your hobby in favour of consuming the work of others. You watch tv, you doom scroll, you play games.
Worse yet, when you do have some time to pursue your vision, you decide against it.
Your creativity has become a waste of time, in your eyes.
That can be soul-crushing.
The Quiet Secret
As someone who has lived through this cycle more times than I can count, let me share something I wish I had learned far sooner:
You are not without talent. You are without structure.
It took me eight years to write The Sundering Cycle, but only a fraction of that time was truly productive.
So, what changed?
For me, it was simple. I made the decision to sit down every day, no matter what, and write.
Not a crazy amount, just 500 words a day.
It didn't have to be brilliant. It didn't even have to be good. It just had to be in service to the story.
The Truth Most People Miss
You want to know something else? I Still didn't manage to hit even that target.
Some days were too busy. Others, the words would just not come. There were holidays, sick days, family commitments, and nights where I deliberately stepped away from the work to be present with the people I love.
But none of that destroyed the process, because perfection wasn't what mattered.
What mattered was that I would always return to the structure as quickly as possible.
Over time, that consistency paid off.
I was working long hours, I'd just started my family, but after 18 months, I finally wrote those landmark words.
'End of Part One'
Not through inspiration, not through grinding myself into dust, just through steady, consistent effort.
The truth is that you don't need to be hitting your target every single day. Getting there even just 70 or 80% of the time is enough to keep you moving forward.
Remember this, and you will accomplish far more than anything you can achieve by:
- Waiting for Inspiration
- Aiming for Perfection
- Grinding until exhaustion sets in
The Reality
The reality is that creation, whether that means writing a novel, painting an army, building a game world, or sculpting a miniature range, is supposed to add something meaningful to your life.
Not drain it.
Too many creatives approach their work from one of two extremes:
Either they treat creativity like endless labour, a second job filled with pressure, guilt, and self-criticism.
Or they wait endlessly for passion and inspiration to strike before they allow themselves to begin.
Neither approach works for long.
Creative work needs structure, but it should also restore something within you. Because despite what modern life teaches us, human beings are not built simply to consume the work of others.
We are built to create.
That is why even ten minutes spent painting, writing, worldbuilding, or sketching can leave you feeling more grounded, energised, and mentally clear than an entire evening spent doomscrolling or half-watching television.
So I'll say this once more:
Your creativity is not draining you. Your absence from creativity is.
Being creative is not something that you can just switch on or off as you see fit. You can abandon it, let the fire die out. But the embers will always remain, and your world will only be left feeling colder and more grey as a result.
Once you understand that, once you internalise it into the core of your being, you will stop feeling blocked, you will stop feeling guilty or burned-out, you'll even feel less self-conscious about sharing your work with the world.
And what you set out to create, you will create.
Not because you work hard
Not because you follow your passion
But through sustainable structure, meaningful effort, and a willingness to keep returning to the work.
Because creativity is fuel
And when fuel is placed in a proper structure, it can carry you far beyond where motivation alone ever could.
Need Help Getting Started?
This is where I come in.
I created Ironclad Forge Creative Services to help writers, hobbyists, 3D sculptors, and independent creators move from frustration and stagnation into sustainable creative momentum.
Whether you are:
- Struggling to finish projects
- Creatively burned out
- Overwhelmed by ideas
- Lacking structure
- Or simply trying to reconnect with meaningful creativity
My service is designed to help you move forward clearly and consistently.
Who Is This Service For?
- Aspiring Authors
- Tabletop Game Designers
- Dungeon Masters & Worldbuilders
- 3D Sculptors & Creative Freelancers
- Miniature Painters & Hobbyists
- Busy creatives struggling to stay consistent
As a creative consultant, I provide:
- Structure and accountability for creative projects
- Support overcoming creative burnout and paralysis
- Worldbuilding and thematic development
- Honest feedback and grounded creative direction
- Practical systems for sustainable creativity
- A clear sounding board for your ideas and ambitions
Why I started This Service
For years, I wished I had someone to speak to about my creative work. Someone who understood fantasy, worldbuilding, storytelling, and the strange difficulty of actually finishing meaningful projects.
Someone who would take the work seriously.
Not as a childish hobby, or a vague dream, but something genuinely worth building.
So I decided to become that person for others.
Build Something Meaningful
Finish The Novel That Has Lived In Your Head For Years
Build The Army You’ve Always Wanted To See On The Table
Create A Campaign Your Players Will Remember
Launch The Creative Project You Keep Delaying
The Process
To begin, I offer a free 30-minute Creative Catch-Up session.
This can be done via video call or phone, and gives us the opportunity to discuss:
- Your goals,
- Your creative struggles,
- Your current projects,
- And what you genuinely want to build.
No pressure.
No obligation.
And importantly, no hard sell.
Just a conversation between two creatives to see whether my support would genuinely help you move forward.
The button below will take you to my contact form.
Just add your details, and add 'I'd like to book a Catch-Up' or words to that effect in the Comments section.
Pricing
I believe in being clear and upfront about pricing from the beginning.
The initial 30-minute Creative Catch-Up is completely free of charge, with no obligation to continue afterwards.
If we decide to work together beyond that point, ongoing creative support is currently offered at:
Creative Momentum Coaching — £149/month
This includes:
- Weekly 1-to-1 creative sessions
- Structure and accountability support
- Project feedback and guidance
- Messaging support between sessions
- Personalised support tailored to your goals
To ensure meaningful support and maintain balance alongside my existing creative and family commitments, I am initially limiting this service to 4 active clients.
