# Before You Start

Planning to launch an NFT collection on Stargaze? Here's what you need to know.

## Is Stargaze Right for You?

Stargaze is a great fit if you:

* Want to reach the Cosmos community
* Value low fees and fast transactions
* Need flexible minting options (whitelists, phases, etc.)
* Want multi-token payment support
* Appreciate creator royalties enforced on-chain

## What You'll Need

### 1. Artwork

Your NFT images or media files:

* **Supported formats:** PNG, JPG, GIF, MP4, WEBP
* **Recommended size:** 1000x1000px minimum for images
* **File size:** Up to 100MB per file, but try to upload lighter files for better performance.
* **Quantity:** Prepare all assets before launch

### 2. Metadata

Information about each NFT:

* Name
* Description
* Traits/attributes (optional but recommended)

### 3. ATOM for Fees

You'll need ATOM to:

* Deploy your collection contract
* Upload metadata
* Pay gas fees during launch

Budget around 10-50 ATOM depending on collection size.

### 4. A Plan

Before launching, decide:

* **Collection size** - How many NFTs?
* **Pricing** - What's your mint price?
* **Phases** - Whitelist? Public? Both?
* **Timing** - When do you want to launch?
* **Marketing** - How will you build hype?

## Planning Your Launch

### Timing

Consider:

* Avoid launching during major market events
* Give yourself buffer time for testing
* Plan marketing 1-2 weeks before launch

### Building Community

Successful launches often have:

* Active Discord or Telegram
* Twitter presence
* Engaged early supporters for whitelist

### Setting Expectations

Be realistic:

* Study similar collections' performance
* Price appropriately for the market
* Focus on building genuine community, not just hype

## Ready?

Once you have your artwork, metadata, and plan ready, head to [Collection Types](/create/collection-types.md) to choose your minting approach.


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