Where To Start

[Connorsrpg]

Like many other posters here on the boards I too want to write gaming material in my spare time and hopefully get it published.

This time around I do not want to wait as long as I did with previous editions of dnd. I finally got around to having submissions accepted and then 3.5 was gone. I have held off a little with 4E to make sure that I 'get it'...and I believe I do. Now I want to start writing and I hope others can chime in with some advice for me (that I know other potential writers will also value).

(As a quick aside I have read plenty of submission guidelines and advice columns, including W. Baurs design essays. I am OK with all of that...I just want to know WHERE and HOW to get started).

So first question...

1. Where is the best place to start? Is there a list somewhere of companies accepting 4E submissions? Do I just keep an eye on the 'Publisher's Boards'? Is there one company that you have had success with? Were they good to work with? Do they accept small articles? Are there major differences in the pitches needed? Recommendations? (For the record, I know of several that publish 4E - I am asking for other peoples' experiences before listing any).

2. What do I submit? What is needed in 4E in small quantities right now? Should I start small and easy with a monster suplement, or go for something grander? (I have a large collection of DM Tools, but noticed a certain large 'Toolbox' that has me trumped there ).

3. Should I start by helping to playtest, proof or edit for a small company? Keep in mind, this thread is for people (like myself) with limited time.

Basically I have decided it is time to start and am asking those that have jumped the first hurdle for some direction.

For the record, I have had advice columns published before and am a very experienced DM. I would also like to think I am comfortable with editing others writers' work, having a solid grasp of the mechanics...and being an English teacher means I am nitpicking other peoples' writing constantly

Help me (and others) to start small.

Cheers, C

[Connorsrpg]

Furthermore I see a good market in the small PDFs out there. I have already bought several myself and have been quite impressed.

If I was to go down that path what advice would you give? How easy is it to get the attractive layouts? Is there a solid site or company that can help with this?

C

[Lord Xtheth]

Write, write and write some more!

Don't let lazy get in the way!

I wish the best of luck to you. I've been writing with the intention to publish as well, and its definately a big thing to look at. At least for me it is.

[Jack7]

Con, as a published writer I can tell you how to go about getting published, not how to write, what to write, or by what means.

I have been a non-fiction writer for a long time. Mainly for private clients, white papers, analyses, reports, etc. But published often as well.

Writing is a business, and as such there is nothing special about the business end of writing. It has its own peculiarities as an industry, but these things merely take a bit of familiarity in order to become habituated to the demands of the industry.

Because of this I say, study the business end of the equation, if you desire business success and profit.

Every business requires at least three things in order to succeed, professionalism of execution, adopting the standard practices and modes of that particular business or industry (e.g.. proper formatting - at least until such time as you establish a reputation and can start improving on old forms of practice), and networking. You must establish yourself on all three fronts in order to be in demand.

By the way I have recently turned from writing non-fiction exclusively to seeking publication for my fictional writings. I have learned that although both fiction and non-fiction involve writing and publication, fiction places very different publication demands upon the writer than does non-fiction. For a whole host of reasons. Therefore I have spent the past year or so fully familiarizing myself with the fictional markets and how they operate in contrast to the non-fiction markets. They are not the same in either market expectation or execution.

Therefore my advice to you, other than the general advice given above is to thoroughly research your markets and market demands. Network, make contacts, and both nourish and exploit those contacts. Create and establish viable and workable relationships with individuals within the industry who can assist and guide you.

And finally submit on a regular basis to the appropriate markets (finding the proper markets, researching them, and locating the proper individuals with whom to network is of course up to you - that is part of the business end of both writing and publishing).

With fiction markets I have found the real secret is, once you have mastered all other necessary and required ends of your writing profession, simply to keep your works in circulation so that they can be viewed by as many potential and appropriate editors and publishers as possible. Finish a work, submit it, and then forget about it until such time as you receive a reply, and while you await that reply write more works and submit those to other markets.

In a business sense this is exactly the same as exposing your product to as many potential manufacturers, retailers, shippers, jobbers, etc. as you can. In business you would not produce a single product and then sit around hoping to locate a single perfect buyer. That is a profitless and usually bootless endeavor. Instead, you would expose your product to as many potential buyers in your given market as possible and then seek to establish profitable business relationships with either the best, or most (or ideally both), mutually beneficial parties you can locate.

You do not take your goods to the market and then attempt to sell to only one man, and then wait weeks or months for him to make a decision. You would sell to any qualified buyer willing to meet your terms and price, and ideally sell as often as possible to every qualified buyer willing to meet your terms and price.

Don't kill time, for time is money, waiting on one party to make a decision when you could have dozens of work products in circulation at any given time. In that way, in the fiction market, even in niche markets like the gaming market, the odds favor your eventual discovery and success. But in fiction writing slow submission rates equals slow acceptance rates. And that's very poor business.

So, business is business. And that means busy-ness.
Keep your work in constant circulation even as you seek to constantly improve your other related writing skills. It doesn't matter how good you are if no one ever sees what you can do, and on the other hand many very poor writers keep getting published often because they at least understand the difference between perfect art, and poor business practices.

Would that they knew far more art in many cases, I'll certainly grant you that, but at least they understand commerce. So if you're in this to be a starving artist (and I'm not saying you are) then I say, "don't bother." There are far easier and more productive ways to starve well, and often.

If however you're in it to succeed then you must know at least as much of the art of business as you do the business of artistry. So, that being the case, get busy, and stay that way. The rest will come through practice and experience. And research and experimentation. Though don't bother re-inventing the wheel either. Just get somebody who knows to show you how to grease it, and keep it turning in the right direction.

That's why God made people who know more than you do.
And somebody always knows more than you do, or I do - for that matter.
It's just the way things are.

Good luck, and Godspeed to ya.
But then again, if you do it right, you won't need the luck so much...

[Herobizkit]

How about right here on EnWorld? The EN Marketplace has callouts for all kinds of editing and publishing projects.

[ProfessorPain]

A great source is the marketplace section of EN World. I have seen requests for 4E Submissions. You can also find companies you know make 4E material and check out there websites. Most have a submissions page. Its a good idea to be familiar with the style of the company, before you submit anything. And even before that, you should probably send a query letter explaining your idea.

Also, don't count out 3E, there are still plenty of companies putting out material for OGL and Pathfinder. If you have any good 3E material to submit, go ahead (again on teh Marketplace forum I see tons of calls for OGL stuff). In fact, in my searches there seem to be way more companies looking for OGL submissions than 4E submissions right now.

[Morrus]

There are some lengthy replies above, but the answer you'r elooking for is fairly short and simple. You have two options:

1) Respond to vacancies for work-for-hire assignments to specification. Have samples to show.

2) Become as salesman and pitch your *completed* manuscript to publishers whose business match your product.

Don't approach a publisher with a vague idea of "writing something". Whateve rit is, it needs to be specific; either it's "I'll write that specific assignment you're advertising for" or "I have a really cool product to sell to you".

Once you're known and established, you can maybe think about approaching publishers with nothing more than a concept.

For example, when running EN Publishing, I don't respond well to "I'd like to write a sci-fi product for you". I know that (a) they have no idea what my company produces, and (b) I'm one of a hundred companies they've emailed. If they approached me with something very specific to my product line (a War of the Burning Sky sourcebook, for example [or an Art Of book... hint hint to all aspiring artists out there who are inspired enough and interested enough to produce a whole load of gorgeous WotBS related art pieces) then I'd sit up straight and take an interest.

Whatever you do, NEVER approach a publisher with or advertise a secret project you can't tell them about yet. Well, unless you want to join the "prima donna never work with this person" list!

[Jack99]

Originally Posted by Connorsrpg

1. Where is the best place to start? Is there a list somewhere of companies accepting 4E submissions? Do I just keep an eye on the 'Publisher's Boards'? Is there one company that you have had success with? Were they good to work with? Do they accept small articles? Are there major differences in the pitches needed? Recommendations? (For the record, I know of several that publish 4E - I am asking for other peoples' experiences before listing any).

There is no list that I am aware off. But Baur has several times mentioned that KQ is not getting that many 4e submissions, so that might be the place to start. The newest 4e magazine, Level Up from Goodman Games also do take submissions afaik. My guess is that it is easier to get a chance with either of them than with say Dragon or Dungeon.

[MichaelSomething]

Well, let me post the links to the submission part of the DDI. According to the Rouse, they reject most of the submissions they receive, so it may not be the best entry point. The Vacancies area of the EN world marketing place is worth checking out too.

I think the best way to start is to submit things to magazines. It's easier to make a good article then a good book.

Since we're on the subject, can anyone give me some good advice on how to playtest some powers I developed? I'm thinking about trying to submit them some where to get published.

[ppaladin123]

2. What do I submit? What is needed in 4E in small quantities right now? Should I start small and easy with a monster suplement, or go for something grander? (I have a large collection of DM Tools, but noticed a certain large 'Toolbox' that has me trumped there ).

People on this board sometimes complain about the lack of Role play-heavy adventure modules available for 4e right now. Maybe you can do an adventure full of intrigue and skill challenges and clever puzzles that is a bit lighter on the combat than usual.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by Connorsrpg

Like many other posters here on the boards I too want to write gaming material in my spare time and hopefully get it published.

Do you already write material this is not yet published but in publishable shape?

[Connorsrpg]

Whoah...Plenty of advice there and thank you to everyone.

Just a reminder. I have been published before, but mostly short pieces (DM tools and Player Advice).

Regarding stuff that I have written - I have written several campaign settings, but realise they are not likely to see the light of day on their own. But I am sure that parts of what I wrote could easily be adapted. I am more suited to writing articles for a GM/DM rather than players.

I will check out the links above. Once again, thank you all for the replies.

Mark Do you already write material this is not yet published but in publishable shape?

Most stuff is for my own use, so lacks the explanations, but I do have 'stuff'.

Professor Pain Also, don't count out 3E, there are still plenty of companies putting out material for OGL and Pathfinder. If you have any good 3E material to submit, go ahead (again on teh Marketplace forum I see tons of calls for OGL stuff).

True. Though I have left 3rd edition behind, I do have articles that were once 'accepted' for Dragon, but then heard nothing in the changeover I am not sure these concepts will still fit with the reworked classes of Pathfinder.

C

[Jack7]

2) Become as salesman and pitch your *completed* manuscript to publishers whose business match your product.

Don't approach a publisher with a vague idea of "writing something". Whateve rit is, it needs to be specific; either it's "I'll write that specific assignment you're advertising for" or "I have a really cool product to sell to you".

Once you're known and established, you can maybe think about approaching publishers with nothing more than a concept.

For example, when running EN Publishing, I don't respond well to "I'd like to write a sci-fi product for you". I know that (a) they have no idea what my company produces, and (b) I'm one of a hundred companies they've emailed. If they approached me with something very specific to my product line (a War of the Burning Sky sourcebook, for example [or an Art Of book... hint hint to all aspiring artists out there who are inspired enough and interested enough to produce a whole load of gorgeous WotBS related art pieces) then I'd sit up straight and take an interest.

Whatever you do, NEVER approach a publisher with or advertise a secret project you can't tell them about yet. Well, unless you want to join the "prima donna never work with this person" list!

He's absolutely right. Don't waste your potential publisher's time.
Know your market, and if you don't, then that's what research is for.

But if you carefully target your queries and submissions with an interesting approach or project you can at least start to establish a relationship.

And people do business with people they think they can have a good working relationship with. They won't, if you don't.