ATTENTION: Story Hour in Print? (Authors and Readers, come in!)

[Lazybones]

It is a problem. Speaking for myself, I'd scrub my SH clean of Intellectual Property. Quick and easy, in my case, because the setting is not front and center in mine.

As I recall, Wulf's excellent story ran through the entire Adventure Path of modules. It would be hard to remove all references to those modules without dramatically changing the stories, and once the module is clearly identifiable in the narrative, then they have you for copyright violation.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

As I recall, Wulf's excellent story ran through the entire Adventure Path of modules. It would be hard to remove all references to those modules without dramatically changing the stories, and once the module is clearly identifiable in the narrative, then they have you for copyright violation.

Well, I respectfully disagree-- both that it would be difficult, or that there would be any concern.

Clearly, you are correct that there are plots and thematic elements endemic to the Adventure Path which would be difficult to avoid or alter, but I believe it's possible to recount the experience without using any specific trademarks or intellectual property. I don't know that one can copyright a plot or thematic element.

If I were to mention "The Forge of Fury" I would end up in the same boat as someone who sets their game in the Forgotten Realms (though you must admit the Realms are a pretty big piece of IP and WOTC's novel business).

The question is whether I am able to recount an experience my character had in a dwarven forge wherein there dwelt a dragon, and so forth.

Obviously, I wouldn't do anything without consulting a lawyer about fair use, etc. I accept the possibility that I am just flat out wrong!

EDIT: I would also like to add, without having actually read any of the modules themselves-- I am merely recounting an experience-- it would be difficult for me to infringe on anything that was actually copyrighted.

EDIT2: Of course, it's pretty clearly derivative...

Wulf

 

[dpdx]

I hate to say it, but this thing is very much circular to me, and not in a good way.

Like a lot of people here, I read quite a few books, and when I'm finished with them, they get loaned to friends, or taken back to Powell's for credit against new books. The only exception to that is resources: My 3.5 PHB; my Spanish/English dictionary, etc.

A Story Hour in print has the double disadvantage of being a printed version of something I've already read electronically. So I wouldn't buy it, and even if I did, it'd be ready to return the minute I got it. And I don't know too many friends of mine who'd be in a position to get something out of this book: they'd have to game, be within driving distance, and not already (like me) be following the SH on ENWorld.

So although it's a novel idea (pardon the pun), you'd get more mileage out of (for example) gazetteers and setting handbooks for the many great homebrew campaigns that form the basis for our favorite Story Hours. Destan's already working on this for his Ostia Prim campaign world, and I'll probably be all over that when he gets it done.

 

[Enkhidu]

You know, as D'Shai and I were writing Small Beginnings (note to self, finish the SH up using the already existing outline), we always said that all we were doing was practicing so that we could one day actually write fiction in exactly this genre and publish it. Strange.

Anyhoo - Small Beginnings isn't quite finished yet, and is already at 71K words - lightweight by y'alls standards.

 

[ConnorSB]

I would love to be published, even though most of my story hours are, well, quite rediculously short (mostly due to lack of writing time).

 

[Shaele]

RE: Publishing

I'm a reader. I'd easily pay market value to see some of my favorites published. In many cases, I'd pay /above/ market value:
- this is obviously a smaller market, and production costs will probably be higher
- an extra few dollars is a small price to pay to thank the authors for the time and effort they've packed into their stories. I already feel like I owe PirateCat, Wulf, Sep and many others a beer or two

--jeff

 

[pogre]

I'm a reader. My personal story hours were more an exercise in modelling and painting than writing.

I think Wulf's adventures could work, but I think part of the charm of the story is everyone's familiarity with the modules you were going through.

I think it is safe to say that everyone who has professional quality material on the story hour is published professionally or working on such in a different capacity. PC has Of Sound Mind. JonRog goes without saying. You have BadAxe. Destan is working on a gaming supplement for a company based on his world in his Storyhour. Sepulchrave has dodged all offers thus far AFAIK. You should sign up Black Dirge for a gaming supplement if someone has not done so already - his NPCs are the best!

As most of those folks have already written professionally - Would these folks be willing to do a significant amount of work to shape up their SHs for publication? If they are going to just proof them, I guess I would be less interested.

I voted that I would pay above average for the stories, but please no fancy covers for me. I also expect to find something extra in the books.

I think you're right about copyright issues generally. I would have to do some research, but it seems to be less of a concern than folks are suggesting here. I think a d20 license would help your product more than hurt it.

 

[Maldur]

I would love these. Esp if, as Awink said earlier, these stories have added on commentaries, gamenotes, maps etc. That would make it perfect idea mines for games. And a nice read as well

 

[Silver Moon]

I think it is an interesting idea. As stated before, most "Story Hours" are not of a professional writing standard that would merit this treatment, however three authors that come to mind who are would be Jonrog1, Piratecat and Sepulchrave. Even those would probably still require a professional editor and to also change references to proprietary things. If I were you I'd also approach WotC about obtaining some permissions from them for any D&D related stories just so you don't run into any legal trouble from them down the road.

As for my own story hours, I have no illusions as to being a professional fiction writer. I've kept a "Party Log" for my players since 1982, and my story hour is nothing more than an online version of that. For publications under my name I'll continue to stick to peer-reviewed journal articles about health care administration.

 

[Micah]

I wasn't a gamer until I read some of the story hours here.
I've spent two years lurking on the story hour forum.

And I can't decide what I'd vote on. . .


For a nice anthology

• with a leather cover that doesn't have fantasy artwork aimed at adolescent teens plastered across it.
• that highlights one or two authors by taking a major story arc in their campaign - let's say- PC's underdark, the first half of the adventures of Abernathy's company, or Lady Despina's Virtue
• add in game stats, cartography, artwork, dm's notes and "story hour exclusives" maybe madlibs, or some of the really neat commentary that happens when the players in some of the games post (obviously we don't want to see Horacio's bump a day all printed out - no offense there to the number 1 story hour addict - but enough to get a community feel.) PC could even use exerpts from the thread which must not be named. I really like the storyhour feel - and am partial to it.
• showcase another dozen of the top story hours with shorter sequences from their writings - a particularly fun adventure/module, etc. Jonrog comes to mind here - he actually doesn't have an intensly high page count, but I am hooked on his Darkmatter story.
• Make sure you don't publish a book like this more than one every 5 years. . .

And I'd probably pay anywhere from $30 - $130
and I could care less about novel-style editing - if you market it as a storyhour collection - I'd buy it for the geekish neato quality.


For a paperback marketed to hobby stores

• with enough campaign notes and supplements to help me out in a game
• especially if it is an author/game/setting that I particularly like.

I'd pay average bookstore price or maybe a little more. If it turns into a serial, I'd be really picky and less likely to buy. But then I'm not the one in the family with a bookshelf full of modules and rulebooks. So there is still hope there.


And finally this is not meant to be a slam to anyone, but there are a lot of story hours that I think are perfect in electronic format - I read them and enjoy them here. I respect the authors and the Dm's - there are a lot of neat things represented in a story hour- as well as a ton of work.

But to be totally honest the page and word counts some of you have posted are truly scarey and I'd rather not have my lunch break hobby sitting neatly bound, collecting dust, on my already too small bookshelf. Novels do compete for both my time and bookshelf.

In summary - I'd pay for The Best of ENworld Storyhours if you can capture it.