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

[Morte]

Colour me odd, but whilst I would be quite prepared to pay for a few of the story hours here I actually prefer to read things on a computer screen rather than in a book. Just thought I should provide the outlying data sample...

 

[Lazybones]

If you forced me to make a decision today, here's what I would do:

I'd publish Piratecat's Story Hour as a single volume.

I'd buy that, at standard paperback novel prices (what is it today, nine bucks? Or is "trade paperback" the bigger ones for fifteen... I can never keep the two varieties straight).

 

[Felikeries]

personaly the idea of a smaller form print page lacks merit

paperback books with a 4x7 in is a poor way to present these stories

a 6x10,or more with this style allows more incorperation into the RPG atmoshphere

also the stats etc,should be considered as a pre-section before first chapter

however footnotes could be asorted iether by page or chapter with information about spells,damage etc that took place

as well as a midevil form of font,or at least less mundane than most should be a crucial factor,as well as covers should be formatted as non character artwork,becuase of readers making a focus for their own RPG imagination,a place might be better,or even some RPG interest items screened into it as well


'check my new Final Fantasy system'
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=80651

 

[Lela]

That's probably a good way to go Wulf. Essentially a small market test with the work most likely to succeed.

Were it a larger book, I'd say to go with sidebars instead of footnotes. Like with the Collectors Dragonlance. But, if I'm picturing the trade paper backs right, footnotes are probably best.

Edit: There'd probably need to be an Intro page or two that helps readers who aren't also players, of which we'll likely get a few, to know some of the differences between this book and other fantasy novels. That would help reduce people who get confused and simply throw it in a closet or drop it at a used book store.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

a 6x10,or more with this style allows more incorperation into the RPG atmoshphere

Well, I do have some experience in the 6x9 format. I guess books in this format will look like the Cthulhu Cycle books from Chaosium, which is also appealing for its own reasons.

That may in fact be the best way to go, since "game fiction" in that format has been trailblazed by Chaosium. It will certainly help retailers know where to stock them in their store.


Wulf

 

[drnuncheon]

...thrilled as I would be by the idea, I figure I better explain my "I'd never publish mine" - it's simply because I use too much of other people's stuff. The legal issues would be way too sticky since I'm using characters created by Green Ronin, Monte Cook, stuff that's not in the SRD.

Were it completely original, I'd jump at the chance.

J

 

[Zaruthustran]

Well, I do have some experience in the 6x9 format. I guess books in this format will look like the Cthulhu Cycle books from Chaosium, which is also appealing for its own reasons.

That may in fact be the best way to go, since "game fiction" in that format has been trailblazed by Chaosium. It will certainly help retailers know where to stock them in their store.


Wulf

Plus, look at the old "Darksword Adventures" book as a guidleline for what *not* to do. It was a game-and-fiction book published in typical paperback format. Hard to read, impossible to leave open on a table... ugh.

Based on your earlier description it sounds like you want to publish a mini-campaign setting of Piratecat's world--with a *really* long piece of introductory fiction.

I think that's a terrific idea.

Include the Iconics (the heroes of the story hour at various stages of development), the cosmology, history, geography--all stuff already mostly written by Piratecat. Include notes on P-cat's famous DM style, including how he goes about writing and running adventures. Maybe include a few of his Ceramic DM entries as a free web supplement.

I'd buy that.

One more note on the honor system concept: you can use this to help fund your project. If the authors don't want to accept personal donations/if the goal is not $ but the neato factor of being in print, then I'd like to pay money towards the publication of a book. Not as an investment (I don't expect or want any return) but as a gift/thank you for the hours of entertainment.

To make it work you could include in the "Acknowledgments" section the name of any person who contributed $10 or more toward publication. That way readers are involved in the project itself, instead of just consumers.

I bet it'd work, and it'd certainly help you achieve your definition of success (breaking even).

-z

PS: Again, I can help with feature placement on Amazon.

EDIT: Er, that's "Darksword", not "Darksun".

 

[Rackhir]

At the risk of opening a can of worms, with a bit of rewriting might not Sep's stuff make for a better first attempt at publishing a novel? Aside from the very early posts, it is written in more of a novelistic style. Also I think it actually would have the fewest IP issues since so much of the campaign and the creatures are home grown and it is the most plot driven of the story hours that I've read (a limited number admittedly). From what I've seen consistantly over the past year or so is that many people keep posting that they would like to purchase a copy. Something I have only seen sporadically with other story hours, including Pkitty's.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

At the risk of opening a can of worms, with a bit of rewriting might not Sep's stuff make for a better first attempt at publishing a novel?

A purely academic question, unless Sep weighs in here!

Wulf

 

[Rackhir]

I've posted a link to this thread in "The Mésalliance" and asked Sep to weigh in. But I don't think he logs on much if he's not posting, so it may well be a week or two before he notices.