Getting into print.

[Vaxalon]

Okay, so I have this really cool product. Nothing else like it out there.

Writing: Check. Manuscript is 95% done.

Art: Check. Art is about 50% done, and plans are in place to finish the rest. Kick-butt artist, a cut above most of the game art out there.

Layout: Check. Layout expert is ready to start as soon as earlier phases are complete.

Print: ??? No money. Not going to happen on MY budget.

Distribution: From what I understand, even if I *DID* have money for printing, getting the thing distributed would be next to impossible.

Now, I know about e-publishing, and I have that aspect handled as a backup plan. My real goal, though, is to sell this thing to one of the big boys to take to print, who can get it distributed.

I've sent proposals to all of the major labels I can find on the D20 publisher lists. My question now is... any advice?

 

[Mystic Eye]

May I refer you to our cover to cover services? Here is the link:

Cover 2 Cover

 

[Vaxalon]

That sounds good, Doug... just what I'm looking for.

The question is, if I hand MEG a finished layout, ready to take to print, would they be paying me for the right to print and distribute it, or would I be paying them for the service?

The website wasn't really clear on that.

 

[Flyspeck23]

The website wasn't really clear on that.

Actually, it is:

You can mix and match any of these features so you can get the highest quality work done for the best prices.

It´s a pretty cool feature MEG got running there. And if the only things you need is printing and distribution, then that´s all.
That makes sense - because you´ve got to pay for anything

 

[Vaxalon]

That makes sense - because you´ve got to pay for anything

Well, as it stands, any publisher that prints my work is going to have to pay me for the right to do it... because I don't have the money to pay them for the service of printing it. If it comes down to "vanity press" I'll just have to settle for e-publishing because that's all I have the money for right now.

It's a great service, and for people who want something on the order of a "vanity press" it's going to get some people into print who wouldn't ordinarily get there. But I don't know if it'll work for me right now.

 

[Wulf Ratbane]

Email me, and we'll talk. I am always willing to entertain "turn-key" products from outside writers.

ben@badaxegames.com

 

[Vaxalon]

Email me, and we'll talk.

Will do.

 

[jgbrowning]

Well, as it stands, any publisher that prints my work is going to have to pay me for the right to do it... because I don't have the money to pay them for the service of printing it. If it comes down to "vanity press" I'll just have to settle for e-publishing because that's all I have the money for right now.

It's a great service, and for people who want something on the order of a "vanity press" it's going to get some people into print who wouldn't ordinarily get there. But I don't know if it'll work for me right now.

Well first, from what i've picked up in this industry from my short time here "vanity press" is a pretty strong insult. I'm assuming you're not insulting Hal, just generally assuming any situation where you pay someone else to publish your work as a vanity press. Just a word of caution about language choice in case you weren't aware of the strong negative connotations.

But from the other side of things you have to understand what Hal's doing. You're paying them to take care of things you don't/can't take care of yourself. That's what your paying for. You're also paying for their connections, and everyone knows that connections are what business is all about. Also, unlike normal situations they won't have recourse to your work... they won't own it.

Example: ME. I've got a great PDF, sold over 170 copies and is 45th alltime at RPGnow.com after 3weeks (and its a $10 PDF, very expensive product for that market) and I'm having problems getting distrubution to your FLGS. We (my wife and i) had a long talk about what we wanted to do and decided against Cover2Cover based upon our end goals. We only decided against it because we're insular self-reliant people who enjoy challenges. * The service MEG is providing is a valuable one, but not right for everyone.

The main difference is whether or not you want to be the publisher of your book or just the author. If you want to be the publisher you'd better come up with print run money, PR, distribution channels, web site, sell sheets, blah blah blah that comes along with it. If you just want to be an author, your right to your works are going to be hard to keep.

Its this problem that Cover 2 Cover takes care of. If MEG doesn't have what you'd like to do, you have to find that print money.

joe b.

*Translate as "we like the pain."

 

[Drawmack]

Well, as it stands, any publisher that prints my work is going to have to pay me for the right to do it... because I don't have the money to pay them for the service of printing it. If it comes down to "vanity press" I'll just have to settle for e-publishing because that's all I have the money for right now.

It's a great service, and for people who want something on the order of a "vanity press" it's going to get some people into print who wouldn't ordinarily get there. But I don't know if it'll work for me right now.

I think it works on a royalties thing. You work on royalties instead of commission.

 

[Vaxalon]

Well first, from what i've picked up in this industry from my short time here "vanity press" is a pretty strong insult.

I'm sorry, I had no idea. I will refrain from using the term in the future.

But from the other side of things you have to understand what Hal's doing. You're paying them to take care of things you don't/can't take care of yourself. That's what your paying for.

I understand that.

...The main difference is whether or not you want to be the publisher of your book or just the author. If you want to be the publisher you'd better come up with print run money, PR, distribution channels, web site, sell sheets, blah blah blah that comes along with it. If you just want to be an author, your right to your works are going to be hard to keep.

I understand that too. To start with, I want to be the author. I know that it's hard for an author to keep the rights to what he writes. That's okay with me. I have kids, I have a full time job, I figure if someone else does the things that I can't do, then I have more time to do the things I like to do... like writing.

Its this problem that Cover 2 Cover takes care of. If MEG doesn't have what you'd like to do, you have to find that print money.

Or else find a publisher willing to take the risk.