Getting PDF's reviewed

[tensen]

Just don't send out comp. copies willy nilly without asking. Many people you send it to can't (like in my case, as I can't read PDFs on my computer without it crashing) or are too busy (as Joe said, they take longer to review than print products, since they take longer and are harder to read).

Luckily with RPGNOW you are only sending out a link that is an invitation to download the file, and not the actual file. otherwise I'd imagine getting a huge unsolicited and unexpected email would be bothersome.

You wouldn't believe how many times artists drive me nuts by sending a large amount of graphics to my email... especially when I have to download it via a dialup connection.

 

[Morrus]

Yeah - back when I was on dial-up, I used to open Outlook, and suddenly find my internet connection completely used up for half an hour to an hour while some random, unsolicited PDF came through. I couldn't choose not to download it, because then I wouldn't get the emails after it. So, I'd sit there, thinking "Well, I'd like to post today's news, but it's gonna have to wait....."

 

[yangnome]

OK, given that a large part of the problem seems to be with pdf readability/the reviewer spending their own money to print the pdf, is there a better solution? Would it perhaps encourage teh reviewer to review the copy faster if once agreeing to review the product, the publisher sent the reviewer a print version of the pdf (say printed and comb bound at kinkos) along with a link to the pdf? As long as reviewers followed through on their end of the committment, I can't imagine that being too cost prohibative.

 

[Crothian]

double post

 

[Crothian]

I wouldn't be against getting a printed out version of the pdf as well as the file. I'm still trying to get out from undera small pile that I got last year. So, reviews are coming steady if perhaps a bit slow. Last fall I had a period of incredible slowness with a death in the family, grandmother had a stroke, and I moved; and then the holiday season hit.

As of now I'm getting reviews done within a month (normally shorter) of when I get the product for the new year. And I'm slowly working on the backlog from last year.

 

[Jraynack]

As of now I'm getting reviews done within a month (normally shorter) of when I get the product for the new year. And I'm slowly working on the backlog from last year.

Hey Crothian,

We completely understand since there are a slew of .pdf products on the market. That is why I stressed patience to new publishers (as being one ourselves; 8 months old). Just keep up the good work!

It also seems for reading this post, however, that .pdf publishers have to win over reviewers as well as customers to see that a good .pdf product is a great alternative to print products.

We have developed the strategy: What can we provide the customer with a .pdf that cannot be supplied with a print product? We have come up with some great answers to this question. Though we cannot reveal just what we have come up with yet, our future products (especially our upcoming adventures) will showcase this strategy.

In order for the .pdf industry to grow, publishers need to begin thinking outside the box in order to blow reviewers and our customers away. Once this happens, reviewers will possibly review .pdf products over print products and passed the word on to our perspective and valued consumers.

Joshua Raynack
Alea Publishing Group

Makers of the popular A Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights and A Question of Loyalty: A Guidebook to Military Orders

 

[Axegrrl]

OK, given that a large part of the problem seems to be with pdf readability/the reviewer spending their own money to print the pdf, is there a better solution?

Might I suggest designing the PDF to be read onscreen as well as in hard copy? Clean fonts, good graphics resolution, and even a good default magnification (i.e., 100% rather than "fit page on screen") all make it easier for someone to read a PDF online. Another thing that may help: include bookmarks. Any reviewer is unlikely to be able to read an entire PDF without interruption. Adding bookmarks makes it easier to return to a particular chapter or section.

Just a few ideas from someone who's done PDF creation for software manuals.

 

[Jraynack]

Might I suggest designing the PDF to be read onscreen as well as in hard copy? Clean fonts, good graphics resolution, and even a good default magnification (i.e., 100% rather than "fit page on screen") all make it easier for someone to read a PDF online. Another thing that may help: include bookmarks.

I cannot agree with you more. I believe that, as e-publishers primarily using .pdfs, we should constantly be using the same basic techniques such as bookmarking and hyperlinking. In order for the .pdf industry to grow our potential consumers must be able to rely on consistency.

If you want to impress the consumer, you must impress the reviewer. First and foremost, if you impress the reviewer with such basics along with well-written material and content (art, layout, etc.), they will want to review the next product you release.

Our first (and unfortunately only) review was by Gamewyrd. And although we were on the whole impressed with what he had to say about our product A Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights (. . . innovative, great maps, professional), we failed to do the basic (bookmark and hyperlink) and docked us off 2 points from his score (a 10-point based system) because when looking at .pdfs, Gamewyrd specifically looks for that.

Well, we took his criticism and put out a revised version ofA Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights that is hyperlinked and bookmarked (once we learned how to do it; which it is quite easy) among other changes. We feel that overall it is a better product thanks to his suggestions, however we all stuck with a 6/10 rating (he has yet to review the revised version) that roughly translates to a 3/5 version using a Enworld rating (which Gamewyrd has questioned this system).

So, in conclusion, take the extra time to do the basics and stay ontop of the game with newer versions of Adobe for sometime "you don't get a second chance to get a first impression."

Joshua Raynack
Alea Publishing Group

Makers of the popular A Question of Honor: A Guidebook to Knights and A Question of Loyalty: A Guidebook to Military Orders

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

OK, given that a large part of the problem seems to be with pdf readability/the reviewer spending their own money to print the pdf, is there a better solution? Would it perhaps encourage teh reviewer to review the copy faster if once agreeing to review the product, the publisher sent the reviewer a print version of the pdf (say printed and comb bound at kinkos) along with a link to the pdf? As long as reviewers followed through on their end of the committment, I can't imagine that being too cost prohibative.

A better idea is to take the time and set up a POD for the product via RPGmall. This gives you the following benefits:

1.) a far more professional look, thanks to using better paper stock and binding compared to the overpriced results you'd get at kinko's. For the amount you'd pay at kinko's for 100 copies over time, you could buy all the equipment you'd need to produce "kinkos-quality" hard copies yourself.

2.) a print product is available for buyer's who'd rather pay more for the book on paper than pay less for the book on file.

3.) a stock of comp copies that you can not only use to entice reviews, but they also work well as samples sent to distributors once you're ready to do a traditional print run of the product. They also work well to provide stock to sell at conventions, too.

 

[jmucchiello]

I cannot agree with you more. I believe that, as e-publishers primarily using .pdfs, we should constantly be using the same basic techniques such as bookmarking and hyperlinking. In order for the .pdf industry to grow our potential consumers must be able to rely on consistency.

If you want to impress the consumer, you must impress the reviewer. First and foremost, if you impress the reviewer with such basics along with well-written material and content (art, layout, etc.), they will want to review the next product you release.

In my experience you should care far more about it being well-written with solid mechanics and good layout. After that bookmarking is necessary but you don't have to go overboard. Hyperlinking is not as important. For the amount of money you make on each PDF, it is hard to justify the hours spent hyperlinking. Nobody is going to buy your book because the reviewer said it had great bookmarks and hyperlinking. Ultimately lack of bm and hl can only reduce you for not following proper PDF etiquette. But bm and hl cannot raise bad material to greater review value.

And I don't think bm and hl will grow the PDF market in any way, shape or form. People are not complaining "Well I would buy PDFs but they don't have hyperlinks."