My conscience stopped me from submitting.

[Green Knight]

but Jessie and I realize that both of our settings have certain traits that would be undesirable to WotC (namely Judeo-Christianity as religions in the setting).

Well, here's hoping that you're wrong about that, because my setting is HEAVY with Judeo-Christian elements.

Anyway, unlike you folks, I haven't gone anywhere as far with my setting as you obviously have with yours, so I don't have the same feeling. It's just an idea that's been bouncing around my head for a long time that I finally put to paper.

Though I think I'm gonna have to be checking out those Story Hour's. I only follow 1, as I don't like jumping into a Story Hour from the middle, but I think my diet of Story Hour's will be increasing to 3.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I'm not in your shoes, but I can understand your point of view.

 

[Mongoose_Matt]

I have to say Ryan, speaking as a publisher, that if you want to 'make it' as a writer, you have to lose this attitude - Lizard has the right idea.

There are no 'golden' settings (or supplements, or rulebooks) out there, no matter how much you and yours think of your work. A good writer needs to be able to turn out not just one good idea, but several. He needs to work hard with all the material he has and learn how to reshape, redraft and repackage all his ideas.

The idea of a professional writer turning away work because of some creative issues is a little laughable - writers get paid little enough as it is and need to grab every project they possibly can while they are still around. He also needs to learn to write, not just what he likes, but what publishers are after.

So, redress your setting, make it a WotC winner, and submit it. There is only one person you are doing a dis-service to if you don't. . .

 

[phoamslinger]

actually RW, my thought on this was that if my world idea doesn't win, that's ok.

if you think about it, FR, DL, and WoT all started as individual works of fiction which were later adapted into full blown campaign worlds.

if my idea sells, that's fine. but if it doesn't, I'm going to look into using the OGL to publish some fiction/novels with my world as a basis (because even though it was an idea out of the blue, it was an AWESOME creative idea).

and if I can get my stuff published and it takes off, that would be just as good (at least for me).

 

[Morrus]

I have a slightly different persepective on it. I see anything that WotC publishes as being entirely separate to the labour-of-love campaign in which you play. The moment you send your proposal off, the two settings have diverged. WotC will publish one, which has nothing to do with you, and you'll carry on moulding your own homebrew version. If it really matters to you, just change the setting's name when you send it off.

 

[Ulrick]

I have to side with Ranger Wickett on this one.

I, too, have my own campaign setting. I've been working on it for a good 9 years (!) now. Yeah, there's a lot of handwritten notes and the like, but I do have stuff typed up for it.

When I sat down at the computer and began typing out that one page submission, I realized I had something as good as gold. I couldn't part with it. And to take elements from it and change it would cheapen it.

Then I figured that with some business savvy and good marketing I could make money off my creation, not somebody else. So, maybe I'll be coming out with my own gaming company...

Obviously this is something I'll be thinking about for a while. I would certainly like to share this world with people, but not lose the rights to it...even for $120,000. And I know that starting a business and running one requires time. I know, I already own one.

We shall see.

Ulrick

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

That 120k would so much more for me and my family than a great setting ever would. So no, I can't understand your point of view.

 

[d12]

Ryan, all I can say is "Bravo!"

 

[Femerus the Gnecro]

Aren't you being just the slightest bit immodest about this?

Despite the quality of your writing, the chance of your setting being chosen (due more to sheer volume rather than anything else) are slim to none. Didn't you consider the fact that you might very well not be chosen?

Your post sounds as though you decided not to submit because, once you won of course, that you would have issues giving away the rights to your 'labor of love' setting.

Give me a break. You have nothing to lose by submitting to the first round, including your creative rights. You only lose your creative rights to the product if you actually make it to round 2 and decide to pursue the project. There's nothing to stop you from simply bowing out graciously in round 2 if you feel that your precious work is in danger of being sullied by WoTC.

 

[Ulrick]

That 120k would so much more for me and my family than a great setting ever would. So no, I can't understand your point of view.

If you're speaking to me, then here's my response:

That $120k is only a short term benefit. Yes, I could use it too. And I would except $120,000 if it was given to me. But is it still a short term benefit. Once you spend it, its gone. I'd rather be doing something that would set me up for the long term. That is, I turn down this kind of money in favor of generating residual or passive income from a business.

I'd rather keep my setting, market it, and make money of it, rather than sell it to some company for only a small amount compared to the money the company would make off of it.

Ulrick