Yeah....you're the independant in the world of sell-outs.
Look, creativity is a factor that's as common as dirt in the RPG industry (though you might not know it, looking at some offerings). If you don't want to submit your setting, it's probably not a big deal. WotC is getting stuffloads of people who think probably nearly the same thing about their settings, but who are willing to do what they need to do to get published.
Sure, publish your setting independantly. I'm sure you love it deeply and all, but what makes you think I'll give a fudge? I mean, your setting suffers from the major problems of FR and Greyhawk did before they became popular: "Whoop-dee-friggin'-doo. I can do that myself."
The thing that set apart FR and GH, and even Dragonlance, were the novels. FR was virtually built on the back of two cliches: the Evil One Gone Good, and The Gandalf Wanna-Be. Greyhawk struggles (and still does struggle) with not having any easily marketable goombahs. Dragonlance was constructed as a literary world, carried on the tender lil' backs of Kender and Tinkers.
So, you're gonna produce another one all by yourself? I mean, sure, it's *possible*. But let's face it, D&D books, however successful they are, aren't nessecarily made with love or even skill. It takes something else to get even remotely successful -- something people will buy.
Frankly, I've got enough campaign ideas poppin' outta my head daily. Unless yours as something REAL special, I know I'll pass.
Even if you start as a literary work, whoop-dee-doo. There's a million Ed Greenwood Wannabes filling out the shelves with more than enough literary work and love for "their world."
Maybe I'm a bit bitter, but I'll live and die under the credo: "You're Not Special" To think you are strikes me as hubristic and naive.
I mean, you might be. But spare us the "I love myself too much." speach until *after* you've made some sort of impact. As it is, well, you're lacking in evidence.
And there's always the idea that you don't have to send in your #1 labor of love. Send in #2 or 3, sub-par as they may be. That's what I did, after all, and they have about as much chance as anything else (that is, the nearly-literal one-in-a-million) because even if I think the setting is stupendalicious, there's a fair to medling chance that I'm the only one, or one among a few.
So I'll put it out later. After #2 or 3 is out, and people want to work with me just because my campaign setting was good enough. And if that's #2, imagine what #1 could be like.
Never sell your love short. But don't be affraid to sell the things you just like a lot short.
And as for the chance for Wizards to ruin it...well, that's to be expected, to a certain extent. ^_^ I'll be given preferential treatment on writing stuff, but they'll probably put out crap. No biggie. The important thing is that my art is being appreciated by millions (or maybe just hundreds) of people around the world.
Frankly, that's the most important thing to me. Even if I didn't get paid a penny, I'd be happy to have what I think is a great idea recognized as something worthwhile to thousands of others, and maybe have characters and creatures that I've spent good creative energy on (let's face it, 100 pages is a WHOPPING amount of time and effort to write, and write well) used by other people.
After all, writing is an art, and the purpose of art (beyond anything in human nature) is to entertain, to be appreciated, to have those who see it be made somewhat happier by it.
On the off chance I get chosen and my setting gets run into the ground, I'll still be content knowing that, at least at first, I made something enjoyed by people. Fudge the revenues. That's what's important to me. And if I can't set aside my own hubris long enough to take advantage of an opportunity to maybe get a bit of recognition for my work, I've ultimately accomplished diddly squat. I'm as good as a painter with a remarkable vision he doesn't want to see cheapened by the application to the inferior medium of a canvass.
I work with what I have. What I have is a single page that could, potentially, cause some happiness somewhere down the road. I'm going to jump at it like a starving coyote on a small, unconscious child.
Okay, the analogy is unpleasant. ^_^
Forgive my ramblings, for I am ill and not in my right mind.
