Some questions...

[Jürgen Hubert]

I've got a pet setting that I've developed over the past year (and which I'm still developing), and I plan to get it published one day. I've decided that e-publishing is probably the safest way to do this - while there are a few self-publishing schemes for RPG print products around (like Gold Rush Games' "Eureka!" program), I don't intend this to be too much of a money sink (I've heard that there is some mythical critter called "profit", but I wouldn't want to place any bets on actually seeing it... ). So on to my questions...

- What program to you recommend for creating PDF files? I don't paying a bit for a decent program, but I don't have much of a budget right now, either...

- What does it cost to hire an editor? I probably can't afford someone who does this for a living, but I do someone who catches most of the inevitable grammar and spelling errors. English isn't my native language, after all...

 

[maransreth]

You need to use something like Adobe Acrobat, preferably a layout program like Adobe FrameMaker or the like.

As for editors, I'm free. I have some experience, mainly in foreign English speakers and rendering it into recognisable English and getting spelling and grammar correct. As I have only really worked for free pdfs, thus no pay, I am not sure of the going rate. However some publishers, Bastion Press for example, state how much they pay for editors.

 

[Wycen]

I've only used Adobe Acrobat myself, but here is a free pdf maker. I believe other free versions can be found using google.

http://www.pdf995.com/

 

[DaveStebbins]

Some options for low- and no-cost PDF production were mentioned in this thread on the software forum:
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=60593

My contribution to that thread was a link to an article at PC Magazine's website which compared about a dozen software options:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1194144,00.asp

Hope this helps.
-Dave

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

As for editors, I'm free. I have some experience, mainly in foreign English speakers and rendering it into recognisable English and getting spelling and grammar correct.

I'll keep that in mind if I ever get that far.

Thanks for the help, everyone.

 

[jmucchiello]

I've got a pet setting that I've developed over the past year (and which I'm still developing), and I plan to get it published one day.

There are a couple hitches you should be aware of. I browsed your pet setting and without special permission from Wizards, you cannot use Yuan-ti in an OGL project. Likewise, Epic Spellcasting is not in the SRD. Since both seem pretty central to your setting, you may want to rethink them. (Although you can hope that Epic Spellcasting gets released someday, you should not expect Yuan-ti to be opened up.)

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

There are a couple hitches you should be aware of. I browsed your pet setting and without special permission from Wizards, you cannot use Yuan-ti in an OGL project. Likewise, Epic Spellcasting is not in the SRD. Since both seem pretty central to your setting, you may want to rethink them. (Although you can hope that Epic Spellcasting gets released someday, you should not expect Yuan-ti to be opened up.)

Yes, I'm aware of that - the relevant sections are from a time before the yuan-ti were removed from the SRD. I've got a substitute species planned that is, if anything, more creepy, but that will require a major effort - and currently I don't have the time for it. Look for it in early October...

(The mind flayers have been removed as well, I believe...)

There have been rumors for quite some time that Epic Spellcasting will be released into the SRD some day. I hope that happens soon... but I'm not going to publish it until this issue becomes clear one way or another.

 

[HellHound]

Andy Smith confirmed that Epic Spellcasting is in the ELH material that he has prepped for release in the new SRD.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Andy Smith confirmed that Epic Spellcasting is in the ELH material that he has prepped for release in the new SRD.

That's a relief.

Any word on the release date?