[Wizards] Novel Submissions Chat Dec. 7th

[ragboy]

In case no one's seen this:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=books/main/chatopencall

 

[your father is]

^So I guess I missed this. Is there a transcript anywhere, or could someone share highlights?

 

[takyris]

Ditto.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

That really slipped under the radar...I'll put in a third "Transcript anyone?"

 

[Scribe Ineti]

The WizO's on the chat mentioned the transcript would be available probably sometime this coming week.

The chat was generally informative, but if you're familiar with how professional publishers handle book submissions and author contracts, there wasn't much new or important passed on. Still, the guests gave good answers.

 

[Jasnkat]

The transcript has been posted
here

Enjoy!

Jason H.

 

[takyris]

Thanks for the link!

Good stuff. They're really trying hard to make this pretty accessible. It seems clear that they're not interested in R or X-rated stuff (so none of GRRM's more explicit bits, for example), but they tried to avoid answering any specific questions about what kind of fantasy, what kind of fiction, and so on. Or rather, they DID answer them by saying, "We're looking at everything."

Also cool to hear a company that is on-the-record cool with gay content. I hadn't even thought of that as a reason my story could have been rejected (ah, San Francisco, how it blinds me), but it's nice to hear that it wouldn't be because of that.

Good luck, all!

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm curious. Mr. Archer stated that using proprietary D&D monsters would mess with your ability to keep the copyright to the work, and he gives drow as an example. But dark-skinned Elves show up in all sorts of fantasy, and even the term 'drow' is Open content. I can see 'beholders' being out, but c'mon, drow are derived from real-world myths.

I just imagine a few fanboys out there are a little put out.

 

[takyris]

If I used drow and referred to them as drow, I'd have to be pretty silly to be surprised when the people who own the term "drow" tell me that I don't own it now that I've written a story using it.

What did Feist use? Moredhel? Yeah, dark elves are owned by everyone. Drow, although OGL, is still WotC's term.

So my story about a lavender-eyed scimitar-wielding moredhel is completely safe.

 

[your father is]

It's "drow"??? All this time I thought it was "word" -- stupid dislexia!!!

p.s. Thanks for the link. I'm too into short stories right now to realize my own novel in time for the deadline, but it sure is a great opportunity. Good luck to all who enter.