tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47 
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 10, 2015 22:31:45 GMT
I've been thinking of self-publishing some of my settings and adventures. Does anyone have advice on doing this?
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Post by Chris Goodwin on Jan 10, 2015 22:51:36 GMT
Christopher Taylor would be a good one to ask.
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 11, 2015 1:14:38 GMT
Thanks. I got some advice in the OD&D forums as well, but I want to get opinions/advice from the HERO crowd, especially since I'm thinking of publishing my hard SF game. Generic or system-specific?
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 11, 2015 19:59:58 GMT
Perhaps I should give out a free adventure for some publicity and a sample of my work.
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Post by shelleycm on Jan 15, 2015 4:20:15 GMT
I've been thinking of self-publishing some of my settings and adventures. Does anyone have advice on doing this? I hate to sound all publisher-y, but do you have a platform? A blog, a Twitter base, that sort of thing? Self-publishing on, say, Amazon is REALLY easy (I did it with some old blog posts about practicing law) but you have to get people to find it and that takes getting people to review it--I did it primarily just to have something to buy on my old blog (although I think, over time, more people just tossed money in my tip jar than I made via Amazon). As for promotion, I really didn't. I think once a month I'd mention it on Twitter and I'd get a few sales that way. But again: it was never my goal to make much money with it, so I got out of it what I put in. Best of luck!! Shelley |
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 15, 2015 4:56:41 GMT
That's good advice, thanks, Shelley. I don't have that currently, but I can easily get one. I'm currently going over my work and trying to finish it.
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Post by CRTaylor on Jan 19, 2015 17:30:20 GMT
Yeah, its easy these days to get your stuff published, but sales are another matter entirely. You need fans and people interested in your work that will boost it, mention it to others, and help you get noticed.
You'll need some way to convert your files to pdf, although many online services will do that for you. Once you have a pdf file you're set for online publishing, and you can use print on demand services like Createspace and Lulu for hard copies. Sites such as Drive in RPG will put your e-book on their internet shelf for a small slice of the profits as well.
Mostly you need to have really good editing, a very nice, striking cover, and a platform to reach out and get sales. The sales and marketing are the absolute hardest part, I think.
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 19, 2015 21:21:52 GMT
Thanks Chris. Definitely I'm working on stuff like that. A couple of folks on the HERO boards said they're willing to help with the editing. I'll figure out a way to turn my stuff into PDF form.
I don't have art for my setting. Maybe I can find some public domain images. Difficult to find that for hard SF.
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Post by CRTaylor on Jan 27, 2015 16:50:24 GMT
These guys have some nice products, including a program that lets MS office products print into PDF files, I find that useful www.pdf995.com/ |
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Jan 28, 2015 0:21:20 GMT
Thanks again, Chris. Definitely useful.
As for art, how well do products without it do?
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Post by CRTaylor on Jan 30, 2015 22:46:24 GMT
I don't know. Since people buy pdf files sight unseen (for the most part, with small previews), it might not be a major issue, but it probably would affect reviews and word of mouth. People like art.
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Feb 1, 2015 1:12:05 GMT
I found a few public domain works, thanks to some suggestions on the Hero Boards. L. Marcus was nice enough to lend me some of his art. Christougher said he'd take a look at the written stuff and edit.
Of course, I will give full credit to all the folks who helped me
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Feb 13, 2015 1:37:50 GMT
Doing some rewriting. Changed the font as my proofreader said Courier made her eyes bleed. Made a list of things to add to the book.
Any ideas for a title? I'm drawing a blank on this one.
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Post by CRTaylor on Feb 19, 2015 5:06:42 GMT
Yeah avoid Courier. Use something like Garamond or Georgia, something similar to that, so it doesn't look like it was printed on a dot matrix printer.
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tkdguy
Double Digit Master
Posts: 47
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Post by tkdguy on Feb 19, 2015 7:34:11 GMT
Should I go with a font that has a serif?
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