Alas, "Faerie Tale" has been shot down by the folks at Paizo.
Y'know Steve, for as much as I like and respect you - I hate the way you think. "Garden of Wonders" is still sitting in the black hole just crawling with twisted-Alice-in-Wonderland-goodness, but I can see it now:
"Erik Mona da Big Cheese wrote:
And no more fairy tales those are as likely to get rejected as non-Eberron(sp?), undead, half-dragon, pirate, borg stories. I mean can't you guys do something original for a change?" ;)
G-to-the-3
Alas, "Faerie Tale" has been shot down by the folks at Paizo.Y'know Steve, for as much as I like and respect you - I hate the way you think. "Garden of Wonders" is still sitting in the black hole just crawling with twisted-Alice-in-Wonderland-goodness, but I can see it now:
"Erik Mona da Big Cheese wrote:
And no more fairy tales those are as likely to get rejected as non-Eberron(sp?), undead, half-dragon, pirate, borg stories. I mean can't you guys do something original for a change?" ;)G-to-the-3
You like and respect me? Cool! So you had one like this, too, huh. At least I think that's what you're saying... right?
"Erik Mona da Big Cheese wrote:
And no more fairy tales those are as likely to get rejected as non-Eberron(sp?), undead, half-dragon, pirate, borg stories. I mean can't you guys do something original for a change?" ;)
Hmmm, I believe that the vampiric half-dragon pirate sorceress named Alice and her faithful drones will make a well-deserved comeback in 2006. At least if my sources are to be believed ;>
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest (2006)
Yay! Got my rejection last night.
Now, to take some of the intervening ideas, work them up incorporating the modest, but much-appreciated feedback, and rock'em next time.
Or something.
Alas, "Faerie Tale" has been shot down by the folks at Paizo.Y'know Steve, for as much as I like and respect you - I hate the way you think. "Garden of Wonders" is still sitting in the black hole just crawling with twisted-Alice-in-Wonderland-goodness, but I can see it now:
"Erik Mona da Big Cheese wrote:
And no more fairy tales those are as likely to get rejected as non-Eberron(sp?), undead, half-dragon, pirate, borg stories. I mean can't you guys do something original for a change?" ;)G-to-the-3
Well, hopefully Erik never utters such words. Sorry to cramp your style. You know what they say about great minds thinking alike... IMO, there should always be twisted, well-written fairy tale adventures in D&D (and Dungeon).
BTW, I think the rest of the aspiring authors that haunt this thread might get a kick out of this comic by Mortellan. It's pretty apt social commentary...
http://www.greyhawkonline.com/wogcomic/title/wogstrip23a.htm
ROFL!!!
Would that be an artist's rendition of Erik Mona? :P
ROFL!!!
Would that be an artist's rendition of Erik Mona? :P
http://images.google.nl/images?q=erik%20mona&hl=nl&lr=&sa=N& ;tab=wi
seems accurate, in a very version 1.0 kinda way ;>
Editors probably need the multitasking feat.
Alas, "Faerie Tale" has been shot down by the folks at Paizo.Y'know Steve, for as much as I like and respect you - I hate the way you think. "Garden of Wonders" is still sitting in the black hole just crawling with twisted-Alice-in-Wonderland-goodness, but I can see it now:
"Erik Mona da Big Cheese wrote:
And no more fairy tales those are as likely to get rejected as non-Eberron(sp?), undead, half-dragon, pirate, borg stories. I mean can't you guys do something original for a change?" ;)G-to-the-3
My adventure "Vidar and the Biomatter Axis" loosely based on Jack and the Beanstalk was rejected as well. It would probably be good advice to say-avoid using fairy tale themes in your adventure. My rejection was a form letteresque response so I do not know the official Paizo stance on the subject.
Creative Director
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Fairy Tales are great sources for inspiration. They don't necessarily make great direct sources for adventures though. Keep in mind that we vastly prefer adventures that are "world neutral" or that are tied to established WotC campaign worlds like Greyhawk, Forgotten Realms, or Eberron. I'm crazy enough even to say we won't automatically reject Mystara adventures or Spelljammer adventures.
Adventures based too closely on well-known faerie tales, famous legends (like King Arthur), or famous works of art (like "Hamlet" or "Beowulf") are extremely difficult to get into print. If you want to do a D&D version of something like this, your chances of being published vastly improve if you use the original source as loose inspiration rather than a script. I know that Dungeon's printed adventures like this before, but the magazine's current philosophy is to treat such proposals with a skeptical eye.
Of course, if there's a huge cry for adventures based on classic literature, well, I'm prepared to revise these philosophies.
Reading everyone else's posts on this thread is both comforting and inspiring to know that despite facing possible rejections on submissions, you all have the emotional fortitude to continue on to see your intellectual works published in an established and well known magazine.
Hopefully sometime this autumn I will be able to work out a possible working schedule between my various responsibilities to submit a proper adventure. Funny, the #1 consumer of my free time is my responsibilities as a GM/DM to provide adventures for my players and make sure they have a good time. If I did not accepted the position as GM/DM, I would surely have the free time to write out numerous adventures...but then I would not have the experience to judge whether or not it would be suitable to send to Dungeon. Cannot have one without the other, ;)
Keep on working hard and have fun crafting those adventures! Without your hard work, the rest of us would simply struggle to even run a game, much less offer a night of good fun for our friends at the gaming table. :)
CB out.
Reading everyone else's posts on this thread is both comforting and inspiring to know that despite facing possible rejections on submissions, you all have the emotional fortitude to continue on to see your intellectual works published in an established and well known magazine.
Hopefully sometime this autumn I will be able to work out a possible working schedule between my various responsibilities to submit a proper adventure. Funny, the #1 consumer of my free time is my responsibilities as a GM/DM to provide adventures for my players and make sure they have a good time. If I did not accepted the position as GM/DM, I would surely have the free time to write out numerous adventures...but then I would not have the experience to judge whether or not it would be suitable to send to Dungeon. Cannot have one without the other, ;)
Keep on working hard and have fun crafting those adventures! Without your hard work, the rest of us would simply struggle to even run a game, much less offer a night of good fun for our friends at the gaming table. :)
CB out.
CB -
We try very dilligently, but I never claimed to have free time. I really don't. I often do my writing for an extra hour at night, or during my lunch hour at work. Occassionally my husband is away for an evening or part of a day on a weekend, and I'll write then as well.
That may be why I've been working on more Campaign Workbook and Critical Threat articles recently... they're short and I don't need as much background info to write them, so I can churn one out in a couple hours of diligent typing and number crunching. I expect Jeremy hates that by now, since they land on his desk (or in his email box).
- Ashavan (note the new avatar... there were too many people with the jester avatar... I was getting to the point where I couldn't find my posts!)
On another note: I get the distinct impression that adventure queries are evaluated more often (every 3-4 months) than the campaign workbook articles, is this true?
On another note: I get the distinct impression that adventure queries are evaluated more often (every 3-4 months) than the campaign workbook articles, is this true?
Darkjoy -
I expect you're going to need Jeremy to return before you get an answer on this one... think good thoughts about bumping the question in a week when he gets back from San Diego.
- Ashavan
On another note: I get the distinct impression that adventure queries are evaluated more often (every 3-4 months) than the campaign workbook articles, is this true?
Darkjoy, this is distinctly not my experience, and I've had a few Campaign Workbooks published lately, with another one coming up in issue #128.
Jeremy Walker is the guy who picks out the CW's, and from what I can tell, he has a folderful of manuscripts on his computer which he digs into whenever he needs to fill out the content for a new issue or two. I suspect that these manuscripts have already been through a slush-culling process, and I couldn't tell you how often Jeremy trawls the slush, as these things tend to vary wildly depending on an editor's workload.
To put it another way, I've never had a CW article explicitly *rejected* yet, even though several of the ones I've submitted (like the 'Intelligent Magic Items' Cast article) are unlikely to ever see print.
Jeremy Walker is the guy who picks out the CW's, and from what I can tell, he has a folderful of manuscripts on his computer which he digs into whenever he needs to fill out the content for a new issue or two. I suspect that these manuscripts have already been through a slush-culling process, and I couldn't tell you how often Jeremy trawls the slush, as these things tend to vary wildly depending on an editor's workload.
To put it another way, I've never had a CW article explicitly *rejected* yet, even though several of the ones I've submitted (like the 'Intelligent Magic Items' Cast article) are unlikely to ever see print.
Alec -
I also get this feeling. I think Jeremy probably holds on to anything he might possibly be able to use, since Campaign Workbooks and Critical Threats represent monthly features for which they are often in need of material.
Intelligent Magic Items for a cast article eh? I like that. Wish I'd thought of it first.
- Ashavan
To put it another way, I've never had a CW article explicitly *rejected* yet, even though several of the ones I've submitted (like the 'Intelligent Magic Items' Cast article) are unlikely to ever see print.
That's interesting. . . I have a bunch of half finished ideas and a slew of notes for more CWs, but I've not been working on them lately. I've been waiting for rejections or acceptances from 9 I've currently submitted, stubbornly looking for feedback, notes, etc. Based on what Alex is saying, which makes sense, I think I'll go ahead and try to get more going in the next couple months.
Thanks for the tip!
Jeremy Walker is the guy who picks out the CW's, and from what I can tell, he has a folderful of manuscripts on his computer which he digs into whenever he needs to fill out the content for a new issue or two. I suspect that these manuscripts have already been through a slush-culling process, and I couldn't tell you how often Jeremy trawls the slush, as these things tend to vary wildly depending on an editor's workload.
To put it another way, I've never had a CW article explicitly *rejected* yet, even though several of the ones I've submitted (like the 'Intelligent Magic Items' Cast article) are unlikely to ever see print.
Alec -
I also get this feeling. I think Jeremy probably holds on to anything he might possibly be able to use, since Campaign Workbooks and Critical Threats represent monthly features for which they are often in need of material.
Intelligent Magic Items for a cast article eh? I like that. Wish I'd thought of it first.
- Ashavan
Alec, I think I recall your name attached to articles in #118 and #119. (Those articles actually served as a reference/starting point for my articles)
So the new strategy is: write more and better articles that will end up inside Jeremy's computer.
The back-up strategy is more insidious.....
Intelligent Magic Items => Yeah, that is good stuff, I hope it will work for you.
To put it another way, I've never had a CW article explicitly *rejected* yet, even though several of the ones I've submitted (like the 'Intelligent Magic Items' Cast article) are unlikely to ever see print.
You wrote one too? D'oh! :)
Want to compare notes? Drop me a line at haltalk@gmail.com and I'll forward you my version in exchange. I'd like to see how someone else handled the idea, especially if we canceled each other out...
I wrote mine back around the same time as "Essential Works" and "Treasure Trails" so I had my suspicions that maybe it had been shunted off track for some reason.
You wrote one too? D'oh! :)I wrote mine back around the same time as "Essential Works" and "Treasure Trails" so I had my suspicions that maybe it had been shunted off track for some reason.
Hal, I emailed you my article.
I wrote it at about the same time as the rest of the CW's that Jeremy's been working through, so my guess is that he's got a pile of Cast pieces he thinks will be more widely useful. A bunch of mine were pretty esoteric/expensive.
I wrote mine back around the same time as "Essential Works" and "Treasure Trails" so I had my suspicions that maybe it had been shunted off track for some reason.
Nice job on Essential Works, btw... I really liked that one.
- Ashavan
Since all of these Campaign Workbook folks happen to be posting in one place... do you find yourself submitting one type of Campaign Workbook article more than others?
What about Critical Threats?
Personally I find Campaign Workbook: The Journey to be the most difficult to write, and I haven't submitted any in that category.
I like The Cast and The City, and along with critical threats they make up the bulk of my CW submissions.
Does anyone else find a particular type of Campaign Workbook easier or more difficult to write than the others?
Just curious.
- Ashavan
Reading everyone else's posts on this thread is both comforting and inspiring to know that despite facing possible rejections on submissions, you all have the emotional fortitude to continue on to see your intellectual works published in an established and well known magazine.
I have no emotional fortitude. If I get rejected, I'm going on a hunting trip to Washington...
-evil grin-
Since all of these Campaign Workbook folks happen to be posting in one place... do you find yourself submitting one type of Campaign Workbook article more than others?
Cast articles would be a breeze if it weren't for the stat blocks. Heck, even with the stat blocks, the hard part is outfitting characters with gear and spells. That takes ages.
I think I actually have more Journey articles sitting on Jeremy's computer than anything else, though. The only City CW I submitted has already been published.
Cast articles would be a breeze if it weren't for the stat blocks. Heck, even with the stat blocks, the hard part is outfitting characters with gear and spells. That takes ages.I think I actually have more Journey articles sitting on Jeremy's computer than anything else, though. The only City CW I submitted has already been published.
I'm right there with you on the Cast articles... I love writing them, but the stat blocks drive me nuts (more so since I'm still trying to figure out the new stat blocks. I have just picked up DMG II though, and supposedly there's a run down of how they work in there... anyone know the page number? I haven't found it yet.) I have the same stat block frustration with Critical Threats, but with those I usually build the stat block first.
I find it ironic that the Journey is the one I have the most troubles with but the one you've submitted the most of. At least our strengths are in different areas!
- Ashavan
I'm right there with you on the Cast articles... I love writing them, but the stat blocks drive me nuts (more so since I'm still trying to figure out the new stat blocks. I have just picked up DMG II though, and supposedly there's a run down of how they work in there... anyone know the page number? I haven't found it yet.) I have the same stat block frustration with Critical Threats, but with those I usually build the stat block first.
I find it ironic that the Journey is the one I have the most troubles with but the one you've submitted the most of. At least our strengths are in different areas!
- Ashavan
I have to agree about the Cast articles. Even though I find them the most fun to write, they also take the longest. On the positive side, it's an easy way to show that you understand the game mechanics, and you get to show your work.
PG. 173 of the DMG II gives a good rundown of the new stat blocks. The preceding 10-12 pages have many examples of high level stat blocks, too.
I've already had my inagural experience with them - some Spirggans for one of Dryder's projects, and they take some getting used to. . . I think picking a creature that has two different sets of stat blocks to begin with, and then adding levels from multiple classes, hasn't made it any easier. . . :)
Nice job on Essential Works, btw... I really liked that one.
- Ashavan
Thanks, it began life as a rejected Dragon article a couple of years ago, all I managed to keep from the first (and second :) ) draft was the title. Oddly enough, due to some miscommunications the way I found out that it had been accepted was by opening up the issue it appeared in... (bit of an oopsy there :) ) I was reading it and I thought to myself, "This seems familiar, what a weird case of deja vu."
As to your other question, of all the various kinds of CW articles I've only written one "Critical Threat", and I found it quite difficult keeping within the word limits. Most of the other ones are really just collections of smaller entries, so all I have to do is chop out the extras. That new stat block does look formidable, so I think I'll trot out some ideas for "The Cast" in the next few weeks just to get the practice :)
That new stat block does look formidable, so I think I'll trot out some ideas for "The Cast" in the next few weeks just to get the practice :)
Having recently built a bunch of them for an adventure draft, I can tell you that they're not as bad as they look. Not having to double up on attack/full attack and having specific places for SR, DR, and Resistances/Immunities was a big selling point for me.
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Hey all,
After reading most of this thread, I feel allot better about my CW submission now. For a bit I was feeling as if I had been put on the back burner (for the last 2 months or so), but it appears Paizo is just backed up.
Sincerely,
Jason Sonia
PS ...Hal ...I've really enjoyed some of your work. Keep it up.
PS ...Hal ...I've really enjoyed some of your work. Keep it up.
Thanks, from your mouth to the editorial ear :)
On another note: I get the distinct impression that adventure queries are evaluated more often (every 3-4 months) than the campaign workbook articles, is this true?
Bump?
G cubed won the Dungeon/Origins side-trek contest, I believe, so that would be adventure. I'm excited to see it too, the brief description I heard of it sounded interesting.
- Ashavan
Oh! If the cat's out of the bag-of-tricks on that one, let me say I was one of the privileged who got to enjoy the "play with a creator session" with Triple G at Origins where he featured his Side Trek in advance. G3 described the version we played as the extended Director's cut. I really look forward to seeing it come out in Issue 126.
If time permits, after the issue hits, I'll post a summary of the Origins' game session, just in case any one is interested in how the adventure's premiere went. (There was a particularly colorful mishap involving area of effect spells, but it wasn't my fault!)
I understand another one of the session's players, Herman Lau, is preparing sketches of the party. We shamelessly tried to coerce Eric into joining our gallant, if undisciplined, band, but there was a small issue arising from his editorial foreknowledge of the adventure's contents contrasted with his lack of knowledge of where the session was actually being held.
Anyways for those of you who are interested in such things, GGG is a particularly animated DM who has a real knack for spontaneous description. A good time was had by all, and I suspect you will all too when his adventure comes out.
How was that for an unsolicited plug?
-MiKe
P.S. Pardon the off-topic post!
That's funny you mention that, Mike. I got a brief description from G3 about his adventure at Orginins and as I was reading it, I thought, "Man, he sounds like he has a lot of energy!" Thanks for confirming it.
He mentioned a victory dance he broke into at some point... Did you get a chance to witness the phenomenon?
BTW, to all of you writers, I have 2 proposals out of the batch of 9 that I had in this last meeting that have yet to receive a Yes or a NO on. I know of 2 others that are experiencing a similar thing. Is it just a couple of us or are there more than that have yet to hear back from Paizo on ALL of their proposals from this meeting?
I've been bugging Paizo about it, but it seems that my e-mails are being funneled directly into the void that we know as the Black Hole of Paizo.
Hey Steve, I was hoping that someone else was in the same boat. I have not emailed them about the three still in Limbo, because I have another one almost ready to go. I was going to give them a 'bump' in my proposal email probably at the end of this week. I ended up with 4 that fell inside the dates of this meeting (more or less) and got an email rejecting the one that they recieved last...which made me wonder where the other three went.
In my experience, the editors have only lost one batch (of 2-3 proposals) and that was only when the mag transfered from WoTC to Paizo. They said that they were working on a 'We Got It!' type of auto-responder for us. If anyone gets one, could you post here to let us know?
I am still waiting to hear back on a couple of submissions that fell within the scope, and possible attention, of the last writer's meeting.
I think that last time, it took at least a month to get through them all, maybe longer, so this is probably a reasonable delay.
I am almost ready to send another batch of qeuries to them, probably next week. With all the sugesstions from the staff on this posting, as well as the "Tips for Contributors" & "Sample Query" postings, I'm going to hope that they'll be well received. :)
- Chris
Hey guys, lemme try and explain what happened here. We sent responses on about 95% of the submissions right after the last meeting, but there were a few I held on to for various reasons. Then I went on vacation for a week, and when I got back I had a ton of catch up work to do, so I haven't had a chance to get back to those last 5% of submissions.
But the good news is you should expect to hear from me on those sometime next week. So hang in there!
OK, Jeremy. Consider me "hanging."
Hey guys, lemme try and explain what happened here. We sent responses on about 95% of the submissions right after the last meeting, but there were a few I held on to for various reasons. Then I went on vacation for a week, and when I got back I had a ton of catch up work to do, so I haven't had a chance to get back to those last 5% of submissions.
But the good news is you should expect to hear from me on those sometime next week. So hang in there!
Taps fingers ... checks e-mail ... taps fingers ... checks e-mail ...
OK, Jeremy. Consider me "hanging."
Can't... hold... on....
A
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
h
!
G
G
G
Splat.
I'll just wait here.
Ow.
GGG
The Band of the Five Writers. . . the mighty green dragon, the sly Las Vegas assassin, the mysterious phantom fungi, the proud WerePlatypi warrior, and er. . . a drunken nomad. . . wait in the silence of the meeting hall and listen to the dripping of the Water Clock reverberate off the walls.
Poised at the ready, their eyes look skyward. . . to the vast ivory pillar where their patron sits in contemplation, his fist holding up his proud chin like a granite statue.
Soon he will speak, and detemine the fates of all.
What gory news awaits the ears of the Five? Shall they stand true. . . or fall in battle?
I'd say that you folks were insane, but here I am referring to myself as a walking corpse. It would be like the red dragon calling the archdevil a bad person.
Aberzombie -
Of course we're insane. That's part of what makes us perfect fits for writing in Dungeon! You should see the stuff we come up with when we work together...
- Ashavan
Now there's a scary thought - joint adventure query done by everyone who posts regularly here. We'll take the sample dungeon map out of the DMG, assign everyone a room, and each of us can put our favorite monster in it along with some random treasure. Then we'll add a plot hook about meeting in a tavern - or maybe a dying guy gasping out his last words - and the BBEG can be a kobold sorcerer. It'll totally rock!
:p
-Amber S.
Heh! Chris, that was the coolest thing I've read in days. Too funny! Oh, and Amber... you're not too far off from the truth in your whimsical suggestion ;)
Hey Chris, how's the kobold sorcerer coming? ;)
GGG
I had to start over. . . I wanted to add a Vampire template to it, and maybe a few levels of Necromancer.
Cool, while I'm laying here at the bottom of the cliff with multiple fractures and internal bleeding I've been coming up with ideas for the tavern. My hook is that the characters all sort of coincidentally meet there when the dying halfling rogue staggers in clutching the map.
It's sort of retro don't you think?
GGG
Oh! If the cat's out of the bag-of-tricks on that one, let me say I was one of the privileged who got to enjoy the "play with a creator session" with Triple G at Origins where he featured his Side Trek in advance. G3 described the version we played as the extended Director's cut. I really look forward to seeing it come out in Issue 126.
If time permits, after the issue hits, I'll post a summary of the Origins' game session, just in case any one is interested in how the adventure's premiere went. (There was a particularly colorful mishap involving area of effect spells, but it wasn't my fault!)
I understand another one of the session's players, Herman Lau, is preparing sketches of the party. We shamelessly tried to coerce Eric into joining our gallant, if undisciplined, band, but there was a small issue arising from his editorial foreknowledge of the adventure's contents contrasted with his lack of knowledge of where the session was actually being held.
Anyways for those of you who are interested in such things, GGG is a particularly animated DM who has a real knack for spontaneous description. A good time was had by all, and I suspect you will all too when his adventure comes out.
How was that for an unsolicited plug?
-MiKe
P.S. Pardon the off-topic post!
I love unsolicited plugs! Thanks Mike. You guys where a lot of fun too. I still regale people with the story of the Twenty Strong's pyrhic victory and your party motto: "We'll save the next one." (Even if that wasn't the party motto it should be.)
I can hardly wait to see Herman's artwork the guy is good. Sean Glenn if you are out there, hire this guy. You have my email but I being as self absorbed as I am was to interested in winning Origins swag to stay and get yours so email me when you get the chance.
The party if you're curious consisted of:
Todd Hankson who played Vrodish the stout male dwarf fighter 6
Michael Kortez who played Kian male human monk 2/cleric 4
Herman Lau who played Rimbener a (I want to say half-elf but he might be human) rogue 2/sorcerer 4
And our late mystery arrival Cassie (her alias I think) who played Serephina the female human sorcerer 6 who blew things up a lot.
And now to steal from Mr. McArtor - The Quotes! or as best as I can remember them anyway. Sorry, I don't remember who exactly said what):
Me - "You three are all that remains of a large adventuring party that was twenty strong."
Player - "Hey, the Twenty Stong! That's the party name."
Player after killing a critter they were supposed to catch - "We'll save the next one."
Later doing it again - "The next one for sure."
Serephina - "Hey guys!"
Player - "We thought you were dead!"
Other player - "Everyone else is."
Myself making the introductions - "This Kian a monastic cleric know for his magic bag."
Serephina - "Hey so am I."
Vrodish - After Serephina set off a point blank fireball whose radius included herself and Kian. "I think I know we thought she was dead."
Someone else - "You mean hoped."
Serephina right before she released a second fireball which caught the whole party - "Stand back."
Other players in unison - "Owww..."
Well that's about as off topic as I can get - but I had to fill the time waiting for the editors to get to us somehow.... :)
-G3
OK. I got my final Jeremy Walker response: A "resubmit it with some changes" and a "we'll pass and will never be interested in this sort of adventure for as long as we all live!" OK. Maybe not so much intensity, but not far off. They passed on the kung fu rabbit... tsk, tsk, tsk. Oh well, this one is probably best kept within the confines of my own campaign, which incidentally is the next adventure I'm running :P
Ditto that, although I really would have like to tackle the one thay passed on. Oh, well maybe some other time.
Type, type, type,
GGG