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Okay, my New Years resolution for this year was to get published. I'm actually thinking on self publishing a small (like 32 pages or so) d20 splatbook and I have some questions that I figured I'd ask here 'cause there are a LOT of published authors that post on these forums.
Anyways, onto the questions.
First Question: The OGL, I'm not sure exactly how to apply it. I assume that this:
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved.
1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this agreement.
2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License.
3.Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License.
4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content.
5.Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License.
6.Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute.
7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity.
8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content.
9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License.
10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open Game Content You Distribute.
11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do so.
12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected.
13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses shall survive the termination of this License.
14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable.
15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0 Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Is the correct version to use. So what do I do with it? I know that it has to be in my project and I intend to plop it in at the end; but how do I go about declaring what is and isn't open game content? Can I just say something like "All content in this book except for X, Y, and Z is open game content that is free to use?"
Second question: Lulu.com. I'm thinking on using them as from what I understand they're well received by a lot of folks. So my question is, are they as free as they say they are? I know that they take 20% of the value of everything you sell, this doesn't bug me; but are there any other fees?
Second question part two: How quickly do they pay you? I've read on their site that normally pay is levied every 160 days but that they 'front' the money to their publishers. How has this worked for anyone with experience using them?
Thank you VERY much for taking the time to answer my questions, I'm sure I'll have more of them as time goes by. :)
Cheers,
-Gene
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Some friends of mine used Lulu for their products, and as far as i know, they pay you every quarter, and i'm not aware of any fees other than the 20%.
However, they also had their products on DriveThru RPG and another site, and almost all of their sales was through DriveThru RPG. If you're going to publish your own PDF's, i'd recommend contacting DTRPG as well as Paizo, to put them up in their online stores..
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Some friends of mine used Lulu for their products, and as far as i know, they pay you every quarter, and i'm not aware of any fees other than the 20%.
Excellent! That really alleviates that portion of the pressure of this whole little deal.
However, they also had their products on DriveThru RPG and another site, and almost all of their sales was through DriveThru RPG. If you're going to publish your own PDF's, i'd recommend contacting DTRPG as well as Paizo, to put them up in their online stores..
I'll probably do so on both counts once I've gotten everything sorted and have had it on lulu for awhile. I don't want to overstep my bounds; at least not initially. ;)
Thanks much for answering some of my queries!
-Gene
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Okay, I've figured out how the OGL works (yay me!) and that you need to declare copyright in the very end. No biggie there. But it brings me to another, somewhat related, questions.
How do I go about stating system compatibility? Would it be okay to just say something like 'compatible with the 3.5 revision of the world's most popular roleplaying game?'
Again, thanks for any help.
Chief Technical Officer
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Okay, I've figured out how the OGL works (yay me!) and that you need to declare copyright in the very end. No biggie there. But it brings me to another, somewhat related, questions.
How do I go about stating system compatibility? Would it be okay to just say something like 'compatible with the 3.5 revision of the world's most popular roleplaying game?'
Again, thanks for any help.
Yep—since you can't specifically mention other people's trademarks without a separate license, pretty much all you can do is describe it.
However, just saying "3.5 OGL" is enough for a lot of people.
Gene,
Will your book be the Complete Guide to Kippering? ~gives a wicked grin and then runs~
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Gene,
Will your book be the Complete Guide to Kippering? ~gives a wicked grin and then runs~
*tear*
Alas, I fear that the market for a good solid sourcebook on kippering is not as good as I wish it were...And here I had a Kippermancer all statted up and everything. He was gonna preserve his enemies to death. :D
Ignore Gene, CJ! Ignore the temptation of the Kipper Side! They do not have cookies!
How do people not know what's for breakfast?
Hey Gene,
I made that same resolution 2 years ago. Now I am doing relatively well. I'm still largely an unknown, but a few people have commented positively on my work. Allow me to share with you some things I have learned.
- Talk to an existing publisher. Start with the PDF/POD publishers. My recommendations would be: Bards and Sages, Comstar Games, LPJ Designs, or Tricky Owlbear. Never talk to more then one at a time about the same product. They can handle all the legal stuff, compatability language, do edits to clean up the readability, add artwork, handle advertising, tap into their existing customer base, and pay you (most important part there). All you have to worry about is writing and talking up your product on the internet once the publisher gets it out there.
- Self Publishing is a great concept, but it really is best for those that want to run a business. I don't mean to sound like I am trying to talk you out of self publishing, if that is what you want to do. I just hope to help you consider everything involved in that road.
- Being a freelancer is alot of fun. You can take jobs as you please, work on systems other then d20 if the whim strikes you, grow your writing skills at your own pace by choosing to write more or less in areas where you are not strong. But always communicate to the publisher you are working with and always make your deadlines (which, when you're working for smaller publishers, you largely set yourself).
I hope this helps.
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- Self Publishing is a great concept, but it really is best for those that want to run a business. I don't mean to sound like I am trying to talk you out of self publishing, if that is what you want to do. I just hope to help you consider everything involved in that road.
Have you done this? Do you (or anyone viewing this thread) have any advice/tips for a person that is looking to go this route?
Have you done this?
Last year I decided to be a publisher. 4 months later I went back to being a freelancer. Between those times, I spent every waking moment not at my day job or with my daughter I was thinking, planning, writing content, working, learning new software, reading, writing contracts, getting advertising ready, and much much more.
As a freelancer, all I do is write content. Its a big difference.
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Geh!
I really should pay more attention to my own threads.
DMcCoy, thank you very much for your insights on self publishing. I've spent the past couple days reading more into it and I don't think I'm up to it; I simply don't have the means to do it on my own in any serious sense (I'll probably go with using lulu for my initial project and then possibly expanding out to DriveThruRPG). I'd also like to thank you for suggesting some publishers, they should prove to be most helpful; I intend to get hold of Tricky Owlbear as soon as I release my initial booklet and see if they've got anything they need done and possibly pitch an idea or three their way.
I do look forward to being a freelancer if at all possible. :D