Wanted: people to write short, weird modules

I've received some good questions from some interested writers. I'll post the questions and their answers here.

What is the deadline for writing a module?
There is no deadline. Whenever you have a manuscript that you feel is ready for publication, feel free to send it my way. Next week, next month, next year, whenever.

Will you consider publishing stand-alone modules that mesh together?
Yes. Consider TSR's old G series of modules. While they hook together, each one can stand alone. Any connections amongst modules are fine as long as each module can stand on its own.

How will you handle copyrights?
Each writer will retain the copyright to any modules that I publish. Beginning on the day that I publish a module, I will have the exclusive right to publish it for one year. At the end of the one-year period, the author can either allow me to continue publishing the module, or he can withdraw permission.

How do you want the submissions sent to you?
A Word file would be great. Nothing fancy, please. If you put fancy formatting in it, I'll just have to yank the formatting out. Just open Word, and start typing--single column, Times New Roman, 12-point font, standard (Is it 1"?) margins all around, etc. If in doubt, don't sweat it. The answer is always: Be lazy. Just type it and send it. Being fancy is of the Devil. Just ask the Puritans.

Can I include monsters from mythology which have statistics invented by myself, ignoring the statistics in published FRPG books?
I'm iffy on that. How different can Medusa be? ("Don't look at her! You'll turn to stone!") I will not automatically reject such a manuscript, but it will face an uphill battle, so to speak.

What levels are the modules for?
Whatever levels you want to write for. All other things being equal, the lower the level, the better. But I will still welcome high-level adventures.

Must the module be pure fantasy, or can it be science-fantasy, or sword-and-planet, or etc?
It can be anything that includes fantasy. If you want to add ray guns, spaceships, robots, aliens, or whatever...great!

Will the modules be for a specific setting?
No. A referee should be able to drop any module into any setting. Even if the module is really weird, adventurers could still get there from Greyhawk via planar travel, space travel, or whatever.

How are you going to do stats?
I want to avoid using too many numbers, so as to avoid making people change the numbers to match their favorite version of The Game. So...

Instead of a number for armor class, do it this way: AC chain; AC plate + shield; AC unarmored; etc.


Feel free to list movement, hit points, number of attacks, and damage per attack.

Will these modules be in print? In PDF?
They will be published in both print and PDF.

How will these modules be printed?
This is a hard-core do-it-yourself venture. As with the first publication of Carcosa, I will format, print, and assemble everything in my own house. Also similar to the old Carcosa, this is basically a POD affair. I plan to print about 10 copies at any given time, then when those sell-out, print 10 more, etc.

How long can we expect to wait between commitment and publication? In other words, once you say "This is great! Can I publish this?" how long do you expect all the layout and print arrangements to take?
From the time I say, "I like this manuscript, and it requires no revisions," I'm estimating about 30 days to actually start selling and shipping copies.

Does the author get a copy of the published work?
Yes, the author gets one free copy.

I understand you have a preference for unique monsters, something not worth going into again but don't you distinguish between monsters created for D&D and mythical creatures whether they appeared in D&D or not? For what reason would you exclude monsters from ancient myth? Take the manticore for example, what reason could you have for excluding such a creature presuming the mechanics for the creature were invented for the module and unlike any published version?

See my second post in this thread for answers to questions!

I'm semi-considering this, because I kind of believe in letting other people do the the grunt work and just focusing on the creative side. But on the other hand, I have somewhat committed myself to doing some e-zines. The good news, if I decide to do it, is that your requested monster format is close to the one I already use for monster stats.

The big question, though, is: Are these intended for *print* publication, and if so, how will the printing be handled? POD? Commercial print run? Hand-assembly after a visit to a copy shop?

And as for rights: They revert one year after publication, but how long can we expect to wait between commitment and publication? In other words, once you say "This is great! Can I publish this?" how long do you expect all the layout and print arrangements to take? Obviously, this could potentially tie up rights for a submission for much longer than one year...

Questions answered in my second post up above.

I will follow this endeavour with interest, and check out the modules when they appear.

Gabor, I think you and other people outside the U. S. will be very happy with the low postage charges I've been able to figure out. ;D

How do you feel about Carcosa/Lovecraft-inspired material, or would you prefer completely original setting?

I absolutely love this! ;D
Must kick start the brain and get to writing!

Saddle-stitched, 11" tall by 4.25" wide.

This has been a long, hot summer, but take heart: The first module in the Psychedelic Fantasies line is coming.

This week. ;D

TOTAL SUPPORT

It's an unusual and interesting format... is there a particular reason for this choice?

G1 was eight pages and cost $4.50 in 1978, which is around $15 now. Despite a lack of art, it's actually a bargain, relatively speaking.