[Terrae Novae] Publishing tips

[Kilor Di]

Even though it's not yet ready for publishing, I figure it's to better to find out what I should do now so that I can try to be ready to publish it when it's completed.

What's the best way to publish the game in question, considering the fact that I am dirt poor and would like to try publishing it for a profit.  My notes on this game can be found at http://www.geocities.com/greginkelaar/projects.html and then by clicking Terrae Novae.

From what I've read, my two options seem to be 1) Distribute it as a PDF on the net (which would only profit me if I charged for the download) or 2) Try to find a publisher who would be interested in the game.  If anyone can inform me of any other cheap (or preferably free) options to publish/distribute this game, I would appreciate it greatly.

[Jack Aidley]

POD (print on demand) through Lulu (see Clinton's experiences in theLulu and Me thread) has no set up cost, and could be one option.

There are a few pay-for-pdf-download sites that you can work with (RPGMall, for example), or you can use paypal and either go through the Forge Bookshelf, or password protection on your own host.

However it works out you will need to put some money into getting a decently hosted website (~ £30?) from which to market - GeoCities isn't going to cut it.

[Ron Edwards]

Hello,

I think we should back up a little farther, Jack. KD, let's see if this helps.

1. We'll take it as given that you are looking for monetary return, which is all good. One consideration is whether you want to begin with a "little or no profit" step, which then you will develop into a for-profit process.

Such a step might include a Paypal donation button or a shareware-type approach, regarding a PDF download. I don't anticipate you'd make a lot of money, but you might get a little. And if your game is in a rough stage at that point, you'll get lots of feedback.

But this is optional. That said, let's move on to talking about publishing and profiting.

2. The medium of the game (electronic vs. print, at the most basic), is a red herring. You can print it or keep it as a file for download. Either way, you can sell it.

How do you publish and sell an electronic file? Make it available for download for Paypal or other electronic payment. The Forge Bookshelf works very well, and opinions vary regarding the efficacy of RPGMall or similar venues. In my view, sales are largely a function of the attractiveness and engaging qualities of the game's home website.

How do you publish and sell a print version? Use a print-on-demand company; I recommend Express Media, which uses ink (not toner) and whose print-quotes for 100-copy smallish RPG-type books run about $2 to $2.50 per copy. The books look great and they are printed and shipped quickly.

Once you have the books, you can either sell them direct from your website (very much as if they were PDFs, just without the download part) and fulfil them yourself through the mail, or move into store distribution, which is a whole different kind of sales-world and should be discussed separately.

3. This point is heavily biased on my part. I strongly recommend avoiding all notions of "find someone to publish it for me." Every instance of doing so has carried a great cost, as I see it, to the author. That cost is expressed as decreases in one or more of the game's quality, your control over final content, the game's future development, its promotion, and monetary return to you.

To be very blunt, I see absolutely no benefit to having someone else carry out either of the options listed in #2 above. All of the resources for doing either or both are available to you, at very reasonable cost. If you seek a "publisher," all you will find is someone exactly like yourself using exactly the resources you would, and charging you an unnecessary middleman fee.

Best,
Ron