Is Create-A-Space a Good Place to Publish?

[Drew Cass]

So I'm a New Independent developer working on a new project with a few friends. I know a few friends who produced web comics who publish through Amazon's create-a-space in the past with moderate success. Has anybody hear used Create-A-Space to publish their rpg's? If so would you recommend it or have you found something better?

[Ron Edwards]

I don't know if anyone has tried this. Is there some way to browse Amazon to find out?

Current semi-automatic venues for RPG publishing are not quite ideal.

1. Any number of people will be happy to publish your game "for" you, with plenty of yapping about intellectual property and retaining rights. Such an arrangement necessarily removes money and/or profit from the creator, with debatable benefits.

2. Lulu sees a lot of use and has been a good choice for a number of publishers here. It provides a practical way to see your book physically made and delivered for on-line orders. At present, it's not cost-effective for short print runs, and like most on-line stores, doesn't provide a useful shopping environment for customers. As I understand it, currently one must accept a Lulu ISBN, which I consider to be trespassing on ownership.

That can't be all! Perhaps this is a good time to update the Forge discussion community in this forum on the available venues. Anyone who knows, speak up.

Best, Ron

[Drew Cass]

Well I know this was the estimated cost and return we calculated out using the calculator these figures are estimates for our Game Project Aria as well as royaltie payouts. From what I understand Create-A-Space is similar to lulu in that it cost nothing post your book online and if you want to sell copies you have to pay just for the price of prinint.

The do have a puzzel and games section.

[Nathan P.]

You do not need an ISBN to publish on Lulu (tho you can purchase one through Lulu, if you want).

So, one little note.

[visioNationstudios]

Our projects have been in limbo for nearly a year and a half now.  But when we print, we've always used CreateSpace.  Fairly timely in their responses (I don't think any longer than 24-48 hours unless it's a weekend), professional work done with good quality materials.  It seems they were always adding more and better features to make things more accessible and provide more options to the publishers and I doubt that's changed in the time since we last printed with them.

Some of our printed materials include the following:
70 page, full color with bleed, 8.25x8.25 trade binding on white paper, $5.75 wholesale per book
102 page, full color with bleed, 8.25x8.25 trade binding on white paper, $7.99 wholesale per book
378 page, b&w with bleed, 7x10 trade binding on cream paper, $5.38 wholesale per book
148 page, b&w with bleed, 8.25x8.25 trade binding on white paper, $2.62 wholesale per book

One of our Amazon listings can be found here.
Here's one of the individual CreateSpace e-store listings.

They've also more recently introduce "expanded distribution" which apparently can go to certain bookstores and online stores if you desire.  Cut is smaller than from Amazon, but it's still not horrible. I have no complaints on their work.  Only complaints on the economy. O.o