for a generic d20 system, what do you think of this nonstandard approach for laying out my campaign setting book. The point, is of course, to show off the setting... that said:

chapter 1: world history, half page of art with a half page of text describing major events in the world history, for about 20 pages
chapter 2: gazetteer
chapter 3: deities
chapter 4: organizations
chapter 5: character creation
chapter 6: magic
chapter 7: birthright like realms rules
chapter 8: creating adventures
chapter 9: monsters

does character creation have to go first? is it that important to establishing a "footing" for the reader? I thought maybe, highly illustrative scenes from the world history, and half page vistas of the world's key areas would give a better "feeling".

Speaking for myself as an adventure game consumer (stepping into my d20 boots here, essentially), what I'd like to get as the very first thing in a setting product would be a punchy overview of the remarkable bits in the book - the stuff I, the jaded rpg-veteran, should be keeping an eye on, the things that run counter to expectation and make this a particularly worthwhile product when compared to whatsitsname, the setting from thatothercompany.

After that I'd like to have each good bit in turn, preferably with all the chaff cut out and thrown away. I don't usually get what I want in this regard, mind.

Anyway, to answer your question, that looks like a fine order for the book, no problem that I can see. There's no reason you have to start with character generation, assuming that there are no rules-concepts that are most naturally introduced in that context. If the product's main point is the setting, I certainly recommend starting with that.

If I were you, though, I'd think hard and try to figure out some more interesting format to present things in than history-gazetteer-deities-organizations-etc. That bores me, personally, to tears. Might be just me, though. For example, if the setting history is so important that you need to have ten pages of text to describe it, perhaps something worthwhile could be made of marrying it into the gazetteer and shaping the two into something that is neither, and actually does a better job at transmitting all the cool stuff of the setting.

Then again, if your product is mostly planned as a reference product for the sort of GM who needs to find all sorts of data about the setting easily, then I guess having separate chapters like that makes sense. I don't know, man.... I'd like to say that I see some sense in this plan, but perhaps I should just know more about your product to realize how making another one of these fantasy adventure setting books is a completely sensible move for you. For all I know this is the perfect organization for your game.

But, those are my doubts, not yours! I suggest that insofar as chapter organization goes, you seem to be good to go. If you'd like to put up some sample material from your game, like some god write-ups, organizations and history bits, perhaps we could check it out and say something less vague about what might or might not be a good order for the chapters.

I wouldn't have called this chapter order non-standard at all.

I've seen plenty of games take their readers through this sorrt of progression in their books.

I'm writing this away from my wall of shelves dedicated to gaming products, so I can't give you immediate examples, but trust me when I say it's not that uncommon.

As a matter of personal preference, I actually dislike having character creation first. I prefer someone to pick up the book and get a feel for where they are playing and what to expect in a game before theey decide how they are going to face the setting.

V 

That's a good starting point, and Vulpinoid's right about it not being unusual.  My advice is write using that as a template and don't be afraid to deviate like a bastard lol.