Operation Proud Lion: T2K in Kenya

[Tegyrius]

In that case, my first advice to you is this: if you really want to write for publication, enroll in an undergraduate English class on grammar and mechanics. Regardless of the strength of a writer's ideas, few publishers, editors, or line developers will offer him more than one contract if his work consistently requires extensive copy editing.

Second, I suggest you research unsolicited manuscripts and their typical reception at publishing firms.

Third, you may need to recalibrate your expectations regarding the size of the RPG publishing market today versus one, two, or three decades ago, as well as the likely success of an attempt to resurrect a property whose core concepts have been left in history's dust. In other words: "market research." It is an unfortunate geek tendency for individual fans or small local (or online) groups to project their own personal enthusiasm for a property onto the overall global population of potential customers, then make sweeping (and erroneous) generalizations about the commercial viability of their personal visions for said property. In some cases, this failed understanding goes so far as to drive catastrophically bad business decisions.

Fourth, you should understand how a product progresses from initial concept to published work. "Writing new material" is but the tip of the iceberg, even in the very small companies that comprise the majority of RPG houses today. A large amount of budgeting, scheduling, and other project management work occurs behind the scenes, to say nothing of the art and production tasks. It's my unqualified belief that it's in the invisible-to-the-consumer PM side of the effort - not in the act of arranging words on a screen - that most catastrophic business failures are born. A good starting point for such research would be the publisher forums over on RPG.net. We've also had several relevant discussions in this forum, which an informed use of the Search function will unearth for your reading pleasure.

Fifth, you may wish to take to heart the behavioral advice given to you by the eminences grises of this forum, not just pay it lip service while continuing to violate the spirit of the guidelines that govern interactions here. Statements like "I am not here to win friends" do nothing to earn respect or establish professional credentials - social currency which, had you bothered to comprehend the atmosphere of this forum before entering, you would understand to be far more valuable than a high post count. To the contrary, such statements only establish your image as a confrontational, argumentative intruder who would rather be "right" (ironic airquotes intentional) than be part of the community. If it is your wish to be the undisputed dominant poster in a depopulated forum that serves only as an echo chamber for your own creative excursions, or if you seek the sulking self-justification of a formal ban or informal ostracism for conduct unbecoming, then feel free to continue undeterred on your present course. If you want to be offered a seat at the grown-ups' table, first learn to moderate your excesses of self-righteousness.

- C.

[Olefin]

Thank you very much for the advice and the information. I hope that not only me but others read it as well who may want to see if we can get some of the fan canon things that have been created possibly published as official Twilight 2000 canon one day.

[Raellus]

This isn't new, but I figured that a link to the fanzine version of my Proud Lion piece might be helpful.

http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.php?t=3785

Here's a PDF version hosted on Paul's awesome site.

http://www.pmulcahy.com/PDFs/good_lu...wn_issue_1.pdf

[Olefin]

always loved that work of yours - and drew on part of what you and Franky talked about for some of the details in my East African Sourcebook - i went a a different way with the 173rd than you did but your work is great - wish we had a new edition