Self-Publication: Heeding Zak's Call

I removed my eleventh free module, The Blasphemous Brewery of Pilz, after forty downloads because I plan on making it my first module for sale.  I have substantially enhanced it by adding new characters, items, monsters, and locations.  Where the original PDF was three pages, the enhanced version is 10-15 pages.  I'm thinking of charging between two and five dollars and selling it as a PDF only.

Some Questions:

1. What do you think?
2. RPG Now vs Lulu vs RPG vs Drivethrough RPG?
3. What price to charge?
4. What font size to use?
5. Which retro-clone to use (I typically play Labyrinth Lord or White Box if not BECMI)?
6. How do I do write the license?
7. Two column layout?
8. What common pitfalls exist of which I am (probably) not aware?
9. What questions am I not, but should, be asking?

A Call to Action!

The OSR/DIY RPG blogosphere is buzzing about self-publication right now, largely because of Zak’s recent post. This growing movement is exciting and could lead to a great increase in the number of good products. Just as important, it could lead to an increase in the interconnectivity of our community as people offer their unique services to others working towards self-publication. For example, even though I only enjoy 79 followers and about three thousand visits each month, every time I have asked for editors to help with a self-publication project I have received no less than three replies. None have asked for recompense and many have humbly waved even a mention of their name on the finished product.

The OSR community is filled with intelligent, creative, and helpful people.

Being both a DIY gamer and consumer of game products may appear contradictory, but it is not. In fact, being a DIY gamer actually enriches the consumption of gaming products, especially those of the self-published variety, regardless of whether they see action at the table. I self-publish my own products and when I buy what others have made I not only enjoy them for the gaming material, but analyze them for ideas on which I might build. This is, truly, an enriching experience and one, I might add, that is often inexpensive.

This brings me to my next point.

I have a habit of buying a $2 energy drink every time I get gas on the way to work, which is typically once a week. If I forgo this unnecessary pleasure I have eight bucks a month which I may then devote to RPG products. These are products that are available on my hard drive or shelf long after I have thrown out an empty can and recovered from my caffeine buzz. Maybe in the glossy world of Paizo and Wizards of the Coast this wouldn’t get me much, but here in the DIY RPG/OSR blogosphere it gets me a considerable amount of material. Just last night, for example, I bought Tim Short’s awesome Knowledge Illuminates for a buck!

My call to action is directed to my readers and the RPG Blogosphere. It has two parts, both of which will support and grow this wonderful community.

The Digital Orc Call to Action
1. Spend a few bucks each month on self-published materials.

2. Offer to help someone with their project. You can edit, review, provide artwork, help with layout design, or any of the other many elements composing a typical self-publication. As Zak pointed out, the primary investment is time. You have something to offer!

DIY IRS

Like most of you, I have read Zak’s recent post offering encouragement to would-be writers and artists to go for it (citation). Not only does technology present a unique opportunity for us in the DIY RPG community to write, publish, and distribute with ease and affordability, but tax codes also present other incentives. Writers and artists can, for example, claim computers, convention costs, magazine subscriptions, travel expenses, and others (citation).

I have self-published eleven adventure modules and one supplement on this blog, but they are all free (and available to the right of this post). Creating, marketing, and selling a product is a significantly different animal altogether. It is one that I have, from time to time, considered trying to ride for a bit, if not tame outright. Along those lines, I direct your attention to Stuart Pate’s recent post regarding two subjects close to my heart: my adventures modules and beer (citation).

Shattenberg & Surrounding Areas

This is the map the DM gives the players:

This is the map and tables the DM uses:

5D10	MOUNTAIN ENCOUNTER
5	Roc, Giant
6	Cyclops
7	Giant, Fire
8	Giant Stone
9	Chimera
10	Salamander, Flame
11	Wyvern
12	Manticore
13	Lycanthrope, Werebear
14	Hell Hound
15	Cockatrice
16	Scorpion, Giant
17	Weasel, Giant
18	Wolf, Dire
19	Hippogriff
20	Hawk, Giant
21	Bugbear
22	Wolf, Ordinary
23	Dryad
24	Gnoll
25	Snake, Spitting Cobra
26	Stirge
27	Pixie
28	Hawk, Ordinary
29	Rot Grub
30	Dwarf
31	Pterodactyl
32	Neaderthal
33	Pegasus
34	Herd Animals
35	Harpy
36	Cat, Large Mountain Lion
37	Gargoyle
38	Lycanthrope, Werewolf
39	Ogre
40	Snake, Giant Rattler
41	Bear, Grizzly
42	Pterandon
43	Roc, Small
44	Djinni
45	Giant, Hill
46	Hydra
47	Demon Boar
48	Dragon, Red
49	Roc, Large
50	Giant, Storm

5D10	CONIFEROUS FOREST ENCOUNTERS
5	Salamander, Frost
6	Golem, Amber
7	Demon Boar
8	Chimera
9	Giant, Hill
10	Cat, Large Sabre-Tooth
11	Phase Tiger
12	Cat, Large Tiger
13	Boar, Giant
14	Owl Bear
15	Weasel, Giant
16	Lycanthrope, Werewolf
17	Cat, Large Panther
18	Bear, Black
19	Lycanthrope, Wereboar
20	Hawk, Giant
21	Boar, Ordinary
22	Sprite
23	Wolf, Ordinary
24	Golem, Wood
25	Neaderthal
26	Fly, Giant Carnivorous
27	Rot Grub
28	Giant Ferret
29	Hawk, Ordinary
30	Pixie
31	Elf
32	Gnoll
33	Dryad
34	Pegasus
35	Herd Animals
36	Bugbear
37	Harpy
38	Gargoyle
39	Wolf, Dire
40	Blink Dog
41	Centaur
42	Unicorn
43	Cockatrice
44	Bear, Grizzly
45	Lycanthrope, Weretiger
46	Lyncanthrope, Werebear
47	Djinni
48	Dragon, Green
49	Hydra
50	Giant, Stone

6d12	DECIDUOUS FOREST ENCOUNTERS
6	Roc, Large
7	Golem, Amber
8	Demon Boar
9	Hydra
10	Giant, Hill
11	Djinni
12	Basilisk
13	Cat, Large Tiger
14	Lycanthrope, Weretiger
15	Bear, Grizzly
16	Cockatrice
17	Ant, Giant
18	Rhagodessa, Giant
19	Lycanthrope, Werewolf
20	Cat, Large Panther
21	Bear, Black
22	Lycanthrope, Wereboar
23	Insect Swarm
24	Carcass Scavenger
25	Hawk, Giant
26	Boar, Ordinary
27	Sprite
28	Baboon, Higher
29	Spider, Giant Crab
30	Beetle, Giant Spitting
31	Wolf, Ordinary
32	Golem, Wood
33	Neaderthal
34	Fly, Giant Carnivorous
35	Centipede, Giant
36	Elf
37	Pixie
38	Bee, Giant Killer
39	Hawk, Ordinary
40	Ferret, Giant
41	Rot Grub
42	Bat, Normal
43	Stirge
44	Gnoll
45	Dryad
46	Pegasus
47	Bat, Giant
48	Snake, Pit Viper
49	Toad, Giant
50	Herd Animals
51	Bugbear
52	Harpy
53	Beetle, Giant Carnivorous
54	Spider, Giant Black Widow
55	Gargoyle
56	Wolf, Dire
57	Blink Dog
58	Centaur
59	Unicorn
60	Spider, Giant Tarantula
61	Ape, Albino
62	Owl Bear
63	Boar, Giant
64	Snake, Giant Python
65	Lycanthrope, Werebear
66	Roc, Small
67	Dragon, Green
68	Treant
69	Chimera
70	Giant, Stone
71	Dragon, Gold
72	Roc, Giant

4D4	FRESH WATER ENCOUNTER
4	Aquatic Hydra
5	Giant Leech
6	Giant Python Snake
7	Giant Crab
8	Pit Viper Snake
9	Man, Pirate
10	Spitting Cobra Snake
11	Nixie
12	Ordinary Crocodile
13	Giant Piranha
14	Large Crocodile
15	Giant Catfish
16	Giant Crocodile

4D10	URBAN ENCOUNTERS
4	Chimera
5	Djinni
6	Spectre
7	Cockatrice
8	Statue, Animated Iron
9	Gargoyle
10	Statue, Animated Crystal
11	Horse, Draft
12	Undead
13	Shadow
14	Ghoul
15	Bat, Giant
16	Rot Grub
17	Men, Nomad
18	Men, Brigand
19	Halfling
20	Ferret, Giant
21	Bat, Normal
22	Rat, Ordinary
23	Dwarf
24	Gnome
25	Men, Berserker
26	Men, Merchant
27	Pixie
28	Skeleton
29	Fly, Giant Carnivorous
30	Mule
31	Zombie
32	Bugbear
33	Lycanthrope, Wererat
34	Wight
35	Medusa
36	Wraith
37	Statue, Animated Stone
38	Troll
39	Vampire
40	Demon Boar