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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 2:15AM
#291
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Date Joined:
Aug 18, 2007
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*snip what overall amounts to a vey good post*
Which still does nothing to address WD's simply not responding to emails and telling potential authors "not this year everything is filled", which is at the heart of the conflict between "Always looking for new authors" and what is happening to potential new authors in some cases.
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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 3:02AM
#292
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Date Joined:
May 11, 2005
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There are twelve regions, and each region does its recruiting in a different way.
I can't only explain how I do the recruiting for authors.
I have an author pool. This is a list of email addresses of people who wish to write for ther egion. To write for the region, I need at a minimum your name and email address and a glovbval idea of waht kind of advemntures you like tow rite, and your availability. Providing a writing sample (sample encounter) is a plus. Sending me a compelling idea for an adventure is another way to get noticed.
I have two types of adventures:
- Adventures where I know, globally, what is going to happen. For these adventur, I try to find aan author whose prefrence or style matches (based on info he sene me when applying for the pool). I.e. I have selected authors for plots because the (originally rejected) summary they send in had elements that matched. This is really a bit of a gamble, but that is part of the job.
- When I have open spots, I generally have an idea I want to see incorporated. In that case, I ask for proposals. I then judge the proposals I receive and select the ones that appeal the most. This is the process I used for DALE2-3, DALE2-4 and DALE2-5 (assuming we get the bonus adventure): those adventures are now filled. They turn out to be two people I worked with before and one new author. Being picked is really dependent on sending in a good proposal.
When I need people for rush jobs, I go to people I trust or who I can contact easily. Sometimes, I write myself. I don't write Daleland adventures unless an author drops out or deviates too much.
When I need assistence, I generally call out for aid and accept those that respond fastest.
I try to rotate authors, and not overuse the same people (especially those that are peopular with other WDs). But the fact is that some authors are better than others. Some people I will not work with again, others I will love to give more projects.
In general I think I am being fair. If you apply to me, I will place you in the pool. But you ahve to respond and be willignt o invest time, send me proposals when I ask it and be punctual. I can deal with bad spelling or grammar or style, I can help provide statblocks and maps and I can restructure adventures if needed. But I get annoyed if you miss deadlines or refuse to report progress.
For 2010, the year is full regarding the Dalelands adventures. We settled on those adventures a month ago, based on proposals send in due to a query (we are now working on summaries).
But LFR is dynamic and things change and are added all the time. There always turn out new opportunities. Let yourself be known to the WDs of the regions that interest you. Proposals may be turned down for any kind of reason, but showing your interest and how you would write adventures makes you known to the WDs.
Also remember that there are only few opportunities per region, and for those we need to work about 3 mnoths up to half a year ahead. If you apply now, you are likely to not write before june. It's a process that requires some patience.
Gomez,
who is quite sure he replies to his emails...
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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 9:11AM
#293
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The problem is that people aren't trying hard enough to write. It's not enough to send an email to someone and then throw your hands up in the air and say "well, I offered to help and they didn't respond. I tried!"
I have to call you on this comment: On the one hand we have WD's and admins looking for new writers and on the other hand, we have someone saying that contacting them isn't good enough. The whole point to emailing someone with a suggestion of help is that if they need it, they will at least respond. The only thing to be taken away from silence or no response is that in fact, they don't need your help.
I mentioned this in another thread. Lack of contact is unprofessional. If you can't keep up with your email enough to reply with a simple "I got your email but I'm too busy right now to say more than that" or "what we really need is X" within a few days, well that's what some folks around me refer to as a personal problem. It makes folks who might be willing to help out decide that frankly the admins/WD's/whoever are just not worth it, because if they can't be asked to do this much, frankly what is going to happen when the actual writing begins?
That's not to say that I'm calling all WD's lame or out of touch, but there's no need to make excuses for them if they were to not keep in touch.
I'm not excusing people for not responding to their emails. I think it's unprofessional of people to take so long to respond to a simple email (or to not respond at all). However, I am saying that regardless of whether WDs do or do not respond to emails, you need to find a way to stand out. If 60 people all send emails that say "I'd like to write," what are the chances you'll get picked? If you send an email explaining you'd like to write, explaining your qualifications, and with a sample of your work or a proposal attached, you'll stand out a hell of a lot more.
I've had a few proposals rejected and I've sent a few proposals and received no response. I'm simply saying that is takes persistence. It's very similar to being out of work and trying to land an interview... you know where this is going.
And yes, if you develop a reputation for being a reliable author with integrity who gets his work in on time (and that work is considered high quality by your admin), you'll continue to receive writing opportunities if you want them.
Dave Kay
LFR Writing Director Retiree
dkay807 [at] yahoo [dot] com
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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 12:55PM
#294
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It's probably not just reliability. For some writers, I imagine that the various requirements drive them away. I for one would be happy to write for LFR if I weren't required to use .docx format for the files and dungeon tiles for the maps. I wrote a good number of LG mods and some for profit 3rd party stuff but I don't want to deal with dungeon tiles or buy a new word processor to write LFR. (Yeah, I might be able to use open office, but I've yet to see what it can do that my trusty Word 97 doesn't do better).
So, if the PTB ever find that they don't have enough authors (or enough good and reliable authors), they might think about relaxing those requirements. I suspect I'm not the only person who would be interested in writing for the campaign but is not currently doing so due to the various requirements.
For reference, the .docx format is not actually used. The requirement is actually to use Word 2000 or better and the .doc format. This is necessary because of the methods they use of converting the documents and styles to the final pdf's that LFR GMs are familiar with. I think this is a very reasonable requirement; LFR globals/WDs do not have the time to do a gargantuan amount of style-editing, etc. (They do some as needed, but it can be considerably more time in editing the adventure into a correct format than writing it if you don't know what you're doing.)
I think in any business, complaining that you want to use over 13 year old computer software is completely unreasonable. They allow the use of 10 year old software because it meets the requirements they need to produce their documents.
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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 1:13PM
#295
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The Dungeon tiles objection is a matter of quality writing rather than expense or difficulty. I think the product is garbage and to the extent it does what I want it to do at all, it does so very poorly. I contacted the administration through one of my friends who is a writing director about a year ago with the idea of using the old fantastic locations maps rather than dungeon tiles for a fantastic locations module and was told that it had been asked before and the answer was no. So, they want dungeon tiles and I want to do my adventures well. These two goals are not compatible, so that's it. If they change their mind, I may change mine.
I don't mean to imply that the authors who do use dungeon tiles are bad writers for doing so--I'm sure they do the best they can with the tools they are given and some of their work still manages to be good. I just think that it would be better with better tools (and that, if it comes down to it a mere pencil and graph paper would constitute "better tools") and I am not personally interested in working under the requirement to use dungeon tiles. I only bring it up now to point out that if they really want a larger pool of authors than they have now, there are steps they could take to achieve that goal. One is better (or more) outreach to new authors. Another would be finding a way to work around some of the restrictions that keep some people who have worked with them in the past from doing it now.
Yes, the requirement to use dungeon tiles for maps is creatively constricting, and requires authors to spend time familiarizing themself with (free) software.
But LFR is by its nature a marketing/advertising program. Complaining that it needs to advertise WotC products is like complaining that there are commercials on television or radio. Yes, it would be easier for writers of TV shows to not be required to have good "commercial break points" in their programs, or viewers may enjoy watching TV without commercial breaks more. But like TV/radio, it's free because it contains advertisements. (Cable TV would be more analagous to written adventures available for purchase.)
Writers are paid for their work, and the requirements for LFR writing exist for a reason. Realistically, if people wanted LFR that didn't advertise WotC products, they would need to pay for adventures; there would be considerable outrage from the RPGA community if this shift occured.
There are pros and cons of LFR. People are always free to do whatever they want to write in a manner they'd like for a 4e homegame.
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3 years ago ::
Jan 17, 2010 - 2:33PM
#296
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2008
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However, I am saying that regardless of whether WDs do or do not respond to emails, you need to find a way to stand out. If 60 people all send emails that say "I'd like to write," what are the chances you'll get picked? If you send an email explaining you'd like to write, explaining your qualifications, and with a sample of your work or a proposal attached, you'll stand out a hell of a lot more.
Now this is a good idea.
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3 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2010 - 3:59AM
#297
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Date Joined:
Oct 20, 2007
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I'm not excusing people for not responding to their emails. I think it's unprofessional of people to take so long to respond to a simple email (or to not respond at all). However, I am saying that regardless of whether WDs do or do not respond to emails, you need to find a way to stand out. If 60 people all send emails that say "I'd like to write," what are the chances you'll get picked? If you send an email explaining you'd like to write, explaining your qualifications, and with a sample of your work or a proposal attached, you'll stand out a hell of a lot more.
QFT.
I've seen a few of the expressions of interest from people wanting to write for the Dragon Coast. I've also been in the position to hire a dozen or so people in my last couple of (real life) positions. I didn't even finish reading the resume of some applicants for the latter and I'm not surprised the Dragon Coast WD didn't short-list some of the former. First impressions count.
It might be a hobby but dropping a lazy email along the lines of "My name's X and I'd like to write for region Y" just doesn't cut it. One person even spelt Dragon Coast incorrectly... don't call us buddy, we'll call you.
As has been stated by others, if you are an aspiring writer, treat the process like a real job. Just like in real life, you won't get every position you apply for, sometimes for bizarrre or unfair reasons, but your opportunity will come.
Having just changed WDs, I know for a fact that the Dragon Coast admins would like to deveop a larger pool of professional and reliable contributors. We have a few but more is always better. 
Joe Fitzgerald | joerpga[at]yahoo[dot]com[dot]au
LFR Global Administrator
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3 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2010 - 5:17AM
#298
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Date Joined:
May 29, 2004
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Having been an RPGA editor back when Dungeon Tiles were first being published and before they were required in adventures for LFR, I wouldn't be surprised if the requirement to use Dungeon Tiles was also to establish a certain minimum quality level for adventures. About halfway through 2007, I started requiring that most of my authors use Dungeon Tiles to make their maps, and helped them to find utilities to do so. This was for no other reason than that I had been receiving hand-drawn maps that were simply unacceptable - pencil lines that didn't scan in, combat maps with no grid, maps with random boxes that had no explanation of what they were - and these were authors who were a month late on their submissions, so there wasn't a lot of time to do coaching. Once, I asked an author to ask him what something on his map was, and he couldn't even tell me. Once I started requiring Dungeon Tiles, at least DMs could read the authors' maps, even if they weren't quite as diverse as they otherwise could be. And to an extent, the sacrifice of uniqueness for portability and universal consistency in understanding of the adventure is the sacrifice you make in an RPGA campaign.
John du Bois
Living Forgotten Realms Writing Director, Netheril story area
Follow me on The Twitter: @JohnduBois
Follow my presence on The Intertubes: johncdubois.wordpress.com
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3 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2010 - 6:19AM
#299
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Date Joined:
Oct 26, 2008
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It might be a hobby but dropping a lazy email along the lines of "My name's X and I'd like to write for region Y" just doesn't cut it. One person even spelt Dragon Coast incorrectly... don't call us buddy, we'll call you.
Sad but true ... but clearly good spelling isn't a requirement for being a writer in LFR so I don't know why you used this example. ;-P
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3 years ago ::
Jan 19, 2010 - 1:31PM
#300
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Date Joined:
Dec 15, 2005
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When I read the Luruar writer's guidelines last year they made me cry.
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