Authentications [Archive] - Wizards Community

Authentications [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Spikes01k
11-11-05, 09:00 AM I have done a lot of work and have discussed apparently to the end about a PrC

"Dark Moon Claws"
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=7400369#post7400369

I am looking to see if I can get this approved by TSR, aka Wizards of the Coast. I would like to know how I would go by doing this.
SnowbearK
11-11-05, 09:23 AM No, you can't.
Spikes01k
11-11-05, 09:52 AM No, you can't.

ok, mind expanding on the shine pile of one liner-ness.
Bullgrit
11-11-05, 10:02 AM Well, first of all, TSR no longer exists. :-)

Second, what do you mean by "get this approved"?

Bullgrit
a_psh
11-11-05, 10:20 AM Published?

Published in a mag? Take it to Dragon. I don't know what their deal with unsolicited submissions is, but I think they take 'em. Dragon is officially quasi-official, IIRC.

Published in a WotC book? That means making a name for yourself as a game designer. As far as I'm aware, they explicitly don't accept anything they didn't order up in the first place.

Published by a third-party d20 publisher? Check over the contents for OGL-compliance and let it make the rounds. Needless to say, anything they publish isn't "official" game content in the strictest sense. I looked at your class long enough to notice that you reference Oriental Adventures, so you may want to direct inquiry to the company that's maintaining that franchise now (WotC does not, at this time, publish Rokugan products, but another company has a license to do so).

Getting something published is pretty hard, though. Particularly if we're talking a single prestige class, as everyone and their hamster is writing prestige classes, and it's hard to argue that just one will really get anyone to buy a book. If Dragon works anything like a litmag (this is a big "if," mind), your first challenge is getting past the "slush pile" - where the stuff from people they don't know is shoved to fester and rot while perhaps awaiting a cursory glance from a junior editor. This is hard because you don't just have to be good, you really have to impress from the get-go: basically, if someone isn't hooked a few sentences in, they're likely to shrug and toss it. It's just sort of what happens anywhere they have tons of submissions and few people to read them.

So, basically, the answer to your question, in the sense of "How do I get this to be official WotC content?" is "You don't."

The answer to your question, in the sense of "How do I publish this somewhere?" is "To start the process, review and edit your work, then pick a bunch of places and send it out. Prepare to be utterly underwhelmed at what happens next."
SnowbearK
11-12-05, 12:46 AM ok, mind expanding on the shine pile of one liner-ness.Well, first of all, TSR no longer exists. :-)

:cookie:
weasel fierce
11-12-05, 12:55 AM You dont need anyone to validate your design.

If you just want it in print, send it to Dragon and if its cool, Im sure they'll consider it

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Spikes01k 11-11-05, 09:00 AM	I have done a lot of work and have discussed apparently to the end about a PrC "Dark Moon Claws" http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=7400369#post7400369 I am looking to see if I can get this approved by TSR, aka Wizards of the Coast. I would like to know how I would go by doing this.
SnowbearK 11-11-05, 09:23 AM	No, you can't.
Spikes01k 11-11-05, 09:52 AM	No, you can't. ok, mind expanding on the shine pile of one liner-ness.
Bullgrit 11-11-05, 10:02 AM	Well, first of all, TSR no longer exists. :-) Second, what do you mean by "get this approved"? Bullgrit
a_psh 11-11-05, 10:20 AM	Published? Published in a mag? Take it to Dragon. I don't know what their deal with unsolicited submissions is, but I think they take 'em. Dragon is officially quasi-official, IIRC. Published in a WotC book? That means making a name for yourself as a game designer. As far as I'm aware, they explicitly don't accept anything they didn't order up in the first place. Published by a third-party d20 publisher? Check over the contents for OGL-compliance and let it make the rounds. Needless to say, anything they publish isn't "official" game content in the strictest sense. I looked at your class long enough to notice that you reference Oriental Adventures, so you may want to direct inquiry to the company that's maintaining that franchise now (WotC does not, at this time, publish Rokugan products, but another company has a license to do so). Getting something published is pretty hard, though. Particularly if we're talking a single prestige class, as everyone and their hamster is writing prestige classes, and it's hard to argue that just one will really get anyone to buy a book. If Dragon works anything like a litmag (this is a big "if," mind), your first challenge is getting past the "slush pile" - where the stuff from people they don't know is shoved to fester and rot while perhaps awaiting a cursory glance from a junior editor. This is hard because you don't just have to be good, you really have to impress from the get-go: basically, if someone isn't hooked a few sentences in, they're likely to shrug and toss it. It's just sort of what happens anywhere they have tons of submissions and few people to read them. So, basically, the answer to your question, in the sense of "How do I get this to be official WotC content?" is "You don't." The answer to your question, in the sense of "How do I publish this somewhere?" is "To start the process, review and edit your work, then pick a bunch of places and send it out. Prepare to be utterly underwhelmed at what happens next."
SnowbearK 11-12-05, 12:46 AM	ok, mind expanding on the shine pile of one liner-ness.Well, first of all, TSR no longer exists. :-) :cookie:
weasel fierce 11-12-05, 12:55 AM	You dont need anyone to validate your design. If you just want it in print, send it to Dragon and if its cool, Im sure they'll consider it