Quote from: Old Geezer;691988Sorry, still not getting it, I must be thick as a brick.

I like the shaggy balrog story and my comment was more about what I hope to get from the overall feel of the book, not a critique of this one story.

Quote from: Old Geezer;691989I had no idea posting one goofy story would be so controversial.

Welcome to the interwebs.

But hey, you are launching a Kickstarter and thus you are asking for our money so its not a big surprise that people would have critiques of the rough draft. Kickstarter is particularly built to promote author/audience interaction so there is a built in expectation there will be some level of Spanish Inquisition.

Quote from: Old Geezer;691990If I were interested in a masturbatory quest for self aggrandizement I'd write a book about model railroading.

Make that your next book.

You've already written it, so that's the hard part.  You might as well put it out there - don't let anyone here dissuade you from making an honest effort.  It's probably not going to let you retire to a life of luxury - but stranger things have happened!  

But if you're serious about trying to make it successful, you do want to provide 'reasons to care'.  Your intro post doesn't really explain what your book will be.  From the first post, I assumed it would be a collection of similar stories.  If there's more to it, a bit of explanation would help.

Quote from: Spinachcat;692020I like the shaggy balrog story and my comment was more about what I hope to get from the overall feel of the book, not a critique of this one story.

OOooooh!  Why didn't you say so?  (Okay, I CAN be a bit thick)

Here is a tentative list of chapter titles, order not yet determined.  Copyright me blah blah blah.

INTRODUCTION
GARY AND DAVE
UNSTATED ASSUMPTIONS – D&D AND TRACTICS
GHOULASH THE BALROG AND THE ORCS
MY GREYHAWK BALROG AND WIZARD TIMES
WHY PAY US TO HAVE FUN FOR YOU
GARY LOSES CONTROL OF HIS GAME
UNSTATED ASSUMPTIONS – WARGAMING
UNSTATED ASSUMPTIONS – D&D AND DIPLOMACY
FANTASTIC MEDIEVAL WARGAMES CAMPAIGN
UNSTATED ASSUMPTIONS – D&D AND CHAINMAIL
PLAYER SKILL
GARY incl THE NIGHT WE FED ERNIE TO THE MONSTER and NO KILLING THE PRINCESS
DAVE incl NECROSS THE (HA HA HA!) MAD
DAVE SUTHERLAND
TIM AND THE BALROGS
YRAG, XAGYG, REDNIBLLEPS, AND GRONAN
SETTING ERNIE ON FIRE
THE DJINN, THE BALROG, AND THE PANCAKE OF THREE WISHES
PHIL
UP IN THE AIR, JUNIOR BIRDMEN!
LESSNARD ALONE!
PLAYING IN GREYHAWK AND BLACKMOOR
ONCE THERE WAS A LAND CALLED GREYHAWK inc 99 SIDED RANDOM MONSTER DIE
GARY GYGAX GAME DESIGN
THE LOST END GAME
THE GREATEST UNSTATED ASSUMPTION
THINGS PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
THE WARGAMER'S WORLD
AFTERWORD

Quote from: deadDMwalking;692022You've already written it, so that's the hard part.  You might as well put it out there - don't let anyone here dissuade you from making an honest effort.  It's probably not going to let you retire to a life of luxury - but stranger things have happened!  

But if you're serious about trying to make it successful, you do want to provide 'reasons to care'.  Your intro post doesn't really explain what your book will be.  From the first post, I assumed it would be a collection of similar stories.  If there's more to it, a bit of explanation would help.

Well, the actual kickstarter page will talk a lot more about it.  I've just found in the past that short humorous anecdotes are a good way to get people's attention in a favorable way.

Quote from: Spinachcat;692020Make that your next book.

Actually, I've developed enough skill as a modeler to actually write articles that will probably be accepted by the biggest modeling magazine, which pays not horribly... better than RPG writing, that's for sure.

If I've developed a good technique for modeling the way Chicago and Northwestern grain cars rust over their yellow paint, all I need is a few good pictures and some text.  Digital cameras have made getting decent pictures fairly simple, and I've got a bit of skill with words.  Hell, I carried a 3.96 GPA in seminary, I should hope I can write at least acceptably well.

Quote from: KenHR;691965Fucking christ, the hair-splitting in this place.

How does the hair-splitting here differ from anywhere else?

Quote from: KenHR;691965Of course, but I think Kyle was addressing people who want to sell their writing.

Fucking christ, the hair-splitting in this place.

I happen to believe the best books are written solely for the writer, with no attempts to compromise based on assumption of "what the audience wants". Like Lord of the Rings. I hardly consider that hair-splitting. I think a like-minded audience will find the work if it's of quality, and that an end goal of "appealing to as many people as possible" waters down an individual writer's/game designer's voice,  and results in an inferior product.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;692041How does the hair-splitting here differ from anywhere else?

Here, we split pubes and debate dingleberries...and always keep it classy.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;692041How does the hair-splitting here differ from anywhere else?

Complaining about hair-splitting online IS a bit like standing in the ocean and complaining how wet it is...

The Internet makes pendants of us all

Quote from: TristramEvans;692057Complaining about hair-splitting online IS a bit like standing in the ocean and complaining how wet it is...

The Internet makes pendants of us all

Surely you mean pedants.

Quote from: Old Geezer;689888So, I've just finished the first draft of my utterly subjective memoir of my early years in D&D, which I've entitled "We Made Up Some Shit We Thought Would Be Fun."  Soon to be a Kickstarter.

When are you planning on firing up the Kickstarter?

Quote from: K Peterson;692072When are you planning on firing up the Kickstarter?

Rough guess, "end of year."  I've been talking to Tavis from Autarch for a while now about it because I like they way they've handled their Kickstarters (yes, even Dwimmermount; I think they recovered about as well as anybody could).

We're waiting for 1) me to finish my first draft (done) and 2) Autarch to have their other Kickstarters (DM and Domains of War) finished.

Quote from: Rincewind1;692065Surely you mean pedants.

Gotcha!

Quote from: TristramEvans;692090

Gotcha!

By his pendants!  And brother, that hurts!

Quote from: Old Geezer;692084Rough guess, "end of year."  

Be careful about the tax liabilities. There has been some talk of late about tax issues for Kickstarters who get their cash, then can't spend it on production costs before the end of the year and then the Taxman Cometh Most Coldly.