Introduction
These guidelines are intended to assist potential role-playing writers and/or artists through the Kenzer and Company submission process. Following these guidelines is no guarantee that the work will be accepted, but failure to follow them will virtually guarantee rejection. If you have any questions regarding these guidelines we will try to answer them as quickly as possible. (Note that if you’re submitting via the US Postal Service rather than by email, including return postage helps to accelerate the process).
Roleplaying Games
We are primarily interested in:
– adventures, sourcebook, and worldbook material using the current edition of the HackMaster rules, set in the Kingdoms of Kalamar campaign setting
– adventures and sourcebook material for Wild West roleplaying using the Aces & Eights: Shattered Frontier role-playing game rules
Serious authors should have some experience as a GameMaster or have played and read enough commercial adventures to know basic industry expectations. Avoid ideas which are in bad taste, or may infringe upon the work of others.
Adventures should be at least 5,000 words (for PDF products) or 16,000 words (for print). Adventures with the proper blend of combat and plot intrigue are ideal.
Written work of greater length, detailing a specific area, country, city, town or castle (world supplements) is also of interest. Supplements should provide a rich and highly detailed background. While describing some of the mundane features of common life are necessary in such work, it should also include politics, rivalries, or other conflicts which could be turned into an adventure by the gamemaster. Supplements should provide the figurative soil and seed for many adventures, while published adventures provides the fully-grown tree to a GameMaster.
Other Games
Sometimes we look at other types of products. This includes board games, card games, roleplaying game systems or game accessories. While this is not our primary focus right now, we are usually willing to a take a look at your idea. Our main interest in these areas is in quick-to-play “pick-up” games that are easy to learn and can be expanded with future supplements.
Proposals
We encourage freelancers to propose their own ideas. When it comes to adventures, we prefer to receive a finished draft. For larger supplements, you should first write a brief proposal describing the region and ideas you wish to write about. This proposal should be a 2 to 3 page, typed document describing the setting, hooks, majjor characters, and so on. A basic outline is required. Be specific and provide as much detail as space allows. Any work that we publish becomes the sole property of Kenzer and Company.
You can submit your proposal electronically to our new submission email [email protected]. Alternatively, you can send a hardcopy of the proposal to:
Kenzer & Company
Attn: New Submissions
511 W. Greenwood Ave
Waukegan, IL 60087
After your proposal has been accepted, you submit a complete written work. At that point, you will receive comments from our editors. Several rewrites may be needed, at the discretion of our editors. Be sure to ask for the HackMaster Style Guide or the Kingdoms of Kalamar Design Guide for use in self-editing your accepted proposal. Kenzer and Company is under no obligation to publish any work.
Artwork
Artwork, if any, may be submitted with written adventures or world supplements and is usually essential in the form of maps, sketches and player’s aids. The purpose of most of this artwork is to help explain the story. However, our artists will most likely revise or replace any “story telling” artwork included with submissions. It is usually clearer to describe something with a picture, as well as words, but we do not pay extra for this type of artwork.
High-quality artwork will be considered for purchase separately from text. If you think your artwork should be considered for professional publication, you should request consideration in your proposal. We will evaluate each piece on a case-by-case basis. Serious artists should send us samples of other work as well.
We also consider inquiries on contracting full-color cover art. Sending us a set of color samples is essential and rates are negotiated based on quality and our needs. While we might purchase black and white interior art as it exists, purchasing cover art is different. Cover art is usually made to our specifications so do not send originals for consideration.
Rates
Our pay rates for shorter works (typically those found in KODT) can be found in our KODT Submission Guidelines. For longer, full-length adventures or supplements, payments or royalties depend on the quality and length of the work and the experience of the author. Typical rates for high quality black and white interior art also vary depending on the size and acceptability. Prior to our pursuing submitted work for publication, the author or artist must sign our Assignment of Rights form giving Kenzer and Company the sole rights to the work.
The form below is the initial submission form, essentially declaring your intention of having us publish your work. We do not have the rights for your work until you have been contracted, and sign the official Assignment of Rights form that we will send to you.