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Velociryx
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of Candle'Bre
Apr 1999
time: 05:13
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Didn't wanna break the "50 post" limit by too much, so I figured I'd start a new one here!
*******
Posted in the other thread
An overdue update:
Had to pull myself out of the writing shell I crept into so I could say a quick hello and give you guys the latest in the way of updates!
One thing I've discovered over the past few weeks....it's TOUGH to do two book rollouts at the same time! YOW!
I was a little delayed in working on the SMAX guide, cos it just so happened that my fiction novel went through the pipe first, so I got the final galleys back from it, and had to devote some time in giving it a final lookin' over, making last minute formatting changes and junk like that....gotta get it looking just right!
And any time I wasn't doing that, I was delving deep into the guts of the SMAX guide, tweaking, shaving a bit here, adding stuff there....tightening things up in general. I'm very happy with it as it's shaping up, and I think it'll make a fine addition to my bookshelf!
Due to deadline and time constraints, there were a few things I wasn't able to add, but I captured the essence of it, so here's a quick preview:
New Stuff:
* There are a total of fifteen specific How-To's, indexed at the back with page numbers (and the electronic form of the book will--if I did it right (fingers crossed!)--have text links....click on the How-To...Poof...you're there!
* Topical Index at the front of the guide will also have text links to take you right to the section in question, and page numbers to guide you there in the bound version.
* New or Expanded Sections include: A bit more information on custom units (there was some information present, so I fleshed it out a bit further, and added some additional notes on missiles, "surprise" units, etc.), Rush Building Section with formula and handy-dandy chart, SP Challenge Game section, notes on efficiency and eco-damage (here, I was somewhat stymied by the fact that the limits on both of these "float" depending on what faction you're playing, and what SE choices you're running at the moment....had I delved too deeply into those subjects, I could have written a hundred thousand words on those two areas alone, so I treated it with some broad brush strokes for the sake of time), and added new material on effective projection of power.
Some stuff not included:
* Time constraints did not allow me to add in a "Black Ops" section...but it is my hope that the game notes added to the various sections of the guide as it stands will compensate for that....just wasn't enough time to play the game....had to focus on the writing...::sigh:: )
* Googlie had mentioned working on a guide to using the editor, so I left that off of the guide I'm working on, opting to focus more on the "how-to" aspects of playing and winning.
The guide as originally presented was a shade over 40,000 words, which means that it has more than doubled in size since I started writing it...YOW....LOL....already, in browsing recent forum entries, I've heard one fellow say that it was too long, so I'm starting to feel that perhaps it's reached the point where more isn't necessarily better....
For me then, what remains is final touch ups, getting "Guardians" out of the system (timeframe is est. 2 weeks), so the guide can start through the galley process....a couple of weeks to check it over and make sure everything looks just so....and then....she'll be ready.
*******
And Kinjy....  Thank you Brother!
As to SMACed's question about the publisher: The work (all my work, actually, "Guardians," The SMAX Guide, "Five Days in May," and my poetry anthology called "Road Music") will be published by a local outfit here in South Carolina (Charleston, to be specific). The company's name is GreatUNpublished, http://www.greatunpublished.com, and not only are they a fantastic bunch of people to work with, but they've also attracted some REALLY talented authors! It's literally a reader's paradise! I've found so many "undiscovered gems" of books there that it's not funny, so if you're an avid reader, I highly recommend the site!
Also, and I know there are a lot of writers on this forum, and if you've ever thought about having your own work published, I'd highly recommend giving them some consideration. I know there are a lot of people who consider POD companies to be "vanity publishing," but here's an interesting point to consider: Right now, POD's control a mere 5% of the book market, and they've got the big publishing houses running scared....because they see what it represents. It's the future of publishing....still in its infancy, to be sure, but it's growing by leaps and bounds! Giving artists the ability to control their work (you retain all the rights to your creation), and their destiny!
Anyway, sorry for that momentary trip to the soapbox....::sheepish grin:: but if you're curious to know more about POD publishing, or about my own trials and tribulations where publication is concerned, allow me to direct you to an article I recently published on that very subject!
Hmmm...actually, if you're curious to see some of the *other* projects I've been workin on are, allow me to direct you to the following site:
http://www.thevines.com/leaf/AE0000010675/30/0/0/
from there, you'll see a link that says "Articles by Velociryx" Click that, and it'll display a list of the stuff I've been doing in my "spare time"  and the article on POD publishing will be on that list, entitled "Threshold of Change."
Happy reading! (oh! And if you head there to check out the articles, I'd be honored if you'd rate and/or comment, but you'll have to register to do that. Registering is as simple as typing in your e-mail addy tho.... )
-=Vel=-
[This message has been edited by Velociryx (edited February 06, 2001).]
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07-02-2001 08:21
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