Pyramid Mentoring Google Group

[Christopher R. Rice]

Have you ever wanted to write for Pyramid? Are you intimidated by the WYSIWYG? Does putting together an article seem too daunting? Do you think you could do it if you just had some help? If this sounds like you, then I want to hear from you! Steve Jackson Games (and Steven Marsh by extension) can always use a larger, dedicated pool of writers, and I (and some other authors) are willing to help get your work up to par. A few things first:

• This little project is in no way endorsed by Steve Jackson Games. It's a personal side project that I've put together to help my fellow potential writers.
• I am looking for serious people who are willing to dedicate their spare time into becoming the best game writers they can be. This means you need to be able to accept constructive criticism, be ready to listen to the advice that you're given, and work hard to achieve your end goal. Writing for Pyramid isn't just about putting words to paper. There is a certain style, a way to say things, do things, that is inherent to the magazine's format.
• You'd need to agree to a general nondisclosure principle, and obey Wheaton's Rule. We don't want people to start claiming their idea has been stolen and ruin everything.
• This writer's group is built around improving actual drafts. So to participate, you need to have a draft to be critiqued. Have it ready, and advice will be given on how to format it, article structure, content, and flow, and internal consistency with the body of GURPS rules. It's meant to help those people who are almost good enough to get into Pyramid on their own. It's not meant as a general group for writers or people who don't know how to write, but want to learn. There are hundreds of resources out there for that. Edit: This doesn't need to be something you're actually going to submit; if you want to work on a "practice" draft - that's fine too! The goal is to get you thinking and writing like a Pyramid author.
• Rejection can happen. But don't send me an email because you are afraid of that. Don't take it personally, go work on your style, improve, submit again. Maybe you'll surprise us (I hope you do!). Alternatively, bypass us completely and submit it right to Pyramid!
• Being accepted does not mean you're going to get into Pyramid, that's something you have to do on your own. I can help you, but I can't do it for you.
• Playtesting or reviewing experience is a plus, but not required.

I can promise participants one thing: I will be perfectly honest with you at all times (and so will the others). If we think, your idea is awful, we'll tell you, if we think, it can be salvaged...we'll tell you so. This sort of honesty and openness are essential for something like this to work.

Right now, the mentors in the program consist of myself, Antoni "Kuroshima" Ten Munros, Douglas Cole, Paul Stefko, and Tim Ponce. I'm sure there will be others. If you're an experienced Pyramid or GURPS author that wants to help the next generation, shoot me an email, and I'll happily add you to the list. The more the merrier. :-)

Right now, I'm looking for 2 to 3 participants, first come is first served. Contact me via PM, email, or post here on the boards. Make sure you have your article ready (.DOC format please) to email me.

See our manifesto here.

I really look forward to hearing from you guys, would-be mentors or protégés.

Update: Because OpenOffice and other non-MS Word programs tend to do strange things to formatting after they've been saved and opened by MS Word I'm going to have to require from this point on that you either have a program that doesn't do this (email the .doc and I can find out for you) or that you use some version of Word. I know this will put a dent into people's styles, but the work-around to fix this is difficult and the whole point of this group is to teach you how to format things yourself.

Update: As of this time (8/31/2017), this group is on semi-permanent hiatus due to my busy schedule. We'll get back to it - but it might take a while.

Update: As of this time (4/15/2017), this group is essentially disbanded. I might try again in the future, but for right now we're done.

[Refplace]

Good post and effort. I hope to particpate and sent in the note.

[Christopher R. Rice]

I now have 4 slots left. Remember folks, come to me with some sort of Pyramid submission. It doesn't have to be something you actually plan to submit (though that would be more helpful in the long run). This group is about learning how to write, properly format, and "speak" in the tone of Pyramid - I can't help you do that unless you have something we can work with. Make sure it's about 1,500 words and we can go from there.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Let me reiterate the fact that you need something that can be critiqued and used as a example for how you format your article. If you don't have a would-be submission, and again, it doesn't have to be something you actually submit, then I can't help you. This group is not about starting your article from beginning to finish. This is about polishing your work so it can be submitted. Later, this is probably going to change. However, for right now, I know I don't, and I'm guessing that the other mentors don't, have the time for this. So make sure you have something I can look at before you PM me.

[Christopher R. Rice]

As much as I am to bumping, I am going to bump this back up. I still have some slots left open and I can always use more authors, so please, if you are either. Please PM me or leave a post here.

[Figleaf23]

Drawing from my long-time interest in economics, it occurs to me that if there's an incentive barrier for people to make submissions to Pyramid, perhaps rather than adding an additional hoop in the form of a training program you should re-examine the complexity of your WALFABETSOUP, or whatever.

{Edit -- oops, wait. I missed that you said you were not part of SJG. Never mind.}

[martin_rook]

I'd so jump on this if I had the free time to do it. Or to write in the first place.

[scc]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Update: Because OpenOffice and other non-MS Word programs tend to do strange things to formatting after they've been saved and opened by MS Word I'm going to have to require from this point on that you either have a program that doesn't do this (email the .doc and I can find out for you) or that you use some version of Word. I know this will put a dent into people's styles, but the work-around to fix this is difficult and the whole point of this group is to teach you how to format things yourself.

What programs/versions are know good? What version of Word do you use and what version does SJG use/request files in?

[DouglasCole]

Originally Posted by scc

What programs/versions are know good? What version of Word do you use and what version does SJG use/request files in?

SJG templates are in Office 97-2003 format. I use Office 2010 and it works fine.

[Refplace]

I was using Office 97 with no complaints about Word doing wired stuff.