Warhammer Fantasy Battle Reporter Forum

I mean I could do simple editing and stuff like typos and spelling & grammar errors, but I'm not good enough to do the whole layout of things.

No, I'm not volunteering to do layout, just giving suggestions.

1. Download the free version of PagePlus (PagePlus SE), which is the one I use, and it has a fairly intuitive interface. You ask the editors of other webzines if they can give pointers on layout.
2. Small first issue: Personally I'd keep the first issue small to get used to how publishing works, something like 32 pages.
3. Make text easy to read: at least 10pt font (I prefer arial for text) and the colour of the text should be readable on the background you choose. In using images as background then select a font colour that is readable on the light and dark areas or you will have to switch colours mid sentence.
Keep it conisitant and simple: Use one font for main headers (which can be different font than the main text) and keep them the same size. Keep the bulk of the text one font also.
4. Background colour of pages that aren't images: The Doom Seeker uses white background but gray and cream colour can be easier on people's eyes. Watch out for people who print the book out, I had one complain that TDS killed his ink cartridges. Most read on the web so that shouldn't be a problem.
5. Page Size: Pick one and stick with it. Gold and Glory (www.dogsofwaronline) and Invocation (www.vampirecounts.net) uses European standard A4 paper size as the choice for their webzines and The Doom Seeker goes with American standard Letter Size. After looking at the readership for the first issue of The Doom Seeker I should have went A4 for it's read in regions outside the US more than by players in the US. Either way pdfs can be printed on either size paper with shiink to fit option when printing.
6. Physical Size: A full colour webzine can be 30+ MB at 32 pages. You may want to print out high and low quality versions like Word of Hashut on Chaos Dwarfs Online (www.chaos-dwarfs.com).
7. Issuu.com: Get an account there. It's a site for electonic publishing and allows people to read the ezine online easier than reading a PDF, but you can download the PDF if you wish of offline reading.

If I took on another ezine my darling wife would expect money coming into the household account.

Thanks for the help Bilbo!

I'm off to go check out some other ezines,get some ideas.

Ezines I know about.
Skavenblight Gazzette (underempire.net/index.php?act=idx)
Invocation (www.vampirecounts.net)
Gold and Glory (www.dogsofwaronline.com)
Word of Hashut (www.chaos-dwarfs.com)
The Doom Seeker (z8.invisionfree.com/SlayerBrotherhood/index.php?showtopic=123)

What are the first steps we need to take? We have tons of volunteers, what would be the best way to organize them?

Would it be possible to take all the people writing critical reviews and put them under one head?

All the people interested in Art? FanFic and so on, just to get each group together? Start compiling content and organized names? That way by the time the art people have found a layout, the content people will have a product to supply them with?

Thoughts?

OK lets make things simple.

Appoint Editor in Chief (Duties oversee everything and it's best if he does the Desktop Publishing.
Sort volunteers into groups.
Group 1. Writers, Gaming (These are the ones who do articles on painting/modeling/battle reports/new models and books)
Group 2. Writers, Fiction (These guys write the fluff articles)
Group 3. Artists (These guys fill the book)

It's best if you have 3-4 sub-editors 1 for the Gaming Writers, 1 for the Fiction, 1 for Artists and 1 for outside submissions/letter to the editor. You can do without all these at the start.

Get the Writers together so they can give ideas what to write and possibly assign writing duties. After the writing duties are done get the artists to make artwork for each article (artists take time so give them at least a month to get the art together). Come up with an idea for the cover based on the theme of the articles and assign one artist that (switch the artists up so they don't get mad for not having covers). Tell the artists the page size so they can make it art to fit. The cover art should have enough free space on the top to install the title of the webzine, he doesn't have to draw it into the art use the DP program to insert it.

I do all of this for The Doom Seeker with one editor (me) and one dependable staff writer. :D

Mr. Baggins,

well done! I'd like to volunteer for any of the fanfic positions. I have some experience editing and wouldn't mind doing that. My first love is writing, but I'd be happy to do both. Organizing the writing submissions would be something I would love to do. If there are other people interested, that's fine. However, I think this community and response begs action on our part. Lets make it happen and get it going!

Nico

I have two articles ready for the eZine when we start submitting things.

Stegadon Article (4-6 Pages w/pics)
Red Goblin Army Book (10-12 Pages, no pics)

I think once we actually start organizing things, it will come together nicely.

I'd like to volunteer to do an article or two on the Nautican Army project but I already have too much on my plate (in blogging / forum admin terms) to take on an editor role.

Is someone prepared to volunteer to be the chief editor to get this show on the road ?

You could submit one to The Doom Seeker which is due to be released 15 November.

If someone can spend some time to talk me through what I'd have to do as an editor, I'd be more than happy to donate my time to whatever needs doing. (Hell, I have loads of time at the moment, who wants some? )

I for some reason volunteered back about a month ago without knowing what all I'd be doing.

Also I'd happily (VERY HAPPILY)share the job with as many people that want it.

Also I'd like to throw in my hat for Writers,Fiction group.

I'll head up the fanfiction section, I can be an editor there, as long as i get to write as well. We need an editor in chief with a vision to bring the whole project together.

OK I was talking to Sigmar.

The plan is that The Doom Seeker will be the webzine of the site (joining New Slayer Brotherhood and Ravening Hordes sites supporting TDS). That way the people wanting to work on the webzine can get some experience in writing and editing a webzine. In the future if you wish to spin off into a seperate webzine that would be fine.

Anyone wishing to join let me know.

Organization will be

Editor-In-Chief - Bilbo Baggins

For now there will be no department editors, we are small enough not to need them at the moment. If I feel the need for them in the future staff writers will be asked to fill the positions first.

Staff Writers and Artists, we will need several writers and artists.

Writers may be asked to write on topics for an issue, when we are trying for more a theme of an issue. If you are a staff writer you do not have to write for every issue, I understand real life gets in the way. But you may have ideas for more that one article an issue and you can submit as many as you wish.

I would like to see some Skaven articles (since it is the newest book) like how to fight with and against them and how powerful they are now, I've heard they are up there with the Dark Elves in Power Level.

If the people who have stated they have/will write articles submit the next issue of TDS could be over 60 pages (last issue was 34 pages).

The voting for the Slayer Axe painting contest will be held on New Slayer Brotherhood and Here.

Anyone wishing to submit articles or join TDS staff please send me a PM.

Guys, as Bilbo states above - we thought it would be best if members contribute to Doomseeker for the meantime. It will give everyone a chance to see what's involved and whether they are interested in contributing again. The Doom Seeker is a well established eZine and will be able to absorb new contributions and will be a good starting point for people interested in seeing their articles in a Warhammer related eZine.