| Welcome to the Layonara forums!
Layonara is so much more than a game. We started off as a tabletop Dungeons and Dragons campaign more than a decade ago. Since then we have developed into a fantasy world with as much compelling and engrossing detail as you will find anywhere.
Our current showcase is a Neverwinter Nights version of Layonara, where our world comes to life in a finely polished persistent world which you can play free of charge. These forums are set up to support and accentuate our player's experiences, but it goes far beyond that.
After years of passionate effort, our world is so well developed, so detailed, so refined that any of the handbooks, maps, historical accounts, legends, descriptions of artifacts, creature reports, character biographies, short stories, novels, movies and original art which populate these forums can surely serve as resources or inspiration for your own fantasy endeavors, whatever they may be. And our world is endlessly evolving, so resources are frequently added and updated.
There are also years of sage advice and commentary on role-playing, gaming and online community development stored in these forums. If camaraderie is what you seek, we offer that too. Our community is as active and supportive as you're likely to find on the internet. In short, these forums are a resource for you to use for whatever purpose or project brought you here.
We're confident that you will find what you are looking for, and likely, substantially more.
Please be our guest and browse around the forums which are available to you. As you do, keep in mind that you are sampling only a portion of what Layonara has to offer. Membership in our community is free, and allows you to establish a Layonara identity to pose your questions and share your thoughts on the forums. When you join you'll also be able to communicate privately to other members (PMs), establish and respond to polls, upload and download content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. So please. join our community today!
| | Core Publications Writing and Editing |
There are a few publications that we consider core to the World of Layonara. These are the main publications that everybody playing within the game world should be referring to as the main source of information. These books are: Layonara World Setting, Deities of Layonara, Creatures of Layonara, Art of Layonara, Atlas of Layonara, Layonara Players Handbook, and Layonara Game Masters Handbook. All other written publications will fall under the nomenclature line of books called Layonara Lore; these core publications are under the category of Layonara Core.
We do not pay for writing or editing in the core publications. There are just too many authors and too many editors to try create a binding contract and/or divide the royalties or one time payments up equally and fairly in these core publications. As such we have come up with a way for credited authors and editors within the core books to have additional royalties paid to them via their own publications under the Layonara Lore line of publications. It does "pay" to write or edit for the core publications because you will in turn receive more royalties on your own writing or editing where you are credited for authoring or editing in a publication. What do we mean by "credited" you ask? It is simple; if the latest released core publication (regardless of revision/version number) has your name as an author or editor you are credited for that publication. We only look at the latest released version of a core publication when researching credited authors and editors. An example for this is that regardless of the year or version number, copyright date (or update), the Deities of Layonara is considered a single core book-no matter how many versions or revisions are released we only look at the latest version of that publication for authors and editors. If you are credited in that publication then it will count towards additional royalties for your own publications.
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| Editing for Layonara |
Editing is very important to the quality and professional publications of Layonara. We are only looking for editors that have a firm grasp of the written English language and are detail oriented when editing submissions. We do not want editors that skim the writing; they must be professional and actively produce a superior product through their editing. We may ask an editor to edit a publication more often if we see many errors in the edited/re-edited publication. If an editor is not performing as requested or is not doing a top-notch job we will likely not be using that editor for very long. It is at our sole discretion to choose who will be editing a publication.
We are paying editors 4% royalties on all non-core Electronic/PDF publications with an additional 1% commission for each core publication that their name appears in as an editor for that publication, to a maximum of 8% in royalties for a single non-core Electronic/PDF publication. Editing royalties have a maximum of .01 (1 cent) per word in a publication. So if a publication has 100,000 words the editor would receive a maximum royalty of $1,000.
We are paying editors 2% royalties on all printed non-core, and non-electronic/pdf publications with an additional 1% commission for each core publication that their name appears in as an editor for that publication, to a maximum of 5% in royalties for a single printed non-core publication (non-electronic/pdf release). Editing royalties have a maximum of .01 (1 cent) per word in a publication. As an Example: If a publication has 100,000 words the editor would receive a maximum royalty of $1,000.
Two examples of this in action for Electronic/PDF's: If an editor appears in the credits of Deities of Layonara (a Layonara Core publication line) they will receive 4% in royalties on that publication. Then if the editor appears in a single other Layonara Lore publication lines (not core lines) the editor will receive 5% royalties on each publication-4% + 1% for the credited core publication. If the editor is credited in two core publications he or she would receive 6% in royalties-4% +2% for the two credited core publications.
This is for individual sales or group sales of Electronci/PDF's or printed (non-electronic/pdf). It does not include subscriptions or other sources of income as that would be nearly impossible to track across all publications. We do not pay out for subscriptions or other income sources based on these publications.
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| What we are looking for as writing submissions |
We are looking for professional and quality writers. The writer must have a solid grasp of English in its written form. What we do not want to do, and indeed refuse to do, is to edit and proofread a submission time after time. Writers must be professional and highly articulate with their submissions. If you do not feel that you can provide this sort of quality submission then it is best to stop here.
We are looking for the following types of completed submissions based in the Layonara Cosmos. Do not make them up if something already exists, use what is currently defined for Layonara and flush them out fully.
- Adventure Modules
- Dungeon, crypt, ruins, cavern write-ups, mapped, and defined per continent or island(s)
- Creature Ecologies for creature types or categories, fully defined
- Kingdom, city, town, village definition and maps
- Organizations scoped out and defined by continent, kingdom, or island(s)
- A trilogy of Pits within the Endless Pits of Strife that is fully defined and mapped. Each Pits of Strife publication should be a minimum of 60 pages. If you are able to create a fully flushed out Pit and it takes up 60 pages then a single pit will be acceptable.
- Stories based on past events of the world that are already noted in writing
- Stories based on World Leader characters in the game world.
- Novels based solely in Layonara or the Pits of Endless Strife
We are likely to combine submissions in order to make a full publication so additional agreements may need to be reached for each author. If an agreement (and contract) can not be reached with the author (or editor) then the work will not be sold. Layonara Studios LLC, nor Daniel R. Scott are required to reach an agreement with any individual or company and you are entering this with that full understanding and knowledge.
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| Cartography in Publications |
We will pay 1% for all publications that have more than one cartography map in the publication. We will likely be using cartography in nearly every publication released and because of this we think that that the cartographer will be able to receive a royalty from many of them. But we need to do this within reason; as such we will be paying a royalty for publications that have more than one cartography map.
Artwork in Publications
For the most part we will do Work for Hire for artwork submissions; we will not be paying royalties for the artwork. They will be one time payments and the studio will own all rights, exclusively, to the image.
The studio will not pay for artwork that the author creates on their own as that is part of their royalties on the sales and the author is trying to make a quality publication. The type of art creations being talked about in this section is when the studio needs to commission for artwork for covers or for special and specific art that the author has not (or is not able to) created for a specific publication or publication line/series.
The studio will likely introduce our own artwork in to various publications-at our discretion entirely, at no cost or decreasing of royalties (or Work for Hire) payments to the authors, editors, or cartographers.
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| Payment Method |
Please remember that we are talking about written works in the Layonara Cosmos in this section, we are not talking about non-Layonara Submissions. It needs to be stated that we do not pay for just any submission; we pay for the quality submissions.
We reserve the right of refusal for any product, for any reason, including if a contract has not been signed or the signer has violated the contract in some way. These prices are subject to change at any time and by our sole discretion. There are three methods of payment. Payments are made via PayPal so make sure you have an account set up, we do not mail payments, pay via credit card, or cut checks-we use PayPal only at this time. We pay by the quarter (not by the month) and only if a released product(s) has generated $50 or more for the individual writer and the writer is owed $50 or more for that quarter. Contracts and agreements will be signed.
This is for individual or bundled/group Electronci/PDF's or printed (non-electronic/pdf) publication sales. It does not include subscriptions or other sources of income as that would be nearly impossible to track across all publications. We do not pay out for subscriptions or other income sources based on these publications. If we end up bundling publications it is highly likely we will need to reach another agreement and contract with the author(s) or the bundling may not be able to proceed or happen at all.
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| What we are willing to pay |
We are only accepting submissions with a single author as that is the only way we can fairly, equally, and easily pay for the work. If that single author has a deal with others that is up to them and we are not to be held responsible or liable for anything between those parties. We are working with the single author that is submitting an individual publication.
The first method is a payment by word, or Work for Hire. We will pay 2 cents per word to a maximum of $250 per individual submission that we accept. This is a one time payment and there are no royalties at all. If you are interested in receiving money up front, without waiting for it to come in via royalties this is the way to achieve that goal. We will then use any submission that is paid for in various publications and electronic/PDF's, giving credit to the author for their sections. Daniel R. Scott will become the copyright holder of the accepted material, you will be the author, and Layonara Studios will likely be the publisher.
The second method is payment by royalties. We will pay 10% of the sale price, before taxes, of a released Layonara electronic/PDF product to the writer. We do not pay any money up front. We pay by the quarter (not by the month) and only if a released product(s) has generated $50 or more for the individual writer over a products lifetime but tallied every quarter and the writer is owed $50 or more for that quarter. We will have full rights to use the submissions in any way, to include placement in other publications or electronic/PDF products. You will continue to receive payment for the electronic/PDF written and released. If a product does not sale a single unit in a six month period the product will be discontinued and removed from inventory. We may continue to use the submitted writing in other products or electronic/PDF's at our sole discretion. Daniel R. Scott will become the copyright holder of the accepted material, you will be the author, and Layonara Studios will likely be the publisher. Note: For every core book that an Author's is credited the Author earns an additional 1% in royalties on publications that they have created for Layonara, to a max of an additional 5% in royalties-or a total maximum of 15% in royalties on their own authored publication. This is for electronic/PDF publications only. This works just like it works for the editors, only with different royalty rates.
The third method is for products that are physically printed publications and released through a publisher and/or distributor method at some point in their lifetime. While this is the most desirable method for all concerned, including us, it is also the method that is the most difficult, time consuming, draining, and unprofitable by individual product sold for all involved. We pay a flat 4% of the sale price to the writer, before taxes, per product sold in this manner; this is in addition to any electronic/PDF sales the product may produce. We pay by the quarter (not by the month) and only if a released product(s) has generated $50 or more for the individual writer over a products lifetime but tallied every quarter and the writer is owed $50 or more for that quarter. If a product (books) does not sale at least 100 units in a six month period the product will be discontinued and removed from inventory. We may continue to use the submitted writing in other books or electronic/PDF's at our sole discretion. Daniel R. Scott will become the copyright holder of the accepted material, you will be the author, and Layonara Studios shall be the publisher. Note: For every core book that an Author's name appears in the Author earns an additional 1% in royalties on publications that they have created for Layonara, to a max of an additional 3% in royalties-or a total maximum of 7% in royalties on their own authored publication that are printed (non-electronic/PDF). This is for physically printed publications only (non-electronic format).
This is for individual sales or group sales of Electronci/PDF's or printed (non-electronic/pdf). It does not include subscriptions or other sources of income as that would be nearly impossible to track across all publications. We do not pay out for subscriptions or other income sources based on these publications.
Any work that is created while writing for the various Layonara teams is the exclusive property of Layonara Studios as the potential publisher and Daniel R. Scott as the trademark and copyright holder of Layonara. All credit is given to the author for their writings (or editors for editing). We will attempt to work with the authors (and editors) in order to reach a payment method and agreement as described in this document. Those that work on the Layonara teams will be able to share in this payment method but you will be working with us on a day-to-day basis and in a much more controlled environment. Those working on the Layonara teams will also have much more freedom to create for Layonara on a day-to-day basis. Those working on the various teams will be working on specific needs of Layonara at any given time and taking direction from the team leads in Layonara.
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| Submission Guidelines |
All submissions must be completed in Arial, font size 10. We will adjust the fonts if they are needed. Please remember that most of the purchased material, at least at this time, will be in electronic/PDF format and read on the computer monitor, we need to accommodate for this condition.
Color submission documents (non-novel or adventure formats) must be at least 18 pages and no more than 180 pages. It is important to try and keep color pages together, do not mix them between black and white pages whenever it is possible. If the publication is ever to reach printed material (non-electronic/pdf format) this will be important to keep the costs of publication down, it could be the deciding factor of printing a book or only releasing it electronically.
Black and white submission documents (non-novel or adventure formats) must be at least 24 pages and no more than 280 pages.
Adventure modules may be submitted in either color or black and white and must be at least 16 pages but no more than 90 pages in length. We reserve the right to combine adventure modules with other adventure modules at any time and for any reason. There may be times that we desire to combine adventures with other adventures to create a larger campaign and we will then need to reach an agreement that is acceptable to all authors before the new publication is released. It is important to try and keep color pages together, do not mix them between black and white pages. If the publication is ever to reach printed material (non-electronic/pdf format) this will be important to keep the costs of publication down, it could be the deciding factor of printing a book or only releasing it electronically.
Novels and short stories must be submitted in black and white and should be at least 60 pages and no more than 400 pages in length. There may be times that we desire to combine short stories with other short stories or novels and we will then need to reach an agreement that is acceptable to all authors before the new publication is released.
Send submissions to: submissions@layonara.com and fax your signed document to 559-692-9000 (USA).
All submissions must be accompanied by the text file (the signed document) available for download HERE and it must be filled out in full. If this document is not fully filled out then the submission will be deleted and ignored and you will not hear back from us regarding that submission.
Use attachments if necessary for fuller description. If you wish, you may also include photos, drawings, etc. If the item or idea is patented, you may furnish us with a copy of the patent since it defines your rights in the subject matter thereof.
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