One of the sessions I will be putting on at this year's Conference of Wargamers in early July is entitled PUBLISHED AND BE DAMNED! It is intended to be a talk and workshop for anyone who is thinking of trying self-publishing, and at present I am working on the PowerPoint presentation that I will be using to illustrate my talk.
I know that it is possible to have what has been termed 'death by PowerPoint' (during my professional life I certainly attended meetings where this was true!) but I hope to make mine more than just a set of notes that will appear on screen. What I intend to produce is a tool that attendees can take away and use afterwards at their own pace. It will break down the process of how to lay out your book before you proceed to the self-publishing stage so that users can avoid some of the common pitfalls that can dog self-publishing writers.
I am using as my example my HEXBLITZ rules, which I am turning into a small book. The end result should be that I produce yet another book to add to my list of published writings and a learning tool for potential self-publishers.
Here are some examples of the PowerPoint slides that I will be using:
I know that it is possible to have what has been termed 'death by PowerPoint' (during my professional life I certainly attended meetings where this was true!) but I hope to make mine more than just a set of notes that will appear on screen. What I intend to produce is a tool that attendees can take away and use afterwards at their own pace. It will break down the process of how to lay out your book before you proceed to the self-publishing stage so that users can avoid some of the common pitfalls that can dog self-publishing writers.
I am using as my example my HEXBLITZ rules, which I am turning into a small book. The end result should be that I produce yet another book to add to my list of published writings and a learning tool for potential self-publishers.
Here are some examples of the PowerPoint slides that I will be using:
Bob
ReplyDeleteThis looks a really helpful presentation for many people. After COW, will you be putting more online on your blog of this helpful presentation for distant gamers?
MIN ManofTin,
DeleteAfter COW I hope to make the presentation available to other wargamers.
All the best,
Bob
Sounds both interesting and useful Bob. Good luck with COW.
ReplyDelete'Lee.,
DeleteThanks for your best wishes. It looks as if COW2018 is going to be a great conference.
All the best,
Bob
I hope that other people will find it useful.
Looking forward to this session Bob.
ReplyDeleteTim Goe,
DeleteCheers! I'm rather enjoying creating this PowerPoint presentation; it's just like the old days!
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteAs a veteran creator of many a PowerPoint, I am a firm believer in streamlined slides. I would suggest reducing verbiage. For example, the first slide could simply be:
Step 1: Get the layout right
You can mention that it may seem obvious and it will save heartache and extra work. Reducing the verbiage will mean that the audience will read less and listen to you more.
Best wishes on your presentation.
Kevin Kearney,
DeleteThanks for your comments and suggestions, but I think that you may have misunderstood the purpose of the presentation. It is intended to be used by attendees AFTER the session as a guide. The actual presentation I will use at the session will be a much simpler version.
When I was teaching IT I found that a simple introduction to the main points was the best way to start students off, and then to give them access to a detailed step-by-step presentation that they could work through at their own pace in parallel with producing their own piece of work.
All the best,
Bob
I think this clashes with the session i am doing so I won't be there to offer moral or practical support. Interestingly the very first piece of advice I received on self publishing was 'first, turn off MS Office...now start'
ReplyDeleteI think we probably go via different routes (and mine is infuriatingly winding/circuitous and enlivened by potholes the size of sinkholes) so it would have been interesting to see how you do it.
Cheers
Andrew
Rumblestrip (Andrew),
DeleteI was hoping that you might be able to attend the session, but I'd like to discuss our experiences of self-publishing as I think that we can all learn from our different ways through the maze!
I am always wary of using MS products, and use Open Office as well when doing word-processing. I don't like the way they have created software that makes assumptions about what the users want. That said, so many people use MS Word that it seemed like the best starting point for the example publication I am using.
I hope to make the presentation available to anyone who wants it after the session, it is my intention that it should be used as a learning aid for potential self-publishers.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteNo doubt that during your COW presentation you will be presenting your first hand knowledge and experience that you have amounted with your various previous Publications- I wish you well and I'm sure that it all will be very valuable to your attendees. Back in the day remember Overhead Projectors with Overhead Transparencies - those were the days- no computers then...how times have changed with Technology. Hope you have a great time at COW. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson,
DeleteThanks for your encouraging comments.
I've always believed that sharing knowledge and experience was a primary function of being a teacher ... and old habits die hard!
Before the arrival of computer projectors and PowerPoint presentations I used to carry a 'portable' Overhead Projector from classroom to classroom (it was portable if you had the muscles of a weightlifter!) and before that I used chalk and a blackboard. How the world has moved on!
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteThis looks to be useful advice - based on hard experience - for anyone thinking of self publishing.
Myself, I might just stick to letting John T and MW lay my stuff out...
Regards,
Arthur
Arthur Harman (Arthur),
DeleteI hope that people will find it useful.
As to letting John T and MW do the work for you ... well magazine publishing is a whole different ballgame, and I think that you have made the right decision.
All the best,
Bob