Artist Guidelines

Kobold Quarterly will be commissioning paid art from existing Open Design artists and a few selected artists from the field.

However, we are also open to newcomers, with restrictions. If you would like to submit art for the New Artist's Gallery, please be aware that this feature is unpaid. By submitting, you are granting Kobold Quarterly the right to print the image in one issue; thereafter, all rights revert to you.

If you'd like to contribute a piece, please send the file to Wolfgang, or query for details.

Writer Guidelines

Thanks for your interest in writing for Kobold Quarterly! As a new magazine, we need all the help we can get to grow and become a Great Wyrm someday. To do that, we're looking to find a new generation of writers, while drawing on the best existing talent.

Queries
KQ is taking queries from all Open Design patrons, from subscribers, and from established freelancers in the tabletop RPG field.

It's up to you to decide what you'd like to query, though I'd ask that you not query more than one or two articles at a time. As the Open Design 'zine, anything sword & sorcery, tabletop RPG, and D&D-related will get a hearing.

I'll respond to queries within 30 days. If you haven't heard from me by then, I've been sucked into the slush pile; please send a rescue party. Or just ping me about your query.

Please send your queries by email to Wolfgang, and include "Query" in the subject line, plus a brief description.

What We're Looking For
On the one hand, we'd like to imitate our betters, and just do everything that Dragon magazine did. On the other hand, Kobold Quarterly is its own magazine, small but fierce, and will develop its own stable of regular authors and its own voice.

Furthermore, KQ does not hold a license to use copyrighted material from the Forgotten Realms, Eberron, Greyhawk, and so forth. Sure, we'll talk about those settings, but we won't (and can't) publish official game material for them.

So, what *DO* I want? I want your best stuff, meaning exciting articles that work at the game table for either DMs and players. Since it's a one-man periodicals shop, it better be clean, snappy text that doesn't require a ton of development. "Good idea, lousy execution" will get a rejection every time.

I'd like to see short player-focused articles. These would have titles like Ten Damage Tips for Your Fighter, Optimize Your Power Attack, Superior Familiars, or Alternate Class features. I'd also be interested in new spells (in small, related groups) and new monsters under 900 words (which would be OGL'ed).

I'd love to see monster ecologies of creatures that Dragon hasn't covered (there's a complete list in the Monster Ecologies book by Paizo).

Articles on the minis/battlemat aspect of D&D would also be appreciated, including discussions of tactics, terrain, or a related discussion. Anything that requires a battle mat, in other words.

I'd be very interested in top-notch clockwork and steampunk material; honestly, you'll have an easy time getting one of these queries approved, but a tough time selling the final article. I'll hold these to a very high standard because I love the subgenre.

What I'm NOT Looking For
I'm not interested in adventures, poetry, fiction, character writeups, CRPG material, D&D minis, or reviews. All of those are great things, but they are all out for right now.

Also, all interviews and DM advice pieces will be written in-house.

Requested Manuscripts: Length and Formatting
If your query is accepted, please send your completed article as a Word or RTF attachment with minimal formatting. Include your name, address, and the total wordcount on the manuscript. Also, use page numbers. Allow 1 inch margins and at least 10 point type. I'm looking for items under 2200 words, and under 1500 is better.

Check your manuscript for spelling and grammar, as well as for rules consistency. If you include material from a d20 or Open source, please note this in your cover email and in the manuscript.

Payments and Rights
Rates and payment varies depending on KQ's ability to pay (we're broke at all times is our motto). However, we hold to a strict minimum payment of 1 cent a word. I'm acquiring first worldwide rights, and article rights revert to you after publication.

If you are comfortable selling all rights, your article will be considered for The Best of Kobold Quarterly, Vol. 1. We dare to dream.