While I’d like to brag and say I’m a trailblazer with a plan to, y’know, publish, I am not. This was not something I ever saw myself doing, largely because I never really saw myself as a writer with something to write, let alone publish. I also don’t know any writers closely enough to ask them about things like literary agents or line editors or roles I am just now understanding are things one might want to be taken seriously. While I am not ready to hire either of those yet, I am finding some action steps to take sooner, and wanted to share these as guidelines for others who might find themselves on a similar “uh what do?” path.

Fortunately, there are books about this sort of thing. While I am not writing a book exactly, there’s a lot of tips that probably overlap with game publishing. It looks like the process starts with creating a publishing company, which then becomes your LLC. Since books need ISBNs, and those are apparently applied for by publishing companies, once you are one, you can apply for one too. Where I am a little stumped, however, is that while part of the project is planned as an audiobook, which do qualify, electronic games apparently do not. They instead use an ISAN. So one way or another I need to get something with the letters S I and N; whether the A or B version of that is unclear. For now!

There’s also a BISAC code, which is the way you code what section of the library your book goes into. Which.. I don’t know if I qualify for that either. Similar the Library of Congress Catalogue Number (LCCN) is a thing for books AND video games, which is at least one thing I know I can apply for and not wonder how irrelevant they are to the Also Rans.

Is this a lot of irritating hoops to jump through just to get to the start of the effort of publishing? Yes, yes it is. But, bigger goal here: Assuming this does get published and people want it, then an author will need a company to represent them and cash the checks. Since you’re your own publishing company, that would be you. Of course, you have to come up with a name for your company, and get a logo and a PO box and a phone number and a domain and.. oof.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I’ll update as I get steps done, and hopefully others further along the path can throw me some napkins for the big meal.