I'll give more info here in the next post, but this month's drawing winners will receive a copy of this new book in addition to the regular prize. Here is the Press Release for this new book!

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The Guild Leader?s Handbook?New from No Starch Press

Expert Advice on Leading a Successful Guild in Online Games

San Francisco, CA, March 30, 2010?It?s no picnic leading a guild in a massively multiplayer online (MMO) game such as World of Warcraft or Lord of the Rings Online. Guild members look to their leaders to solve problems, plan raids, and guide them to riches and fame. But few leaders know exactly what it takes to keep a guild going, and the list of failed guilds is miles long. Fortunately, guild leaders don?t have to be born with this knowledge; they can learn.

In The Guild Leader?s Handbook (No Starch Press, April 2010, 216 pp., $24.95, ISBN 9781593272586), readers learn how to create, grow, and maintain a successful MMO guild. Author Scott F. Andrews, a longtime guild leader and columnist for WoW.com, begins by helping new leaders determine a purpose for their guild and establish a meaningful guild identity. He then goes on to cover a multitude of other common challenges that guild leaders face, such as recruiting quality members, managing reluctant officers, creating and enforcing effective policies, and, perhaps most importantly, resolving the drama that can threaten the harmony of any online community.

?When I started leading a guild, new guild leaders were very much on their own. I was unprepared for how challenging and complex the role would be,? said author Scott F. Andrews. ?I wrote The Guild Leader's Handbook to share the knowledge I?ve accumulated over the years through personal experience, research, and communicating with hundreds of players.?

The Guild Leader?s Handbook is for MMO players in leadership positions who want to:

• Plan successful raids, player vs. player battles, roleplaying sessions, and contests


• Deal with problem players and keep a lid on guild-fracturing drama


• Solve loot issues and choose the best loot distribution system for their guild


• Boost morale, enhance reputation, and build server presence


• Promote and motivate an effective officer corps

Whether readers are established guild leaders in need of sage advice or dedicated players seeking to form their own guilds, The Guild Leader?s Handbook is the essential guide to building and managing a successful guild in any MMO game.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Since 2007, Scott F. Andrews' weekly advice column ?Officers' Quarters? on WoW.com has been helping guild leaders and officers build better guilds and meet their online goals. A veteran of the MMO genre, he leads one of the oldest surviving guilds in World of Warcraft.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Chapter 3, ?Nonhuman Resources: Recruiting Players and Evaluating Recruits? (PDF):

http://www.nostarch.com/download/guildleader_ch3.pdf

Table of contents overview: http://www.nostarch.com/guildleader_toc.htm

Detailed table of contents (PDF): http://www.nostarch.com/download/guildleader_toc.pdf

Index (PDF): http://www.nostarch.com/download/guildleader_index.pdf

Large cover image: http://www.nostarch.com/guildleader_big.htm

The Guild Leader?s Handbook

Strategies and Guidance from a Battle-Scarred MMO Veteran

By Scott F. Andrews

April 2010, 216 pp., $24.95 USD

ISBN 9781593272586

Available in fine bookstores everywhere, from http://www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly from No Starch Press (http://www.nostarch.com, orders@nostarch.com, +1.415.863.9900).

ABOUT NO STARCH PRESS

Founded in 1994, No Starch Press is one of the few remaining independent technical book publishers. We publish the finest in geek entertainment?unique books on technology, with a focus on open source, security, hacking, programming, alternative operating systems, and LEGO. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our books tackle topics that people care about. Visit http://www.nostarch.com for a complete catalog.



Find out more about the book at Amazon