Hehe, just wanted to suggest a very similar idea. Good thing I searched the forums first :]
Yea, I like your idea *very much*.
I agree that there should be no limitation on writing your own book and keeping it and giving it (=not selling or publishing!) to a friend or at the guild. I also agree with the limitation on publishing - that\'s a very life-like and useful idea in the long run.
Maybe there could be a publishing house and book-store where you could give/show your manuscript (=original) and they would publish it or not, depending on the already mentioned limitations and would give you as an author a correct percentage of the selling income. ...I mean, since there would have to be a centralized office that would validate the appropriateness of the books, we could as well make it into a publishing-house/book-store and even employ people there. What do you think?
btw, what about pictures, sketches, paintings, maps?
I think a similar approach should be taked as far as publishing and making goes, only that with more skill (cartographer and/or artist) you would have a better pallette of tools to make them. ...yes, I\'m aware it\'s completely different how to make them (especially code-wise), but just a thought.