AH Thread Archiving - Discussion Thread

Hello All,

I don't know how many of you have seen this thread, started by Sweetnpetite, but she made what I believe to be a very good suggestion. In that thread, a few of us discussed the merits of having some kind of library of threads here at the AH, linking to information and resources.

I (Lou) volunteered to do the archiving and Laurel gave it the go-ahead. I've begun making a list of topics, and searching for threads to link to, but I wanted the input of the rest of the AH.

As I said in the other thread, I want to begin by indexing threads relating to writing and those which are directly related to Lit. I do plan to broaden this, eventually, bringing in other types of thread that often come up here. However, I do not want this to become like the How To forum, or anything like that. I see it as something that could sit alongside the writer's resource area, but from within the forums.

What topics do you think come up often?

Are there any nuggets of threads out there, which have been long since lost?

Any very useful threads which you think deserve indexing and archiving?

For example, Crim suggested indexing all of the currently active "Calls for Chain Stories" threads - of which there are quite a few. I thought that was an excellent idea.

Please provide any links you can, either by posting them here, or PM'ing me.

Dr M made a very valid point in the other thread that this place isn't somewhere where most people seek information, rather, they often seek fresh and new opinions. That is very true, but I do believe there is a wealth of information already here at the AH waiting to be tapped into. Old, useful threads, will probably get bumped, and new discussion sparked within them because of that. Yes, the search function is there, but I don't believe a lot of people actually know where to begin to search for certain topics.

I do honestly believe that this resource would encourage newcomers to the AH, and hopefully prompt more authors of the site, as a whole, to take part. Only time will tell.

Excuse any waffling. It's not easy to present all of this in a coherent way!

Thanks for your time, and for all and any help,

Tatelou

(reusing post to avoid trampling)

By an eerie coincidence, just posted a story about a librarian today.

Behave yourself, boy! I'll have no banter of this kind in my library.

(Just think "librarian".)

Tatelou dressed up like a sexy librarian... hmmm.. Story time?

Lou: What about the Depression and Mental Illnesses thread. That one gets bumped quite a lot. Abstrusions and the Newbie Support Forum spring immediately to mind as well.

Although I think Abstrusions really deserves to be a sticky.

The Earl

*serious mode*

That is the mode I will always be in, in this role. You cannot draw me out, and, no, that is not a challenge.

Now, behave yourselves! I asked for input about threads, not talk about AVs. Sheesh, what is this place?

TheEarl said:

Lou: What about the Depression and Mental Illnesses thread. That one gets bumped quite a lot. Abstrusions and the Newbie Support Forum spring immediately to mind as well.

Although I think Abstrusions really deserves to be a sticky.

The Earl

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Yep, good suggestions. I'd already thought of the Newbie Support Forum, and Sweet suggested adding the "bars" and so on.

The Depression and Mental Illness thread is a good one to archive, as it seems to have affected so many of us, at one point or another.

Thanks, Earl.

Lou

Wonderful idea, Lou! A Newbie Forum - excellent.

How about an archive of the most often asked questions? There are many which aren't completely covered in the writer's FAQ. And there is at least one question that every one of us here has asked at one time or another.


You know.



THAT question.



HOW LONG UNTIL MY STORY POSTS?

Ok, serious mode:

Personally, the only stuff I have ever needed to rummage for is the "Newbie Support Thread."


(and you know that sooner or later you'llaccidentally post a flirt with this ID by mistake, and it'll be all over, Miss)

Yeah, honestly anything I feel I need in here I have added to my subscribed list.. So beyond what has already been mentioned, I can't think of anything.

I suppose any/all writing exercises. Like the one I started about faces Earl's gloveslap, Vella's sunset.. etc etc

sweetsubsarahh said:

Wonderful idea, Lou! A Newbie Forum - excellent.

How about an archive of the most often asked questions? There are many which aren't completely covered in the writer's FAQ. And there is at least one question that every one of us here has asked at one time or another.


You know.



THAT question.



HOW LONG UNTIL MY STORY POSTS?

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Thanks, SSS, but it was Sweet's idea, I just ran with it!

Yep, that is *the* question. I haven't run a search yet, but I'm expecting to find about 200 threads covering that topic alone.

Thanks for the input!


Joe and Tolyk, thank you both, too. All taken on board!

Lou

Colly had a "Writer's Resources" thread a while back for research questions. Might be a good one.

Good one! Thanks, Imp.

I'm off now, but please keep this bumped, you overnighters.

Cheers!

Lou

And a BUMP for bedtime.

Tatelou said:

And a BUMP for bedtime.

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Damn, the thread gets a BUMP for bedtime? I don't remember the last time I got one of those.

I think Colleens thread would be great to add. I posted a thread along time ago asking for help on Voodoo and got alot of responses with good links to Mythology and other religions. That's where I got the idea for Chooser of the Souls. One of my highest rated stories. I'll search for that thread and give it to you. Maybe it can give other ideas.
Anything that can give me ideas I love. Writing is not the problem. I have to be inspired.

I think the date of the first post on a thread - or call it thread start date - could be useful in an index. I know it shows when the post is opened but there are posts around where it could be useful to know how long it's been around (like THE question!)

Just a thought.

Alex

minsue said:

Damn, the thread gets a BUMP for bedtime? I don't remember the last time I got one of those.

Click to expand...

Down. Down.













I hate feathers in my teeth.

I think it's a great idea. But I have no contributions at the moment.
I incorporated the Newbie Support Forum in my sig to keep it at hand.

Thanks all, keep those opinions and ideas coming, both here and in PM.

I have got to say this, publicly: Cant is being a star. He's finding some real gems of threads and PM'ing the links to me. to you - in a serious AH Thread Archiver kinda way.

Lou

AH Thread Archiver said:

Thanks all, keep those opinions and ideas coming, both here and in PM.

I have got to say this, publicly: Cant is being a star. He's finding some real gems of threads and PM'ing the links to me. to you - in a serious AH Thread Archiver kinda way.

Lou

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DO I get one of those if I find links too?

tolyk said:

DO I get one of those if I find links too?

Click to expand...

Of course!

Dear Thread Archiver Person or Tatelou, I just thought of something. Is there a way? If you could get a hold of Just-Legal who started the newbie support forum thread, and have her edit her first post with all the stuff we now know newbies need to ask and the info isn't in the Lit FAQ's.

Maybe you could start some Archiver question threads, and peoples could make suggestions about what could be edited in the first posts of threads, if you can find the original threadstarter that is. There is lots of threads like that with info, where peoples could ask a question and replies could say "some of that is covered in the first post of the thread" it would work on lots but the Newbie Support Forum Thread is the one that jumped up and bit me.

Lisa Denton said:

Dear Thread Archiver Person or Tatelou, I just thought of something. Is there a way? If you could get a hold of Just-Legal who started the newbie support forum thread, and have her edit her first post with all the stuff we now know newbies need to ask and the info isn't in the Lit FAQ's.

Maybe you could start some Archiver question threads, and peoples could make suggestions about what could be edited in the first posts of threads, if you can find the original threadstarter that is. There is lots of threads like that with info, where peoples could ask a question and replies could say "some of that is covered in the first post of the thread" it would work on lots but the Newbie Support Forum Thread is the one that jumped up and bit me.

Click to expand...

J-L is offline atm, but upon her return, it could be worth asking her to do that.

However! I am planning to include such FAQs - which often come up here at the AH, but aren't necessarily in the main Lit FAQs - in the root thread of the archive, which will be a sticky.

Lou - too lazy to sign in as the archiver

Tatelou said:

Lou - too lazy to sign in as the archiver

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BIG mistake there....