Hyperlinks in stories

[apom]

I searched the entire site and didn't find these questions asked or answered. If I missed it I apologize...

The submission guidelines say stories won't be accepted if they contain hyperlinks. Does this mean links to actual websites only? Can I include a "hyperlink" that doesn't exist?

Thanks!

 

[sr71plt]

I searched the entire site and didn't find these questions asked or answered. If I missed it I apologize...

The submission guidelines say stories won't be accepted if they contain hyperlinks. Does this mean links to actual websites only? Can I include a "hyperlink" that doesn't exist?

Thanks!

Made up URLs and hyperlinks aren't acceptable either. I've tried that and it was rejected.

 

[Ldy_Sea]

An actual URL, even if it's not an actual website, will not make it through.

But you can say I went to the amazon website or I logged into my account on facebook, things like that. just no www or .net or the like.

 

[apom]

Alrighty. Thanks for the replies!

 

[Bramblethorn]

Made up URLs and hyperlinks aren't acceptable either. I've tried that and it was rejected.

Yeah, allowing made-up URLs would be prone to abuse. Even if the site doesn't exist at the time the story's submitted and approved, there's nothing to stop the author or anybody else from registering it as soon as the story's through moderation.

 

[apom]

An actual URL, even if it's not an actual website, will not make it through.

But you can say I went to the amazon website or I logged into my account on facebook, things like that. just no www or .net or the like.

Evidently naming a website isn't allowed either, fictitious or otherwise, which I can understand after reading Bramblethorn's post. I wondered what the difference was between naming a website and tacking .com to the end of it.

 

[nikyc]

Seems like a sensible rule, albeit a little limiting. After all, the internet is a large part of our society and excluding it might not go over well with everyone. I can see why it's there though.

I suppose you could get creative though.

His hand fluttered over the keyboard, tapping the W key three times in rapid succession, a gesture well ingrained into his muscle memory. Then he paused, wondering. What was the address again? Taking out the note she had given him he quickly scanned it before filling out the rest, following it up with a quick tap of the enter key.

 

[Ldy_Sea]

Evidently naming a website isn't allowed either, fictitious or otherwise, which I can understand after reading Bramblethorn's post. I wondered what the difference was between naming a website and tacking .com to the end of it.

I have at least one story where I mention a the real website of a unique take on Truth or Dare, but I don't provide the URL. A simple google search will easily find the website since I provided the name of the site.

I have used facebook in several stories, as well as other real website names and they have all been published.

 

[apom]

I have at least one story where I mention a the real website of a unique take on Truth or Dare, but I don't provide the URL. A simple google search will easily find the website since I provided the name of the site.

I have used facebook in several stories, as well as other real website names and they have all been published.

Hmm. I got rejected for including the name of a site that doesn't exist.

 

[sr71plt]

This must be hit or miss, because I had one rejected just for giving a fake name of an online dating service, with no URL given.

 

[apom]

This must be hit or miss, because I had one rejected just for giving a fake name of an online dating service, with no URL given.

Yes. It appears so.

 

[Ldy_Sea]

This must be hit or miss, because I had one rejected just for giving a fake name of an online dating service, with no URL given.

Wait! What? That can't be. The rules are enforced fairly and consistently on this site. Nothing ever slips by that violates the rules. [/sarcasm]

 

[sr71plt]

Well, when the choice is to scan 65 stories a day, every day of the year, and to let 60 through or to really do a good submissions review on 5 stories a day and not look at 60 entries and just let the ones not looked at build up (the mainstream publishing house approach), I'll give the submissions reviewer a lot of slack on what's getting missed when she decides to just scan so more can be published. Where I don't think she should get slack is in calling a questioning of content on the basis of a cursory scan a rejection rather than a further query on content. That gets pretty insulting and unnecessarily, but legitimately, raises hackles.

 

[Ldy_Sea]

I understand the logistics and the work Laurel puts into this site.

One thing that could make the site better in my opinion is to have two or three volunteer reviewers approving submissions in each category.

If the story is questionable, they send it to Laurel for final review, if not then they can post it.

This would lighten her work load and filter out some of the stuff that makes it past the review process now.

After all this site is free to all users, and has so few ads, I'm not sure how it covers expenses, and I appreciate Laurel letting us come here and play and how reasonable the rules really are.