New Writer's Guidelines page

[Laurel]

Hi all you editor maniacs,

Wordmage drew up a lovely document that describes what an author can do to get his story posted quickly. Manu and I made a few small changes, and here it is: http://www.literotica.com/subguide.shtml

Feedback is appreciated! We're hoping this can be something you editors can show to your authors so they have an idea of what we need.

 

[Weird Harold]

Originally posted by Laurel:
Feedback is appreciated! We're hoping this can be something you editors can show to your authors so they have an idea of what we need.

Looks good to me.

It didn't address my first question about what font is preferred. If the stories are submitted in Verdana, then you save the step of converting them.

 

[Laurel]

Generally, I convert the files to .txt format, which strips all font tags out, then apply the font tags in my web program (Dreamweaver, for those who care). You mentioned the possibility of exporting as HTML text in your email, Harold, but I haven't checked out that yet... Many writers send stories as .txt files, which are font neutral, so the font issue would be irrelevent with those files. So if there is a way to export the Word files as HTML code, then I'd definitely prefer them to be in Verdana/Helvetica/Arial font, and an HTML size <2>.

 

[Guest]

Hello. all. I am a newly-appointed editor volunteer at literotica. Can anyone tell me if in fact the stories are suggested to be edited for content and/or puctuation and grammar, or if they are required to be edited for these things before being available through this site? I have read a few stories that I found in different categories with grammar, punctuation, spelling errors, as well as conflicting tenses and run-on sentences. This actually made them almost to follow. I would like to know exactly what is required in order to get a submitted story onto the pages of literotica.

Thank you.

Eve

 

[Laurel]

Can anyone tell me if in
fact the stories are suggested to be edited for content and/or puctuation and grammar,
or if they are required to be edited for these things before being available through this
site?

The Volunteer Editor program is completely optional. We do our best to edit, but with the bulk of stories we're currently receiving it has become impossible for us to do the in-depth editing we would like to do, so if a story has promise we will post it and rely on reader feedback to help the author correct his or her mistakes. Part of the purpose of this site is to provide authors with a place to receive feedback and, through this feedback, better their writing. If you do see a story that's poorly written, EveD, you may want to drop a friendly email to the author suggesting ways to fix it.

Thanks for volunteering for the program - I just received a story today from an author who was edited by you, and it looks great!

 

[Evesdemise]

A Thousand Pardons, Laurel

Laurel--So sorry not to have gotten back to you sooner. At least to thank you for your kind words of praise concerning my editing. I must admit that I forgot that I had even posted that uppity pile of mule muffins here. Which is why I did not thank you for your compliments sooner. Want to know why I forgot? The same reason that you guys have a tough time getting submissions up on the page before we (the writers) start complaining about the amount of time it is taking to do so: incredible backlog of material to review and edit. After walking a mile (or two) in your moccasins, I feel I must apologize. Again, thank you for letting me know I did a good job. I want you to know I believe you have, and continue to do so as well.

 

[poohlive]

I just wanted to say, I loved the new guidelines and would like to congradulate everyone who worked on them.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Guidelines and WebTV

Hiya Laurel sweetie! Worn to a frazzle yet? With all the formatting you're doing, I've no doubt you are. I've just been contacted to edit a story, hope to gawd I did a good job!! Anyway, she had some questions. She uses WebTV and can't add attachments, or if there is a way she doesn't know how. I should as FlamingoBlue about that.. but anyway. How long a story (in K) will you accept pasted into an email? Would it be acceptable for me to put the story into word and fwd it to you for the author?

I don't use MS Word. I have WordPerfect 8. I read on previous guidelines that ya'll don't like WP, so I've been submitting using the Wordpad program embedded in my Windows 98, is that okay? Is it possible to make a list of applications that you can't or can (depending on which is shorter) that you can accept?

 

[Evesdemise]

Word Processing & WebTV...

KillerMuffin--I have a WebTV Plus (it is in storage now), but the first story I ever submitted to Literotica I emailed right from my terminal. Now, on PC I format everything I submit on Wordpad. As far as I was aware (In March) WebTV had made no upgrades to support memory past that which is provided through the mainframe for web surfing and email-based programming. It is limited, in those areas. There was, in March, no way to do actual word processing, and so what is sent from the author using a WebTV system arrives to the receiver in an HTML formmat. When printed out this provides, to the reciever no paragraph indentions, or any type of texted format, other than words across a piece of paper. It is a totally web-based system, you cannot upgrade either. That is actually done periodically by the people who hold the license, and provide the connection to use the WebTV terminal. Well, I have no dobt given you more information (hopefully all current) than you need, but since I know about the system, I thought I would share. Forgive my verbosity? Goodluck to you, KillerMuffin.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Thank you Eve'sie!!!!!! Your verbosity is very much appreciated and will no doubt help me greatly. I just have this love affair with WordPerfect for some reason, I adore that application with every ounce of my little heart. But after I get the story written, I just paste it into wordpad so that Laurel is assured of reading it. Once again, thank you and feel free to run off at the mouth like I am well known for

 

[Evesdemise]

No problem, KillerMuffin. Glad I could help. See, I did that post in twenty words or less... Hey it could happen...Oops!!

 

[ANiceGuy]

I can understand.

Killer I can understand your desire to stay with WordPerfect. I used MultiMate when I first started using cumputers. I kept using it well past the point when other Word processing programs passed it by in ability and ease of use.

They say that people will stay with the Word Processor they get used over 90% of the time. the only reason I changed was I could not get a copy of MultiMate that would run on Macintosh. I was also forced to use MS Word at work. Now I have used Word 98 so much I'd hate to change. When you know all kinds of tricks and short cuts to do things you don't want to learn anything else.

I first submitted in Word 98 converted to Word 6 when I didn't see my works published I switched to pasting into emails. I found out later that it was because of the delay in posting not my format version. I want to send the stories in the best method to help Laurel and Manu. I wanted to ask Laurel if she had any trouble opening my Macintosh word 6 documents (some businesses seem to) but didn't want to burden her with more email.



ANiceGuy

 

[Weird Harold]

cross platform file formats

I first submitted in Word 98 converted to Word ... I wanted to ask Laurel if she had any trouble opening my Macintosh word 6 documents (some businesses seem to) but didn't want to burden her with more email.

I've found that one of two formats are best for swapping files between Win 98 MS word 97 and Macs:

.RTF or .HTML Both allow the retention of fonts and formatting. I've not tried trading files with a Word 98 user yet, but if it can read and write .rtf that should be the best format.

Word 97 (which Laurel uses) can read Word 6 files, but can't save back into that format. For submissions, that's not a big problem, but for exchanges between editor and author, it's a big problem.

I'm going to be away from home for a couple of weeks, or I would offer to work with you to determine what formats both Word 97 and Word 98 can read and write.

 

[ANiceGuy]

Okay Weird Harold let me know when you get back and we will do it.

Let me know when you get back and we can test it then unless there is another user that want to test swaps from Word 98 to 97 or 6 and back.

 

[clcarne]

Anyone get chapter six yet?

Did the chapter that introduces Luc to the Ranch ever arive?

As you can tell I really suck at this computer stuff, Damit Jim I'm a Writer, not a Computer expert.

It would help when it gets moved to Novels, as Luc is a major character.