Forum Request, not a Storyist Request

[Joolissa]

Hullo All!

So I've been slowly making my way through the forum and I would like to suggest a new area for our beloved haunt. I'm not entirely sure what the title of it should be, but I'd like to see a section containing topics such as "Contests", "Shameless Plugs & Showing Off", "Publishing", "Freelancing", "Resources", etc. etc. I love this forum, and I know it is generally based around the Storyist program, but I would LOVE to have a section where we can share contests we find, share tips & tricks, resources, brag talk about contests we've placed in or things we've published, etc. etc. While not directly related to Storyist, I feel it would be a valuable part of our community, to any writing community.

 

I know we can post all this stuff elsewhere, but that doesn't make it easy to find or access. It would be nice to have it all in one place. Now, I don't know if this would cost Steve more money in forum fees... in which case, it may not be a great idea, but if it isn't too much hassle I'd love it!

- Jules

[Steve]

Hullo All!

So I've been slowly making my way through the forum and I would like to suggest a new area for our beloved haunt. I'm not entirely sure what the title of it should be, but I'd like to see a section containing topics such as "Contests", "Shameless Plugs & Showing Off", "Publishing", "Freelancing", "Resources", etc. etc. I love this forum, and I know it is generally based around the Storyist program, but I would LOVE to have a section where we can share contests we find, share tips & tricks, resources, brag talk about contests we've placed in or things we've published, etc. etc. While not directly related to Storyist, I feel it would be a valuable part of our community, to any writing community.

 

I know we can post all this stuff elsewhere, but that doesn't make it easy to find or access. It would be nice to have it all in one place. Now, I don't know if this would cost Steve more money in forum fees... in which case, it may not be a great idea, but if it isn't too much hassle I'd love it!

- Jules

 

Hi Jules,

 

The community section is set up for this. Here a couple of guidelines:

 

* Member Introductions and News: use for "Shameless Plugs & Showing Off", news about publishing contracts, agents, and anything you'd like to share about yourself.

 

* General Topics: Use for writing-related stuff that doesn't fit in the other categories (Novel Writing, Screenwriting, Writing Resources)

 

* Writers' Lounge: Use for off-topic stuff. Check out the Procrastination Station thread to see just how off-topic you can get.

 

-Steve

[Joolissa]

Hey

Yea, I know those are there, but all those topics gather a whoooooole lot of other posts, especially the lounge, which makes it difficult to find things specifically related to contests or information on getting agents etc. Besides, you've gotta duck the flying overmuffins in there rather often.

 

I'd compare it to keeping batteries in the junk drawer and having to search through everything to find them when you need them, verses having a battery drawer in which you can find them easily. Not to say that other posts are junk though! I would "subscribe to this topic" if there was a topic for contest announcements, but I don't particularly want to subscribe to the lounge. It probably costs money, and in that case I could live with it, but I'm on the lookout for a website that has these types of things set up, and since I really like you guys I thought it'd be fun to have them here.

 

Pipe Dreamer

- Jules

[Steve]

Hey

Yea, I know those are there, but all those topics gather a whoooooole lot of other posts, especially the lounge, which makes it difficult to find things specifically related to contests or information on getting agents etc. Besides, you've gotta duck the flying overmuffins in there rather often.

 

I'd compare it to keeping batteries in the junk drawer and having to search through everything to find them when you need them, verses having a battery drawer in which you can find them easily. Not to say that other posts are junk though! I would "subscribe to this topic" if there was a topic for contest announcements, but I don't particularly want to subscribe to the lounge. It probably costs money, and in that case I could live with it, but I'm on the lookout for a website that has these types of things set up, and since I really like you guys I thought it'd be fun to have them here.

 

Pipe Dreamer

- Jules

 

The lounge is set up to be free-wheeling, so I agree that it is a little disorganized.

 

As for the other areas, I am always open to suggestions for reorganization. Top-level forums should be a precious commodity, though (it would be just as overwhelming to be confronted with 100 forums as it would to see them split into 2 levels). My preference is to notice a thread that generates a lot of discussion and then promote it up if it gets a lot of attention.

 

Case in point: You asked for a section for plugs and member news. I thought that would be a good top-level forum and created "Member Introductions and News". So far, there are only an handful of posts there, so maybe this wasn't the best use of the top-level space.

 

BTW, Google visits the forum regularly and does a great job of finding things. To Google just the forums, prefix your query with site:storyist.invisionzone.com.

 

E.g. To find discussions on agents, you might use the following query:

 

site:storyist.invisionzone.com agents

 

Which quickly turns up this topic: For Those Looking for Agents (US).

 

-Steve

[Steve E]

Hi Jules.

 

I certainly wouldn't mind there being a Forum under Community for threads about Contests and stuff. After all, each year Steve adds a new Forum under Community to collect threads for NaNoWriMo (i.e., NaNoWriMo 2007, NaNoWriMo 2008. Okay, we've only been around for about two years). Maybe all that contest/competition stuff should be in a single forum.

 

But be warned, Jules. Collecting threads in their own forum doesn't keep them from getting dirty—which is to say, off topic, not the other kind of dirty. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee a degree of dirty dirty junk getting in there. (Not that I'd do it deliberately. I just follow a thread where it takes me.)

 

So, in summary: good idea; won't turn out quite as you imagine it will.

- Thoth.

[Steve]

But be warned, Jules. Collecting threads in their own forum doesn't keep them from getting dirty—which is to say, off topic...

 

Thoth is the authority here, so heed his words.

 

-Steve

[Joolissa]

Hehehe... Yes I know forums all tend to get "dirty", but generally the off topic-ness happens within a thread, making the top level of that thread still relevant. Therefore, it would still make it easier to find the relevant information.

 

I know it wouldn't be perfect, but in my ideal little dream world we would have a forum structured as so

 

Storyist

>[topics]

 

Contests, Careers, & Resources (needs a different name)

> Contests

> Writing Resources (moved from Community)

> Publishing Resources

> NaNoWriMo (moved from Community)

> Brags & Plugs

 

Community

>[topics]

 

Beta Users

>[topics]

 

Now, it's probably a pipe dream, but I think that'd be awesome. I know I'd haunt that area a lot. I'd love to share the things I find and it'd motivate me to find more things, also to enter more things. I know I can at least share all the Writer's Digest contests I get emailed about. I also have a bunch of bookmarked stuff to add. I'd love to hear what others have to offer as well. It would probably start off small, but if we could build that part of the site, it could perhaps even draw more people to come to the community, maybe even get Storyist

 

Being a Feature Requesting PITA

- Jules

[marguerite]

Hehehe... Yes I know forums all tend to get "dirty", but generally the off topic-ness happens within a thread, making the top level of that thread still relevant. Therefore, it would still make it easier to find the relevant information.

 

I know it wouldn't be perfect, but in my ideal little dream world we would have a forum structured as so

 

Storyist

>[topics]

 

Contests, Careers, & Resources (needs a different name)

> Contests

> Writing Resources (moved from Community)

> Publishing Resources

> NaNoWriMo (moved from Community)

> Brags & Plugs

 

Community

>[topics]

 

Beta Users

>[topics]

 

Now, it's probably a pipe dream, but I think that'd be awesome. I know I'd haunt that area a lot. I'd love to share the things I find and it'd motivate me to find more things, also to enter more things. I know I can at least share all the Writer's Digest contests I get emailed about. I also have a bunch of bookmarked stuff to add. I'd love to hear what others have to offer as well. It would probably start off small, but if we could build that part of the site, it could perhaps even draw more people to come to the community, maybe even get Storyist

 

Being a Feature Requesting PITA

- Jules

I can see adding a section for Publishing Resources, which are separate from Novel Writing and Writing Resources. I can also see an argument for archiving or otherwise condensing NaNoWriMo entries for previous years. But I don't get why you resist adding a "Brags and Plugs" topic under Member Information and News, which could include contest wins as well as everything else. As Steve notes, it's a small forum, already present, and seldom used, so there would be no difficulty in finding it, right where it is.

 

If you alert Steve to upcoming contests, he will note them at the bottom of the screen, above the running total of posts made and no. of users. That way, you needn't search for it at all, and when the entry date has passed, the notation disappears and can't clog anything up.

Best,

Marguerite

[Steve E]

Being a Feature Requesting PITA

- Jules

I'm certain that Steve doesn't consider you any kind of a pain in any part of his anatomy. This is a perfectly reasonable request and your assurances that you'll be a heavy contributor only sweetens the deal. (Experience suggests that you may come to regret this commitment.)

 

Let's see if anyone else chimes in on this,

- Thoth.

[Joolissa]

I can see adding a section for Publishing Resources, which are separate from Novel Writing and Writing Resources. I can also see an argument for archiving or otherwise condensing NaNoWriMo entries for previous years. But I don't get why you resist adding a "Brags and Plugs" topic under Member Information and News, which could include contest wins as well as everything else. As Steve notes, it's a small forum, already present, and seldom used, so there would be no difficulty in finding it, right where it is.

 

If you alert Steve to upcoming contests, he will note them at the bottom of the screen, above the running total of posts made and no. of users. That way, you needn't search for it at all, and when the entry date has passed, the notation disappears and can't clog anything up.

Best,

Marguerite

 

The plugs thing is reasonable under the member introductions, but because it's called "member introductions" (I actually didn't notice the news part of that until it was pointed out) I wouldn't intuitively look there for news about someone getting something published. Though now that I am aware, I can make a point to look there.

 

Didn't know about the upcoming contest notation thing, though I tend to ignore everything at the bottom of the board. Silly me. I still think having a topic for contests would be valuable as it would allow us to post more detail and discuss it and say "I'm in" etc. etc. But things going out of date is a point. Though all the old Nano stuff is expired now too, but it still hangs around, and it was fun for me to read to get more of an idea about it. As far as combining the Nano stuff, I don't have an opinion either way.

 

I guess I have a habit of ignoring the more in depth and less obvious sides of things in favor for what's immediately visible until I've become very familiar with all the obvious stuff. So therefore, I tend to want things very obvious.

 

I'm certain that Steve doesn't consider you any kind of a pain in any part of his anatomy. This is a perfectly reasonable request and your assurances that you'll be a heavy contributor only sweetens the deal. (Experience suggests that you may come to regret this statement.)

 

Let's see if anyone else chimes in on this,

- Thoth.

 

Hehe. Thanks Thoth. I may come to regret it, but I need more motivation to get onto the contests and getting out there boat. I'm currently about to start googling how to start doing freelance writing stuff. Unfortunately for me I have a very one track mind, so it's very hard for me to focus on more than one thing at a time. i.e. to remember to work on my Julia Grace Arts stuff, while trying to do more with writing, while trying to work on summer projects, etc. etc. >_< lol! So the extra motivation of having a community I'm involved in with Writing would be welcome, especially after moving away from where I was involved with a writing group that met and talked about contests and this kinda stuff in the beginning of every meeting.

 

Captain Obvious' Personal Assistant

- Jules

ps. Thoth, I hope you don't mind my copying your habit of adding witty signature tag lines!

[Steve E]

ps. Thoth, I hope you don't mind my copying your habit of adding witty signature tag lines!

Not at all. It makes posts that much more memorable.

 

My agent will send you the licensing contract.

You have to sign in blood but, legally, it doesn't have to be your blood.

-Thoth.

 

BTW: Earl MacRauch? "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension!" is a 1984 film. With due respect to screenwriter Earl, NY Yankees pitcher Yogi Berra said, "No matter where you go, you end up somewhere!" (in response to a question about a trade) in the early 60's. Earl's quote is cleaner but Yogi's is clearer. Did Yogi originate it? Who knows?