Frequently Asked Questions

[siskiou.livejournal.com]

Here are some questions that other people have asked, that might help you work out what you want to do. If you don't see your question on the list, feel free to ask in the comments (the mods will all track the post, so someone should see it fairly quickly) - and then we'll add your helpful question to the list, to help other people!

How do I do it?
- make a post to the community
- Use your keyword in the subject line
- post your links to the stories, (I tend to put the story title in the link, and "by author" outside the link, just to make it easier to read)
- hit post! *g*
- other people might then comment to your post with other stories that use that keyword, and if you can it would be brilliant if you could edit them into your post. If not, then we're trying to keep the keyword comments clean of everything else so that storylinks are easy to find there too.


How do I make the link to the story show as just the story title?
In a post, or a comment, click on the "link" symbol (the two interlinked chains) and add the copied link to the story into the field (for example: *http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/20/happenstance.html)
Click "Insert".

If you are making a main post, click on HTML, not Visual Editor.
In a comment, you see the code right away.

I had to add an * to the beginning of each code here, so you can see it. Otherwise, it would just show as a link, which wouldn't be helpful! So, your code will not have an asterisk at the start!

Example:
<*a href="http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/20/happenstance.html">http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/20/happenstance.html</a>

Just replace the second URL in the code with the title of the story.

Example:
<*a href="http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/20/happenstance.html">Happenstance</a>

All done! :)


Why can't I create a main post for my keyword?
You have to join the community to make a new post, with a new Keyword in the subject line.
Come on in! :)

You don't have to be a member to add stories to an existing post in the comments.


Why was my comment marked as spam?
Actually we're not sure. Lj is working hard to protect us from spam, and sometimes it's not sure about comments with links in them.

The mods are all keeping their eyes on the comments, and we will "un-spam" you as soon as we can!

If you seem to stay stuck, drop us a line!


I found the story under a keyword I wouldn't use, but not under the one I want. Can I create a new post for my keyword?
Yes, the same story can be listed under multiple keywords!


Can I add stories that aren't online?
Yes, please do!
Not all Pros stories are online - there are hundreds on the ProsLib CD, hundreds more in paper zines, and probably hundreds more just on paper as old circuit stories. They can be found in all sorts of places.
So add the story as normal - if it's in a zine you can add a link to the zine (perhaps via palelyloitering.com or the Hatstand's zine list, or a link to information about the ProsLib CD (most directly at the Hatstand).

If it's a paper story, then just put that in brackets beside the title and author.


Aren't the posts/lists in this comm spoilers for people who haven't read the stories yet?
Yes, they might be in some ways, but really the comm is for people who have already read the stories and are trying to find ones they've forgotten but want to re-read. Keywords are also less specific than the blurbs, warnings and headers that many authors include with their stories (and some sites insist on), so it really shouldn't be a major issue.


Why don't you use warnings?
This is just an index list to stories, helping people to find fic that they've forgotten. If you want warnings/spoilers for your story, please check the information at the story archive. The links do go straight to stories - the best thing then is to remember the name and author of the story, go to the archive home, and do a search for the story via the archive's facilities (e.g. the Circuit Archive allows you to search for stories with and without spoilers/warnings).

Comments

[freetraveller15.livejournal.com]

I have a question.
Are the posts/lists in this comm supposed to include spoilers for those who haven't read the stories yet?
Maybe not often, but sometimes a keyword under which a story is filed could spoil the plot or the ending...
Unless this comm is mainly meant for those who've already read the stories but forgotten their title or author name...
Thank you

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Well, the whole point of the comm is that it's for people who've already read the stories and are trying to remember where - it's not supposed to be an archive, or a place for people to find stories.

I do agree that some of the keywords might act as spoilers for some stories - I was really conscious of that with one that I posted in particular, and I'm personally quite against spoilers for stories. That said - I do think it's a bit world-gone-mad to worry about it in this particular context, where most people will already have read the stories.

The other thing is, that the likelihood of someone being spoiled for a completely different story they've not yet read when they come looking for a keyword for a story they have read, is quite distant. You'd have to be doing both things at once, if you see what I mean - planning to read the other stories in the keyword, and also looking through the keyword to start with. And if you're browsing keywords for fun, then it's kind of implicit that you'll be "spoiled" for that keyword, so... *g*

So basically - no, spoiling people via keyword isn't something we can worry about too much, or else it would shut down the whole project, and then no one could get any help!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Fine by me! *g*

PS - I've linked the FAQs to the index post now too! *g*

[freetraveller15.livejournal.com]

Sure. I understand. Thanks for your clarification :)

[merentha13.livejournal.com]

I tried to add a new tag for my post on "Growing-Up" stories, but it didn't take. How does one add a tag if there isn't already one to use in the tags listing?

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

You can only use the existing tags, because onyl the mods can create new once. When there is a new post, one of us will create the new tag and add it to the post.

[boothros.livejournal.com]

Is it acceptable to post a link to a story you wrote yourself?

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

Yes, this isn't a rec site, so it's perfectly fine to add your own stories - in fact it's really helpful!

[macklingirl.livejournal.com]

Yes, of course it is ok. If the keyword isn't already there, feel free to post a new keyword and the link to your story. If there is a post with your keyword, please leave a comment with your link.

[(Anonymous)]

Many thanks to you both.