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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

The Official TFN Archive Thread: Jan update!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by TFN_Archive_Sock, Sep 10, 2007.

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  1. Flowerlady

    Flowerlady Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 14, 2005
    Thanks so much for this wonderful and helpful thread....=D=

    You all make the Archive seem more achievable then a just an idea. Sure it's still a lot of work for the writer to achieve archive quality, but I'm not so intimidated now that I know more about the Archive and what you all are looking for.

    Anyway, I just wanted to say that I'm going to be submitting a vignette and eventually a novel. You've all answered a lot of my questions. [:D]

    I have a special attachment to the Archive since it had been my first taste of fan fiction. I think most of the stories in the Archive are all top notch and very professional. A few of them are even better written than some of the professional fiction I've read and I'm not limiting that to just SW authors.

    Keep up the awesome work!!



    FL @};-
     
  2. Persephone_Kore

    Persephone_Kore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2006
    [:D][:D][:D]

    Thank you.

    This is what we were hoping to do with the thread. :)
     
  3. oqidaun

    oqidaun Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2005
    This is excellent thread!
    I've learned a lot reading it.
     
  4. MariahJade2

    MariahJade2 Former Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2001
    Thank you. Everyone worked hard to make this come about. :)
     
  5. LLL

    LLL Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 16, 2000
    What I wish ppl understood is that we aren't allowed to reject things just because we don't like Palpatine, or Obidala, or OC's, for example. If that came back to an editor as the sole reason for rejection, that reviewer would most likely be fired.

    Seriously.

    Now, of course, diverse preferences do exist among the staff. If we get one that for any reason just rankles us so terribly that we can't give it a fair shake (not that this occurs on a regular basis, but we know how picky SW fans are in general ... it could happen), we have to unclaim it and let someone else take it. In this way, your story will get picked up by someone who takes it assuming they will enjoy it, and really wants to give it a fair shake.

    The whole idea is you're supposed to judge writing, not the personal likes and dislikes of the author.
     
  6. Herman Snerd

    Herman Snerd Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 1999

    In addition to this, it's also no secret that there friendships and feuds here in the forums. To alleviate this, reviewers aren't supposed to review fics submitted by their friends and aren't allowed to review fics from somebody they do not get along with it.


    I know I've heard people say that they don't submit because you supposedly have to be friends with someone on the staff to get accepted, but that just isn't true.
     
  7. Pallas-Athena

    Pallas-Athena TFN Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Flowerlady [:D] that's pretty much verbatim what I wanted this thread to achieve. People so often believe that the archive is an elitist clique that will only take certain authors. But I've come to see it as a goal obtainable by every author. And just because you didn't make it into the Archive your first time doesn't mean you won't your next time, whether that be a week, month, or year later. I love nothing more, after accepting a fic, than checking the author list to see if the author is a first-time acceptance. It's such a rush ... I'm very vicarious like that :p

    LLL Yep. Personally I don't really have any characters I dislike to where my objectivity can be compromised. Things like obidala and the like can pose a bit of a challenge for me, though, because the difficult burden of creating a situation where they could believably get together lies with the author. But it can most certain be done and I'd accept a fic that managed it.

    Herman Most of the time I try not to even know whose fic I'm reading :p
     
  8. Flowerlady

    Flowerlady Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 14, 2005
    I have a question about Cover art.... How can I go about finding an artist to do a cover art for a vig I'd like to submit or anything else for that matter? I have a cover for the novel I'll be submitting, I don't have art for anything else and I have about as much visual art talent as a Hutt as sex appeal. :p


    FL @};-
     
  9. Persephone_Kore

    Persephone_Kore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2006
    Oh dear.

    Well, there is an artists' list, and I understand the editors can send out a request to it for you. But I believe there can be a considerable wait.

    I'm kind of at a loss on that one myself, though. I'm really not artistic, but after hearing about the wait time on the artists' list and wandering hopelessly around the Fan Art forums, I caved and started doing my own. (Um, yes. All two. Well, I've done covers for a few things I haven't submitted -- I ought to edit them into the story threads or something.) Though at some point I think I'm going to end up with something to submit that I just can't patchwork together.

    I know some artists, but I hear fanartists can get away with actually charging for their work, and most of the prices I've seen are a bit more than I want to pay to decorate my fanfic. ;) So I'm not really comfortable asking someone to draw for me, especially with specifications. I don't know; maybe some of them would be flattered. I know there are request threads in the Fanart forum on the boards.
     
  10. Flowerlady

    Flowerlady Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 14, 2005
    I did ask someone to do the cover for my major epic that I'm working on now. And she did a wonderful job. I can't say enough about what she and the colorist came up with from my ramblings. But I know what you mean about not really wanting to ask... besides I don't want to be a pest. I know how in demand some of the artists are besides them actually having real jobs and lives outside of SW.

    I probably could do something for the vig myself but my problem is that I don't have the computer savy to do it even if I did have the programs.

    But I may play around and see what I come up with. I didn't know if there was a list of artists who did just basic covers for the Archive. I was just asking before I attempt something on my own...

    Thanks for the info...



    FL @};-
     
  11. Persephone_Kore

    Persephone_Kore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2006
    There is a list -- there's a mailing list that they had to sign up to be on, so presumably the ones on the mailing list don't mind being asked! But I got the impression it can take a while for someone to get to you.
     
  12. MariahJade2

    MariahJade2 Former Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2001
    I did have a thread put up in the Fan fic artists forum asking if anyone there would like to join the artist list so we could get some fresh faces to the list we have. If anyone knows anybody that would enjoy doing cover art encourage them to sign up a contributor account and join the artist list.
     
  13. ardavenport

    ardavenport Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2004
    When I go to the articles in the Archives and try to click on the one about Beta Readers I get this error message. Or if I click on a story further back that page 3 I get this error message. I get that error message a lot in the Archives.


    <br /><br />[<b><a href="/articles.asp?action=comments&ID=22">Comments</a></b> - 38] -
    [<b><a href="/articles.asp?action=view&ID=22#ratings">Rating</a></b> -
    8.6; <b>Total Ratings</b> - 100]</p>

    And when I view source code to try and find the actual link to the article, I get this:

    </td></tr>
    <tr bgcolor=#CEE2D7>
    <td><a href="articles.asp?action=view&ID=4" class="articleLink">Beta Readers</a><p>
    <b>By</b>: <a href="contact.asp?ID=31" class="authorLink">Nitid</a><br />
    <b>Archived on</b>: <span class="uploadDate">Thursday, March 01, 2001</span><br /><br />
    <b>Summary</b>: Why you need a beta reader, how to get one, and how to take and give criticism.<br /><br />[<b><a href="/articles.asp?action=comments&ID=4">Comments</a></b> - 31] -
    [<b><a href="/articles.asp?action=view&ID=4#ratings">Rating</a></b> -
    8; <b>Total Ratings</b> - 23]</p>


    Using my incredibly sparse knowledge of HTML I wonder if some of these refs or classes out of date maybe?

     
  14. dianethx

    dianethx Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 1, 2002
    I don't get that error message, Anne...
     
  15. ardavenport

    ardavenport Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2004
    Do you get the error message if you click on the links in my message? If you don't get the error message then that would be unexpected, but useful I suppose.
     
  16. dianethx

    dianethx Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Mar 1, 2002
    No, I clicked on your error messages and don't get the errors.
     
  17. ardavenport

    ardavenport Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2004
    :eek: :eek: :eek:

    Now I am baffled.

    When I click on this link that looks like it goes to the archives:

    http://fanfic.theforce.net/articles.asp?action=view&ID=4

    I get just a blank screen that just says:

    The system cannot find the file specified.

    Nothing else. It's in a regular font, too.

    What does everyone else get?

     
  18. MariahJade2

    MariahJade2 Former Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2001
    I'm not getting an error message. It's taking me to the Beta readers info page. Try taking this to the Tech questions thread in comms. It might be something to do with your computer or your settings and they might be able to help.
     
  19. ardavenport

    ardavenport Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2004
    I posted it to Comms, but I never seem to get a reply on the technical issues thread there.

    BTW, to get around the error message, all I have to do is click inside the url address window and then <return>. Then it takes me to that address. It's looking more and more like a linking problem with my browser. Is anyone else using Firefox 2.0.0.6?

     
  20. obaona

    obaona Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2002
    Well, I use Firefox 2.0.0.3 and I don't get that error. [face_thinking] And I don't think comms will be able to help you, since it's not board-related. It does sound like a problem with your browser, though. I'd suggest going back to an earlier version or reinstalling it entirely. That's all I can think of, at any rate. :p
     
  21. Persephone_Kore

    Persephone_Kore Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 19, 2006
    I have Firefox 2.0.0.6!

    ...But I don't have the error. This is most peculiar.
     
  22. Pallas-Athena

    Pallas-Athena TFN Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Did you try clearing out your cache and other private data? *is also running 2.0.0.6*
     
  23. ardavenport

    ardavenport Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 16, 2004
    Nope. I tried clearing the cache and got the same error page.

    It's pretty simple to get around. All I do is click in the address window and then <return> as if I'd just typed in that address and the browser goes right to that page. It's more annoying than anything else. The problem seems to be that it does not want to go to a web page if I click on some links in the Archive. I just wonder where that error message comes from.

    Here is something that I hope can be added to submissions, a comment block so I can say a few things to the reviewers about the story I might be sending in.

    For example: I have a story that is written entirely in first-person dialog. Has sentence fragments all over the place. Like this. :) I hesitate to submit it to the Archives because if it is evaluated on grammar it's going to be rejected, even though the grammar violations are intentional due to style. With a comment block I could at least say that it's that way on purpose.

    Now, if it's still rejected, even with a comment, then that's just an editorial choice. No big deal. If the editor doesn't think it's right for their platform, that's how it goes. But with a comment I'd know that the style was not accepted and it just wasn't being thrown out for grammar.

     
  24. Pallas-Athena

    Pallas-Athena TFN Fan Fiction Archive Editor star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    You can leave a note to the reviewers at the top of your story if that makes you feel more comfortable (it has been recommended, for example, that writers using UK English leave notes).

    Stories that bend grammar rules on account of style are still acceptable, provided that it works the way it's supposed to. We'd like to think that we'd be able to tell when an author is bending rules for stylistic reasons without being told, but you never know. :p
     
  25. LLL

    LLL Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 16, 2000
    Heh heh. Have you ever read James Ellroy?

    Just goes to show you that some wayyy-out style choices can not only work, but become best sellers.
     
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