Message Board

Yahoo Bounce Backs

The last few days have seen many e-mails bounced back from Yahoo, saying: "Resources temporarily unavailable. Please try again later." 

I have been trying to keep up with these bounced back e-mails and resending them.  I hope they are getting through.  I just wanted to let you all know, just in case you were wondering why you haven't received something you should.

 

Updated Stories

This is just a friendly reminder that sometimes our recently updated list on the main page moves quickly. Sometimes you may miss a good story without realizing it.

Simply click on the newly submitted link near the top to scroll back through the last day or two of titles often to see if you've missed anything.

I see many little gems being passed up simply because the queue moves a bit fast at times.

Categories - New!!

Hello to everyone,

I have been quite busy this week working on something new.  It has been up for a couple days, but I wanted to wait and make sure it was working properly before I said anything.

• First of all, it is now possible for a story to have two categories.  This works excellently for challenge fics.  Authors can now categorize their story in the challenge category and the regular category.  Both will be listed.  Both are fully searchable on the search page.  To all authors: I have already taken care of adding in the second category to your challenge fics, so you don't have to do that yourselves.  Of course, go over and take a look and make sure everything looks all right.  You can always edit your story and change it.


• Secondly, there is now a category called "The Challenge Floo-Network" where you can categorize stories written for challenges hosted by other sites.  So all WIKTT challenges or LJ challenges (et cetera) can be posted there.  Of course, you would also post it in its proper category as well, since there is now that possibility of a secondary category.  To all authors:  If you had written in your summary that your story was written for a challenge posted on another site, I have added The Challenge Floo-Network as your secondary category, so you don't have to worry yourselves about it.  Of course, always check to see if your story has been categorized properly.
  
  

Since this is a new modification, if something doesn't work quite right, let me know.  Go to the help page and click on 'E-mail the Headmistress'.  I will take care of the problem immediately.  I count on the members to keep me up-to-date with how the site is functioning.  Thank you!!

Multiple E-mail - Apology!

I owe an apology to those of you who have Southern_Witch on their list of favorite authors.  I'm sure you noticed the multitude of e-mails that got sent alerting you to her new story.  I was testing something with the particular story and my computer froze during the submit process.  So I apologize most profusely for the inadvertent spamming. 
 Snape has taken 10 points from Gryffindor for this little mess-up.   While notsosaintly is a Slytherin, the Headmistress is most decidedly Gryffindor.  My apologies to the Gryffindors for losing the points.  I promise to make it up to you.

Forum Boards

Just a friendly reminder to make a periodic check of the forum boards.  If you have a suggestion for the site, feel free to post there.  It is also a good place to advertise your beta services or to look for a beta.

Also, we are always looking for new artwork.  If you know of a particular piece of art that has struck your fancy, you will find a place on the forums to suggest an artist and his/her artwork.  I am showcasing all of the art we have featured on the archive now in a random format on the forum boards as well.  I thought it would be a nice way to keep track of all that we've featured over the last few months.

I have made a few modifications on the forums this weekend, so I will be able to keep track of any new posts made, and so will all members, either by watching a particular topic or an entire forum.  Now I have no excuse for any tardy replies.

 

Notice: Submission Rules Updated

I am putting on my Headmistress hat to inform all authors and hopeful authors that the Submission Rules have been updated.

There are a few very important points that I need to draw to your attention. Please click on the Submission Rules link at the bottom of the page to see the rules in full (yes, I've even eradicated a few typos - naughty Headmistress). What follows are a few of the points that have been updated and/or added:

• A story that exceeds ten (10) errors in a 1000-word or less submission; twenty (20) errors in a 1001-2500 word submission; or thirty (30) errors in a submission that exceeds 2500 words, will be automatically rejected. A recurring spelling or capitalization error will be counted as a single error; however, each error in punctuation will count as one. This means that once the admin reaches the maximum number of errors, he/she will stop reading and send a rejection letter along with the list of errors found up to that point.


• If your story is rejected, we invite you to resubmit it once it has been betaed and the errors have been corrected. Correcting only the errors found by the admin on the first partial reading will not be accepted.


• Graphical sexual acts involving minors under the age of consent (anyone under the age of 16 in either the US or the UK) is forbidden. It may be implied that they are indulging in a sexual act, or you may tactfully mention it with no graphic description. Unfortunately, this is a touchy situation, and we do not condone pedophilia, statutory rape or underage sex. The admins will have the final word on whether a story is too graphic and unsuitable for posting.


• Please do not upload your stories and then disappear. If we send an e-mail requesting that you make changes to a chapter and receive no response, we will send out a follow-up letter in one (1) week. If that e-mail is not answered within three (3) days, we will delete the unvalidated chapter(s) off the admin board. (If you uploaded two submissions, both will be deleted.)

Favorite Stories

A small bug was corrected today with the favorite stories list on each of your member pages. There was something crazy happening where if you would click on a story more than once, it would list more than once and out of alphabetic order. I have corrected the code as well as updated and cleaned up the database, so now it should work without a hitch. If anyone notices anything wrong still, please let me know.

You will notice that the Add Favorites button also mysteriously became a link about a week ago. This is because Firefox users were having trouble with the button. The link works with everyone, so if this was preventing you from adding a story to your favorites, it shouldn't any longer.

Someone asked me today if we send out e-mail when stories are updated. If you have added a story to your favorites list, yes we do. I use it extensively so I don't miss stories by validated authors. (Too bad it can't magically add the time in my day to read all of them. I'm working on that next.) We also send e-mail if one of your favorite authors posts a new story. If you like a certain author's style of writing, it is always nice to know when he/she writes something new.

Don't forget to utilize the bookmark feature. I use this extensively by marking the last chapter I have read in a story. This way, if I've miss a couple of updates, I know exactly where I left off. It is also helpful with the longer novel-length stories that I am always so hopeless behind in reading. As always, if you have questions or problems with any of the features, please e-mail me and I will figure out how to correct it.

EDIT 3/15/2006:

I just noticed today that the favorite stories were linking to individual chapters. That has been corrected now so that when you click on someone's favorite story, you will be taken to the chapter index.

Your Admins Hard at Work

Your admins have been hard at work lately and want to share their respective projects with you.

SouthernWitch has taken the US version of Half-Blood Prince and gone through it chapter by chapter, searching for canon terminology and capitalizations. There are so many lists out there that favor the UK version of the books, but most people in the United States only have the US version to refer to. We will accept either UK-canon or US-canon as long as the author is consistent. Please visit the Writers' Resource area (link at the bottom of the page) and click on Canon Terminology to see all the hard work SouthernWitch has already put into this valuable resource.

Notsosaintly is currently hard at work compiling an easy-to-use SPAG reference. Occasionally, there will be updates to the Writers' Resource area when there are ambiguous rules that need to be addressed. Tonight, a section was added on ellipsis points. It would be helpful if all writers would have a look at the form and rules associated with ellipsis points. This is also a work-in-progress. It may seem like the rules are fluctuating, but as items are researched, they are solidified. Once they appear on the site, you can count on it that we will be expecting this of our writers as well.

 

Disappearing Authors

Hiya!

I'd just like to remind members to make certain that the email address on record is current--especially our authors.

It's quite important for us to be able to contact you if we have a question about one of the stories submitted.



Hehe.. I love these dang smilies...

Stories and Reviews

I just looked at the statistics this morning...

We have 500 stories currently posted and 4000 reviews. Thank you to all the authors and readers for making me so happy!