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This site is essentially two sites within one another. There is the main site - the part you see now - and the eFiction archive where you can create your own account and manage your own stories. They are part of the same site but operate independently from one another.
HOW TO USE THE EFICTION SITE:
TUTORIAL
It's pretty simple to use, but here are some instructions on how to use the archive. This tutorial assumes that you already have created an account.
CHANGING YOUR DETAILS
- Once you have created your account, you can access your control panel via the ACCOUNT INFO section that is located on the top navigation bar.
- Then use the EDIT BIO section to edit your personal details. Here, you can say a wee bit about yourself, advertise your other journals and any messenger services you may use - if you so desire.
- Head back to the ACCOUNT INFO section. Here you can manage stories you favourites, manage your stories and your profile.
HOW TO EDIT YOUR PROFILE
Anything to do with editing your details is located under the ACCOUNT INFO section, which is located on the top navigation bar.
Edit Preferences Section:
- Under the ACCOUNT INFO section, click on the EDIT PREFERENCES section.
- Here you can control how the site works for you.
- Most of this is fairly self-explanatory, but the part that might have you scratching your noodle with confusion is the TinyMCE part.
- In simple terms, TinyMCE allows you to edit your stories on the site. It allows you to make text bold, underline, and add images and hyperlinks (website addresses) without having to use complicated HTML coding. If this is not ticked, you will have to use website coding to format your work.
- TinyMCE should be activated on all accounts automatically, but if when you come to upload your stories you have no tool bar, this is where you activate it.
- You can also pick you 'skin' here.
- Skins are basically the appearance of the site. If I was clever enough, I would make some nice ones for the site itself. Frankly, I'm not so I have downloaded a few free ones made by people much more cleverer than I. I have downloaded a number of ones so it is up to you to pick which one you like. I have even downloaded a nice part German one for our fellow German members!
ADDING NEW STORIES:
- Adding stories is pretty simple.
- Under the ACCOUNT INFO section, click on the link for ADD NEW STORY.
- A new page should load in which there should be a number of boxes. The first box should prompt you for a title.
- Fill in the details as appropriate. The boxes marked with red star by them must be filled or else the site will not allow you to upload. It's mean like that!
- If the story was co-written with another author who is on the Guild you can search for them in the search box above the co-author box.
- The Summary section is self explanatory. Simply add a small description of what your story is about to hook readers in. Less is defintely more in this instant. Most readers won't want to read a ten page monologue of your story, but equally, it needs to be enough to make them intrigued enough to invest time reading.
- You can use the tool bar beneath the box to edit the contents inside the box.
- Story Notes will appear on underneath the summary when you publish the story. I would suggest putting any notes in Chapter notes, rather than here so that they don't clog up the Story Summary pages, and so they appear inside the chapter itself.
- The next section is the CATEGORY SECTION. It is important this is done right so that the site works in the way it is intended. Please follow these instructions carefully.
- The site is split into a handful of different categories: TV SHOWS, ORIGINAL WRITING, POETRY and BOOKS. These are master categories and your stories should NOT be stored here. When, for example, you click on TV SHOWS you should get another set of categories for individual shows (CSI, Supernatural, One Tree Hill etc). If you do not get these, you may have to download Firefox Internet Browser. A free download of this can be obtained here. For some reason, this programme does not seem to like Internet Explorer - just more proof that Microsoft is rubbish!
- Once you have picked the right TV SHOW or BOOK etc, click on it and it should give you more options. For example under Supernatural you can choose categories such as GENERAL FICTIONS, MISSING SCENES, EPISODE TAGS. Please chose the appropriate genre, and please only upload your story to one section. Stories added to multiple sections will be removed. It clogs up the site. The only exception to this rule is submissions to the COMPETITIONS section. These stories can be uploaded to both the competition section and also the relevant fan fiction or original writing pages.
- Please pick an appropriate rating for your story. The ratings are U (Universal - can be read by all ages), NC-13 (moderate violence/sex/swearing, suitable for people 13 or over), NC-17 (suitable for people 17 or over).
- If the story is completed, check the COMPLETED box.
- CHAPTER NOTES - Here you can add any author notes about the piece itself.
- STORY TEXT - This is where you should add your story. You can edit the text in the box using the tool bars underneath the box.
- END NOTES - You can add any last author notes here. Mostly, I figure those of you that wear the Mantel of EVIL CLIFF HANGERS will beg for mercy here for torturing your poor readers.
- You can PREVIEW your story before you post it or just ADD it.
- As long as you have filled in all the starred sections, it should upload fine. If you haven't it will give you a lovely error message, telling you get your butt back to the editing page and fill in the parts you missed.
MANAGE STORIES:
- This section is where you can control your stories, edit them, add new chapters, etc.
- It will also tell you here how many times your story has been read - for those of you who are interested! If you click the View Chapters link near the top of the page on the right hand side, you can also view how many times each individual chapter has been read.
- It's fairly self-explanatory. You can also add new stories here too!
ADD A SERIES:
- This section allows you too add a number of stories as a series. For example, if you have written a number of stories that follow the same 'verse, they can all be put together.
- The title is the title of the series; the summary is the over all summary of the series.
- Pick the category it belongs to and click submit.
- You will then be taken to a new window that will list the stories you have published. Tick the ones you wish to put into the series and add. These stories will then be kept together.
MANAGE SERIES:
- This is where you manage your series.
- You can add, delete and edit here.
NAVIGATING THE REST OF THE SITE
The navigation bar at the top of the page allows you to view different elements of the site.
MOST RECENT:
- Here you can view the latest stories to be updated.
- It will show the last seven days, until pushed off by new stories.
AUTHORS:
- This is where all the authors/members/admins on the site are listed. Next to the names, in brackets, it states how many stories the individual has published.
- Clicking on an authors name will take you to their profile page and show all the stories they have published.
CATEGORIES:
- This section allows you to browse the different genres published on the site. So, for example, if you wanted to read all the Original short stories, you could browse this section and read nothing but short stories.
TITLES:
- This sections lists all stories by title. So if you can't remember who wrote it but you remember the title, here is the place for you!
SERIES:
- You can find all published series here.
CHALLENGES
- This section allows members of the eFiction site to issue writing challenges. I guess this is essentially the modern equivalent of the 'Bunny Bank'.
- Anyone can issue a challenge, and anyone can respond to a challenge.
If your questions have not been answered here, please email the Guild and I'll try and answer it the best I can. Do not plagiarise other people's work. It will be taken down immediately and your account will be deleted.
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