Stupid questions time, aka, Flist, I need you!

[blamebrampton]

Let's just begin with me pointing out that I am very smart at some things, and very stupid at others.

One of the things I appear to be stupid at is fandom archives. They appear to make a whole lot of sense to people who are already there (and probably to young people today), but I am continually coming up with questions that I can't find answers to.

For example:
* When considering posting to FanFiction.net, how do you manage to include characters they do not list? Because none of the DH people were about in their drop-down menus last time I checked and I could not go for an 'other'; is it just my browser, are they haters of Book Seven and refuse to acknowledge its existence? Is EWE their bible? Am I just thick?

* Lovely anthimaeria subscribed me to Skyehawke. I cannot log in. Not even when I copy and paste my subscription details from the "Hi, you're subscribed!" letter. The mods have had to deal with a huge implosion of tech over there, so I don't want to email them again, but could it be a browser issue (I'm on Camino) or is it just the internet saying "We know your Luddite ways, spinning girl! No owner of an abacus will ever be truly part of us!"

* Is there a guide to what works at which archive? And this question is both from a reading and writing perspective. I've tried ambling about but seem to spend an awful lot of time reading first paragraphs and running away in horror, or else finding very well-written stuff for story lines that, alas, just don't really grab me.

* Finally, is it kosher to post an old story to the ASS Ship? Because I think SoTF would like an outing there at some point.

Thanks for any help. It's 11.30pm, I have a flight to Tasmania at 8.45 in the morning and I need to write a garden story, pack, write a bit more of my WIP and finish betawork on a brilliantly clever piece for someone great plus shower, sleep and dress in between. Easy!

Sadly, cassiphone, I'm off to Launceston, not Hobart, or I'd be offering beverages! anthimaeria and jadzialove, I will be sending postcards. Anyone else who reads this in the next eight hours can add their names and addresses, too, but I can't guarantee being able to log in between leaving Sydney Airport and arriving at my friend's goat farm. Oh the glamorous life ...

Comments

[calanthe-fics.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I can't help you. I have an a/c at skyehawke but rarely use it. I find the site impersonal to tell the truth. And I KNOW that ff.net is, like, the biggest archive where, apparently, everyone goes first to look for fics, but I've never posted there.

You could always try Hex Files. :)

[jadzialove.livejournal.com]

I hope you're sleeping!

* When considering posting to FanFiction.net, how do you manage to include characters they do not list? Because none of the DH people were about in their drop-down menus last time I checked and I could not go for an 'other';

I despise, FF.net, though I do have a few stories there. And for my Harry/George fics, I put the pairing info and the slash warnings and such in the summary so there was no mistaking it. The archives have a habit of listing the twins as one, which is annoying and a problem now that there are no longer two. *sobs!*

* Finally, is it kosher to post an old story to the ASS Ship? Because I think SoTF would like an outing there at some point.

I don't have any actual knowledge, but I don't see why not--I'm sure there are people on those comms that would love to read it.

* Lovely anthimaeria subscribed me to Skyehawke. I cannot log in. Not even when I copy and paste my subscription details from the "Hi, you're subscribed!" letter.

If you'd like to send me the login info they sent to you, I'll try it from here to see if it's the browser business or what. I was going to do the same thing for you on insanejournal, but I saw that you'd already started one there.

I'm not at all familiar with the strictly Drarry or the new S/AS (because calling it ASS makes me sad) archives (or even if there are any), but now that you've got me hooked into this business, I plan on researching this, so I'll keep you posted as to what I discover.

*pets* Don't worry, my lovely Luddite friend, I'll hold your hand through this, you just keep spinning and remember that you will be the abacus toting Queen of the World when it all goes pear shaped.

[cassiphone.livejournal.com]

That is a shame! Enjoy Launceston, though

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Not that you quite the smut queen that I am, but please be aware that ff.net is often capricious. If someone reports you, then your story is booted with no warning and no recourse. This happened to me. A story that had been on there for two years must have been reported as violating their TOS and it was removed. And I was put in limbo. You couldn't search for me, I wouldn't appear, and I couldn't post either. It was like that for about six months. I seem to be a living breathing person over there these days, but that place seems to be inhabited by robots. I am not the only person who has been bumped (some people were removed completely, ERASED), and no recourse. No response to inquiries, etc. So, my dear, archive there at your own risk.

[blindmouse.livejournal.com]

Not ff.net. Really.

Skyehawke has, I'll agree, an impersonal layout, but if you can log in (which, argh for you not being able to) it's terribly easy to use.

Fiction Alley is a pain to upload stuff to, and you can't use curly quotes or em-dashes or their code scrambles them, and you can't post anything harder than R-rating; but it gets quite a lot of traffic, and isn't anything like as horrifying as ff.net. I'd suggest it as an interim if you want to archive and Skyehawke is ignoring you. (Also, I don't know whether this would be a pro or con for you, but web searches will find FA fics, but not Skyehawke ones.)

[arcanetrivia]

FF.net I think you need to request new characters be added to the list (not that I could tell you how to do that). They probably are not "haters", just not proactive. Also, I dunno if they have separate admins for each fandom area or what. If someone is trying to manage the whole mess, whoa nelly, no wonder things take a while to update.

[daybreaq.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine why the mods of the ASS Ship would mind if you posted a story that includes AS/S that hasn't been posted there yet regardless of the fact that you posted elsewhere first.

As a reader, the ASS Ship is my primary source for AS/S. The only reason I know about SoTF is because Leochi drew some fanart for it and posted it on the ASS Ship. I don't always check out every fanart posted so if I hadn't just happened to check out that particular fanart of Leochi's, there's a good chance I never would have known about the story ... and that would have been a shame because SoTF is truly one of the best AS/S stories I've read.

As an AS/S fan and a fan of SoTF, my guess is the people who check out the ASS Ship would most certainly be happy to see SoTF posted there. I imagine there are at least a few who missed that specific post of Leochi's or even if they checked out the picture, they might have missed the fact that it was dedicated to a specific story that was never posted on the ASS Ship.

So, in a nutshell, *I* think you should post it; but if you are really not sure, you can email one of the mods and ask I suppose.

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

dang, missed the chance at a postcard [*pouts*]

i can't imagine anyone would care if you posted a story that fit the comm that is 'old'. first off it can't be v. old, since the boys haven't even existed for a year yet. i'm sure it's fine.

i wouldn't touch ff.net with a ten foot pole.

i've had some issues with skyehawke as well, but i do love the archive. let me know if i can be of better assistance. will email you so you'll have my email if you want to chat that way.

no guides that i know of. sorry.

and i'd push you towards hexfiles as well. the mods there are really great, and the readers are a lovey comment-y bunch. and no, you don't have to finish before you post. both skyhawke and hex (and all others i know of) let you easily add more chapters to your fic. so post the chapters you already have of your h/d and you'll be generating readers for future chapters. [*nods*]

hope the flight and trip went well. [*cuddles*]

[gingerbreadkula.livejournal.com]

'Ello! Just thought I oughta introduce myself since I just friended you and all. I started reading Sins Of The Fathers today and let me just say that it was absolutely perfect! The pacing was perfect and I really love your writing style. Aw shucks, I may just love you too!