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Cia's Torturing Me!

Cia

Entry posted by Cia in Writing Tips

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Cia’s Torturing Me!

 

If you’re an author, I’m sure you’ve thought that at least once, right? I swear, it’s nothing personal! GA’s posting system is complicated, and there is always a learning curve for new authors to figure out the ins and outs of posting here. I'm also the primary staff member that reviews the Stories submissions, so I am not picking on any one person if you receive more than one PM; I'm simply the staff member that reviews everything in the queue unless I am away from GA for some reason. That being said… there are a few things that will get you on my hit… uh, kindly message list.

 

Posting Issues Most Likely To Trigger a Moderation PM:

 


Posting More Than One Chapter
: New stories should always be posted with a single chapter only. These should be properly edited, ready to go live, chapters. A prologue is okay, as it auto-posts with the first chapter, but more than a single chapter in a new submission floods the announcement listing. Additional chapters CAN be posted, but only if you post-date them. You can read about the post-dating system in the faq
here
.

 

Paragraph Spacing
: This might be the most common mistake I see.
Check your story content after you post, please.
Some writing programs, browsers, and or machines (tablets/phones) are not compatible with the text editor. It can either strip out or add extra spaces between the chapters. Reviewing your chapters allows you to fix that before I find it in the queue. A fix in Word can be found in the faq
here
.

 

If you use other writing programs, like Google docs, tablets, etc… try posting with a new browser or placing your text in another program before you copy to
GA
until you have the correct spacing. We can't always tell you what the exact problem is in these cases to fix the spacing issue.

 

Flash Fiction and Poetry
: Short stories under 1k in length, such as prompt responses, or poetry must be placed in a ‘collection’. This is as simple as creating a title that implies a collection, such as ‘My Shorts or My Haiku’ and then posting a single submission as the first chapter. Then subsequent posts would be made as chapters to that ‘collection’. The chapter titles can be edited and notes can be placed in each chapter as a description, if you choose. You may have more than one collection, within reason, to separate types of poetry or stories if you have a large number of varied content available.

 

Posting a Series Title
: If you are posting a story that isn’t a follow up story to one already existing on
GA
, you do not have a series. Once you post the 2
nd
story in your series you can go back and edit the first story to include the series information for the search engine. Also you can never have story 0 of a series.

 

Content
: Yes, we have a basic quality expectation. If you don’t know the word ‘I’ should be capitalized, or how to use a basic spellcheck, you will be placed under review and your story may be rejected until you can edit it up to a minimum level of readability. Yes, we allow stories with erotic content. We also allow stories that show drug use, suicide attempts and actual suicides, abuse, rape, etc… but there are criteria for each that must be followed, such as not glorifying the acts and adding content warnings to the story/chapter notes for extreme content. Erotic content must be integral to the plot and cannot be more than half the story plot. There is a narrow band of acceptable incest and bestiality themes, but necrophilia is NEVER ok.

 

Various Fields Filled Out Incorrectly
: We have a 3 step rating system for stories for authors to use. They include Everyone, Teen, and Mature. Teen and Mature ratings apply for stories containing content like sex, violence, abuse, or suicide stories. Mature would mean any ‘on-screen/graphic’ content. Teen includes it, but it might occur in the backstory or off-screen such as a ‘fade to black’ sex scene not actually written in.

 

We have a story status system that has 3 levels. In Process means you’re still posting the story (even if you have it complete, until you post the last chapter it is not complete on
GA
) and On Hold means you’re not posting the story for whatever reason. Make sure you post to the right category for your story. There is a long drop menu with many options, so please check them all to ensure the best search engine results.

 

And more… This is why we ask that authors read the entire “New Author Help: How to Post a Story” faq before they post.

 

Any story deemed suspect for any reason will be placed under review and discussed by the forum moderation team to ensure a fair team decision on acceptability. I am not a dictator with the only say in what does and does not get approved.

 

Questions I Get The Most From Authors:

 


Why are you checking my stuff in a moderation queue?
We check to ensure proper posting procedure is followed, that the content falls within our guidelines, and that you’re not a plagiarist. The fact is, we’ve been burned before with people stealing stories and posting on
GA
. We don’t always catch it, but we try our utmost to protect authors’ rights on this site.

 

How long does the queue take?
Typically 24 hours, at the most. I say this because I check the mod queue once a day. Usually I attempt this between 5-10 AM, Pacific Standard Time, but I do have a life and things sometimes crop up. If you post at 9:00 AM and I already checked the queue, and something comes up the next day and I don’t get to it until the afternoon… you may wait longer than 24 hours. Sometimes I can review and approve submissions several times a day. Anything with questionable content triggering a team review can take up to 72 hours.

 

Also, because we ask that authors only post a maximum of 2 chapters spaced out (morning/night, for example) if you have 2 stories or chapters waiting in the queue, I will only approve one. I might approve the second several hours later, or it might end up waiting until the next day. Please don’t overwhelm the queue, as that only makes my job harder to ensure that your stories and chapters are posted with a fair timing without overwhelming the announcement listing.

 

Please remember I’m one person who dedicates time every day to this process, but I am not perfect. In the past we’ve found bugs with the posting system when author’s work didn’t post to the queue properly as well. IF your submission remains in the queue for an unreasonable amount of time without any contact from me, you can
PM
me.

 

How long am I in the queue?
There is no set time limit in the queue, but there is a cut-off point. You must have 75 likes on your forum content, stories, and chapters before you no longer face the queue. Once you have achieved that level, your updates will post when you publish them. So, it behooves an author to be active, posting consistently, and interacting with readers and other members on our forums as well.

 

Is your decision the sole factor in submission approval?
No, it’s not. As I said before, any story deemed suspect for any reason is reviewed by the forum moderation team for a fair discussion and consensus.

 

Why can’t I edit my story/chapter or why did I get an error message when I tried to edit my story/chapter?
The system has a fail-safe set in place to prevent large amounts of text in a chapter or story from being removed. We expect that you post your best work that has already been edited. If there is a serious problem, or you do not take advantage of the offer, I will remove the story/chapter content for you to repost if you
PM
me.

 

Why can’t I delete my story/chapter(s)?
Again, there’s a fail-safe built into the system to prevent that from occurring. Authors can place their work unpublished so no one but the author or staff can see it, but they cannot delete. No, we will not refuse to remove your work, but you must PM me to ensure complete deletion from the system. I will usually want to know why, because if there’s a problem with the story, posting, or a moderation issue with another
GA
member, a cooling off period and discussion can sometimes resolve the issue without the story actually being deleted.

 

I’m so confused! How do I find help?
We have a faq you can find under the ? tab in the red menu bar. The topic titled,
“New Author Help: How to Post a Story”
not only has our posting and content guidelines, it also has a chapter that explains what each field is for in our story submission form as well as various things unique to our system. If you’ve read the faq, and still don’t know the answer to your questions, please feel free to
PM
me. It can often be easier to ask ahead of time than to sort out posting issues after you attempt to post.
  • Like 14
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35 Comments

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  • Popular Comment
Mann Ramblings

Mann Ramblings 22,921

Posted

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When I read the title of this, I pictured Cia brandishing a riding crop. I don't know why. :gikkle:

 

But seriously, a giant amount of work goes into the trying to maintain a quality standard for this site, and it is greatly appreciated. It can be frustrating in the beginning as authors adjust from the methods other sites use, but it works well once you get the hang of it. Feedback is generally better with spaced out postings rather than a huge story dump.

 

Thanks for all the time and effort you put in, Cia. :)

  • Like 12
Daddydavek

Daddydavek 42,255

Posted

I can only echo Mann---"Thanks for all the time and effort you put in, Cia. :)"

  • Like 5
Caz Pedroso

Caz Pedroso 45,821

Posted

When I read the title of this, I pictured Cia brandishing a riding crop. I don't know why. :gikkle:

 

 

Thanks for all the time and effort you put in, Cia. :)

 

Now there's an image that could make an interesting story!

 

But I do second Mann, thank you Cia for all your work.

 

I have had one of your friendly messages and I was grateful as I hadn't paid attention when posting but I will from now on. 

 

Thank you again

 

Xxxx

  • Like 3
joann414

joann414 4,131

Posted

Great article by a very hard working young lady.  Thanks for your time and efforts Cia.  Also, your torturing techniques. :P

  • Like 4
layla

layla 4,379

Posted

Great article, Cia, thank you, and now i understand why one of my stories has story 0 of a series lol, I gave the series a name on the first story, i'll go fix that now lol. But I do think that your messages are very important. I've had a friendly message as well, and was grateful you let me know about the issue so I wouldn't continue to make the same mistake. 

  • Like 3
Ron

Ron 6,104

Posted

This is a great article. Every new author on GA should be directed to read it. I do appreciate the hard work that goes on behind the scenes but every time a fuller explanation of the rules and workings come up, it can only be to everyone's benefit.

 

Heck, the demystifying of the mysterious queue is worth a pretty penny.

 

Thanks, Cia

  • Like 3
nostic

nostic 401

Posted

I'm not sure what I thought when I saw the title, probably something like an inner struggle :P

I think plenty of people had received a pm from Cia at some point, they're polite and very professional as far as I know, still when you're new on GA, having a pm from Cia is like being asked to meet the principal.

Urgh, the image Mann pictured is constantly on my mind, I forgot what I wanted to say. :gikkle:

Long story short, it's a tough job to go through that waiting que and telling people to follow the rules  without hurting their feeling. So thanks for all the hard work.

*disappears to google a riding crop *

  • Like 5
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Cia

Cia 59,363

Posted

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See what you started, Mann? Tsk Tsk. See, now for them, it'll be:13980961562_6768a4ce98_q.jpg           You get: 13961056746_4039391969_m.jpg

  • Like 11
Dolores Esteban

Dolores Esteban 2,867

Posted

I was actually scared when I got the first message from Cia. I was gazing at the screen, my heart beating faster, and it took me a minute to grasp what she wanted. :)

She’s been very helpful. She helped me several times with my stories. So thanks for this.

 

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joann414

joann414 4,131

Posted

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I knew Mann would like that. :P

  • Like 7
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nostic

nostic 401

Posted

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Joann, it's not just Mann. Now I need a nice lady to hold it :P

  • Like 6
Wicked Witch

Wicked Witch 529

Posted

 

 

having a pm from Cia is like being asked to meet the principal.

For me meeting Cia was more like "OMG WILL YOU SIGN AN AUTOGRAPH?!!!!" Heh. I'd always loved Cia's work, and it was pretty amazing to meet them on chat when I came to GA.

  • Like 3
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Cia

Cia 59,363

Posted

  • Site Administrator

Joann, it's not just Mann. Now I need a nice lady to hold it :P

 

Well apparently I'm the scary dragon lady all fear to approach, lest I scorch them with my tongue lashing of fiery doom. Or so I keep hearing, lol. So yeah, counts me out. :gikkle:

  • Like 4
layla

layla 4,379

Posted

Well apparently I'm the scary dragon lady all fear to approach, lest I scorch them with my tongue lashing of fiery doom. Or so I keep hearing, lol. So yeah, counts me out. :gikkle:

Now see, i didn't find you scary when you responded to my first piece of work, I found you to be encouraging and helpful, and serious about quality, which actually helped put me more at ease about participating in the site. 

  • Like 4
Andy78

Andy78 3,097

Posted

When I first started posting stories here, I used to tremble in abject fear whenever I got a PM from Cia.  I was always being told off for one thing or another (I still have some of the bruises :P )

  • Like 5
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Mann Ramblings

Mann Ramblings 22,921

Posted

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It's a good thing Cia has such a good sense of humor or we might start seeing member accounts disappearing.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello... is there anyone out there? ...Can you hear me?

  • Like 8
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Andy78

Andy78 3,097

Posted

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Cia reminds me of the nursery rhyme.

 

There was a little girl

Who had a little curl

Right in the middle of her forehead

 

And when she was good,

She was very very good

And when the author violated the rules,

She squished him out of existence

 

:gikkle:

  • Like 10
Former Member

Former Member 5,625

Posted

Thanks for the clarification. 

comicfan

comicfan 13,381

Posted

Cia is scary? Please. Some of us hate to bother her, but if she takes the time to edit or beta your work, you better realize the privilege you have been given. She is one busy mother, author, and admin.

  • Like 5
Twisted_Dreemz

Twisted_Dreemz 429

Posted

I would just like to apologize to everyone. It's my fault Cia had to take us back to school. That last chapter I posted finally broke her sanity.

 

Joking aside, I can't say anything else that hasn't already been said. Your patience, knowledge, and time are appreciated and acknowledged.

  • Like 5
  • Site Administrator
Cia

Cia 59,363

Posted

  • Site Administrator

Well, I wrote this post a few weeks ago for the blog while Renee is off running away from home. :P This isn't because of any one author but simply because so often authors have a hard time finding the information or feel like their question might be stupid.

 

Trust me, if it's a question about Stories... I've probably heard it. Tech issues might stump me temporarily, but I have help for those. I've had my fair share of wanting to scream when I explored posting on other sites, and they weren't nearly as extensive as GA's system. I understand sometimes people need help.

 

Getting things wrong is far more common than not. Sometimes authors have a hard time understanding exactly what I want them to fix. I just wanted authors to know that they are not alone in getting PMs if they make mistakes, and that I'm not picking on them if I ask them correct 3-4 submissions in a row instead of another staff member contacting them. I don't 'target' some authors more than others in that way, but I've had some think I was just hounding them.

 

Just like with our tech blogs or site information posts, we want to shine as much light on our working process as possible. Of course... when IP Board upgrades and GA Stories is upgraded too, we'll have more changes. When that happens be ready for another blog!

  • Like 4
Bill W

Bill W 45,793

Posted

Well done and i think that will clear up a lot of issues/questions.  Thanks for all of your hard work, Cia.  Now, do you want a leather whip or riding crop as your reward?  

  • Like 3
  • Site Administrator
Cia

Cia 59,363

Posted

  • Site Administrator

*cough* Who says I don't already have them? :P I have to keep everyone in line somehow!

  • Like 2
Percy

Percy 955

Posted

Thanks, Cia, for putting in so much time on the site and with the authors.  I know you give a lot of new authors some of their first reviews as you release the stories from the queue and that's really cool of you too.

 

I know it took me a couple attempts to get things right and I am sure sometime down the road I'll have a new issue crop up.  On the other end, it's great as a reader to find a consistent quality to presentation of the stories.  It reflects well on all of us as a group.

  • Like 3

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