How to write an article.
TappedOut forum
Posted on July 14, 2014, 8:28 p.m. by Scorprix
How do you write an article on TO? I'm planning to link it to my deck.
Epochalyptik says... #3
This has happened before, and it has gone wrong before. Get it approved first (or, in the vernacular, check yourself before you shrek yourself).
Also, this particular thread isn't about DH. Moved.
July 14, 2014 9:01 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #4
As someone who hasn't been on this site for too long, and is also interested in this topic, I would actually like to see a written out guide on how to get this process going step by step. Everyone seems to be keeping it a secret and no one is willing to explain how things work. How is anyone who wants to produce new content supposed to do so if they need to dig and work for hours just to publish something?
I've almost pieced together the details myself after getting snippits of information from people who already produce content, but no one that I have asked (which would be roughly half of the users who seem to be able to publish an article) will give me the run down.
I don't believe that this is the way that this should be handled. I get that you, as well as anyone else involved in the process has a life outside of TO, but I'm getting rather tired of being baited with the "I cant, I'm too busy" line.
I want to see a step by step process on how to get things verified; how to acquire one's "number", whatever that means; and how to put up a piece of content on this website. At the very least, I would like to see that one or so person(s) is designated as the go-to guy for this sort of thing so that I don't have to wait for the rest of the site to be moderated by a guy that seems to have too much on his plate. This thing doesn't need to be open to every user, it can be reserved to upgraded users, people in the top 100, or even people who pass a literacy test to get another checkmark on their profile. I just want to see that more people have access to producing content. It will only make this site better.
If this is asking for too much, I appoligize, and I don't mean to come off as demanding, but I've been trying to get this process going for myself for at least two months now with zero results, and seeing that other people may be having the same issues as myself has made me realise that this might be a bigger issue than I had thought.
Thanks to anyone, if anyone, who actually goes through on something like this.
July 14, 2014 10:22 p.m.
Epochalyptik says... #5
@ThatBlueMage: While I understand that it's frustrating, especially for someone who wants to contribute to the site, the majority of site functions fall to one or more of three people: me, yeaGO, and KrazyCaley.
Articles are typically the domain of Caley & Co., although I sometimes handle them. I normally handle the community management. yeaGO does the techy stuff. As you said, we all have lives. There's no formal process because there's no formal system. This isn't quite like MTGS, which has many teams of admins covering its bases at any given time, or like WOTC's forums, which (I assume) have paid in-house community managers.
Although it's definitely not ideal, these kinds of things are currently handled on a "when we have time, if we have time, whoever has time" basis. If you need advice or help urgently, nag me until I get to it. If I don't respond, it's usually because your post got lost in the flood of updates I get hourly. Remind me every few hours until I see it. I'm happy to help when I can.
As a side note, I do want to work on building an actual team of admins. I'll move that to the top of the to-do list. I'm sure yeaGO would be receptive to (carefully) improving the flow around here.
July 14, 2014 11:05 p.m.
Dalektable says... #6
The above sentiments are all true. I've written multiple, and it's always as the above stated. When there is time, there is no formal system.
PS. Being an admin would be pretty cool and I would not be against that, haha. Wink wink nudge nudge.
July 14, 2014 11:42 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #7
So now that that question has been answered, what is the informal system? And why does everyone insist on dodging this question?
There doesn't need to be a formal system so long as there is a process, and clearly there is a process because there is a result. Articles and other content don't just appear via witchcraft.
Who can I talk to to learn more about this? How can I talk to them that doesn't involve posting to each other's profile walls with zero links back and forth between the pieces of the conversation? I assume the first answer would be KC, but I have zero ways to reach him because he's never apparently active on this site.
By the end of the night, this thread should pretty much contain everything that I find wrong with this site. aha....
July 15, 2014 12:10 a.m.
Dalektable says... #8
Step One: Get your article idea (series are preferred) by an administrator like Epochalyptik or KrazyCaley
Step Two: Write the article and then email the product (preferably a word doc) to one of the aformentioned people.
Step Three: When they find the time, they'll post it for you.
Step Four: After doing this once you can pretty much skip step one and do step two and onward to your content.
July 15, 2014 12:40 a.m.
Servo_Token says... #9
In a rather frantic search a couple of weeks ago, I was unable to find an email address for either or any of the admins on here. The search was frantic because I was pressed for time at work, and I had written some time sensitive material, so if that's an obvious find, I'll take the fault there. Where is this info located / found?
July 15, 2014 12:47 a.m.
Dalektable says... #10
ThatBlueMage No fault there, I believe KrazyCaley's email used to be on his profile but it seems it is not now. And I don't know Epochalyptik's email, as I always went through Caley and once Matsi883. But Caley's email is [email protected]
July 15, 2014 2:30 a.m.
Dalektable says... #12
I highly recommend going through Matsi883, actually. He was very quick at it and great. PS, are you still on your "Indefinite hiatus" matsi?
July 15, 2014 11:25 a.m.
sonicizslow says... #13
ThatBlueMage, I would love to see Epochalyptik get some help with administering these forums. I think the problem is not having enough people with the right skills to help with this. For example, I could probably learn to move threads to the right location, but I most likely would not have the knowledge to also help the thread. Not saying that there aren't people who could take on this position, but they are a select few, and seem to have limited time. Just my two-cents.
July 15, 2014 11:31 a.m.
ducttapedeckbox says... #14
It would be useful to have a page that listed everyone who had any form of administrator access. Everyone knows that Epoch and Caley can do everything, but they are human and have lives away from T/O. There are at least a half dozen other users (myself included) who somewhat have the ability to post articles. Some can post their own articles, but can also post others if they have posted before.
That said, I think we need another high-level administrator. Don't get me wrong Epochalyptik and KrazyCaley, you guys are amazing at what you do for the site, but as I mentioned above, you're only two people and only have so much time to devote to the site. With our growing functionality and user base, our admin structure needs to expand accordingly.
July 15, 2014 4:54 p.m.
@Dalektable: Kind of. I'm going away for three weeks on Monday, and between now and then, I'm trying to mostly be in the shadows (and failing).
@ducttapedeckbox: I'm pretty sure that squire1 is the other Epochalyptik on the site, but he's left us.
July 15, 2014 6:02 p.m.
OcelotProblems says... #16
In the meantime - perhaps post your article(s) as a forum post? The syntax should transfer over just fine, you just wouldn't have "front-page" type of coverage. If you have good content - people will notice and start following. If you manage to do a short series that gets great feedback then I'm sure switching over to articles would be a smooth transition. As a matter of fact, the forums is the first place I'd start if I were aspiring to be a columnist - just to get feedback on my content, writing style, design, etc.
Also, the forums are probably quicker and easier to moderate for the admins, in case you do one of those things that has gone wrong before that I hope to hear an entertaining story about someday. I do love a good story.
July 16, 2014 11:39 a.m.
Dalektable says... #17
That's true, I started by writing my first one in the forums.
July 16, 2014 12:30 p.m.
KrazyCaley says... #18
@ducttapedeckbox I tend to agree. After DDD is done I'm going to try to make myself a clearinghouse for content again, though!
Osang says... #2
You have to pitch whatever you wanna write to either KrazyCaley or Epochalyptik, I believe.
July 14, 2014 8:51 p.m.