Sunday, December 25, 2011

HASA news - Challenges

Birthday Challenges

There is another few days to go in the December Birthday Challenge, so there's still time to write or request a drabble. Meanwhile, keep an eye out for the January Birthday Challenge!

Not sure what the birthday cards are about? Have a look at the stories already written this year.

Prospective Challenges, Oliphaunts and Nuzgûl

Challenges are born from Prospective Challenges, and the Prospective Challenges Forum is where you'll find out what other people would like to spring on unsuspecting authors... If you have any ideas you want to share, head over to the Challenges Forum; or be inspired by what is already there and pick up an older idea instead.

Older ideas can also be found in the Oliphaunt Pen and the Nuzgûl Hutch… Why not take on an Oliphaunt or let a Nuzgûl bite you?

Nuzgûl of the Month

Just as Challenges come from Prospective Challenges, Prospective Challenges come from Nuzgûl, and Nuzgûl need attention to grow from tiny ideas into big stories. Step into the Nuzgûl hutch. The bunnies don't bite (much). And who knows what ideas you may come out with?

The Nuzgûl of the Month!

The December Nuzgûl, An Excellent Arrangement, can be found here, and will run until the end of the year; the January 2012 Nuzgûl will be published on January 1.

Come on over to the Nuzgûl of the Month Workshop and join in the fun. If you've written a story for any of the previous months, don't forget to add it to the Playlist!

Thank you for reading at HASA. Have fun!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

HASA News - Reviews

Since the previous Bulletin, 3 stories passed through review while there are currently 10 stories waiting for reviewers. Make an author's day and review a story!

On a 'side-note', we're well over halfway with our December drive to put HASA in the black. A big thank you! to everyone who has donated. You rock!

On to reviews: As I type this, there are 10 stories waiting for your review (remember to log in before you follow the link).

Member participation is crucial for reviews. The more people are involved in reviewing, the more different opinions are represented. Having more people involved also means that stories pass through review more quickly - which is good for everyone. If you are an active reviewer, why not go and check out a story?

Or, if you are a writer, take the plunge and submit a story for review; and when you do, please remember: Put one in, take one out.

By submitting a story for review, you are asking nine other members to read and evaluate it. So why not do for the other authors who have a story in review what you'd like other reviewers to do for you: check out one of the stories already in review and give it a read.

Becoming a reviewer

If you're not an active reviewer, but think you can spare a bit of time... – even if you just review one or two stories in a month, every review is welcome. If you are logged in, you can sign up here if you've been a member of HASA for thirty days or more.

Daunted by the idea of reviewing? Don't worry, reviewing at its simplest comes down to asking yourself: "Would I recommend this story to someone?" Then, whether the answer is 'yes' or 'no', you can make a choice from the capsule reasons to clarify your decision. If you want to, you can add a few more words to convey what you (dis)liked about the story, but just the capsule reason is perfectly fine as well.

And remember: even if you think you're too critical or not critical enough: your review is only one of nine, and all points of view are welcome. Not every reviewer has to review every story and in the end it does all level out to a balanced judgement.

Reviewed story spotlight

These stories have passed through review since the previous bulletin. Congratulations to all authors; well done!

Silmarillion Chemistry by Barazinbar
General
Humor
Era: Other
Summary: The characters of the Silmarillion, according to a chemistry textbook. Featuring Feanor as a dipole-inducing cation, a very polar Curufin, and more!

Tales from the Rangers by Cirjin
Rating: General
Genre: General
Era: 3rd Age - Ring War
Summary: Shadowy figures roam the four Farthings of the Shire, stealing about on errands that cannot be guessed (or even fathomed) by the little locals. What could lurking Big Folk be up to? No good… no doubt, but not until little Robart Nortook stumbles into trouble does the real danger become clear! ...

When Bright Things Fade by Adonnen Estenniel
Rating: General
Genre: General
Era: 4th Age
Summary: After departing from the Golden Wood, Galadriel and Celeborn rest for a time in Imladris, where Celeborn reveals the doom that has laid heavy on his heart for some time, much to Galadriel's discontent.

Make an author's day, review a story or post a comment.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

HASA How-tos - December 2011

How do I...

... find my way in Resources?

This month we continue November's theme of Resources, taking a quick look at a few things in there.

How do I contribute a Research Article?

After you have written your article or essay, be sure you are logged in to the site before you begin.

  1. Double check your story - Is it spell checked? Are all the chapters set to "Published" status and do they all have chapter numbers set to something besides "0"? Is the story set to General or Reviewed status?
  2. Mouse over the Resources button in the main navigation bar and select from the drop-down menu.
  3. On the main Articles & Essays page, look in the side bar for the box . At the bottom of that box you should see a link
  4. Click and go to the add page.
  5. There will be a form with a drop-down list of your stories that have been categorized as either Research Articles or Critical Essays, and with a multi-select box of research topics.
  6. Choose your story and select topics which apply to the work.
  7. Click .

If you have already added stories to Articles & Essays, you will also see them on that page. If you want to change topics for any of them, click the button.

How do I add a link to the URL Library?

  1. Be sure you are logged in - only members can contribute links.
  2. Go to the URL Library in Resources.
  3. Find the "URL Categories" box in the navigation column.
  4. In the box below the form will be a link to add a URL.
  5. In the URL form, fill in:
    • the URL address (be sure to add the http:// part!)
    • the web page name
    • the URL category for the site
    • a brief summary
  6. The summary must be under 250 characters long (this includes blank spaces), and any Adult content should be indicated.
  7. Click on the "Add URL" button.

Your URL will be added in draft status and the Resource Manager will be notified there is a URL waiting for review.

I see an entry that is not accurate


Accuracy is crucial as authors will use the information here in their stories. Entries are spot checked, but errors can creep in, so please help us correct anything inaccurate that you see. To point out a place for correction, email the Resources managers or post in the Resources forum.

Where can I ask about specific subjects in Forums?

Some particular discussions for specific subjects:

  • English Grammar Discussion - the place to check the correct way to say what you want.
  • Geography and Maps – ask those place related questions here.
  • HoME Reference Requests – Members who own the History of Middle-earth series will take requests to find mentions of a character, place, thing or event.
  • Languages in Arda – some of our members who are familiar with Sindarin, Quenya, Adunaic or Old English keep an eye on this one and will respond to requests.
  • Research Questions - the grand-daddy question thread. Any question is fair game, from cooking to legal issues.
  • Writer's aids – anything to do with writing.

These are some of the larger topics, but there are other threads and subjects as well.

There is no discussion for the subject I'm interested in. Should I start one?

Certainly, and starting one is extremely easy to do.

  1. Go to the appropriate discussion.
  2. If you don't see your subject, click 'Post New Topic' to start a topic.
  3. If there is no appropriate discussion, go back up to the Resource Folder, and click 'Add Discussion.'
  4. After the Discussion is created, click 'Post New Topic'.

That's all there is to it.

I want to contribute information to Resources

Great! There are a variety of ways to contribute to the Resources section:

  1. Enter data - Timeline events, Character Bios, Places and Things can always use entries. If you would like to enter data directly, send an email to the Resource Managers and you will be given Researcher access to enter data.
  2. Email data - If you prefer not to enter data directly you may send it in an email to the Resource manager. This will be slower, as the manager will enter it as time permits. Anyone who is interested in contributing a large amount of information should request Researcher access; your contributions will be very welcome.
  3. Write and link a research article or critical essay – see details in the How Tos.
  4. Add a URL link – see details in the How Tos.

If there is any topic you'd like to see in the how-to, please let us know!

Monday, December 5, 2011

Donation update: looking to get back into the black

HASA depends on donations to meet hosting costs. At the time of writing, our account is at -$563, after the December bill.

Please help us finish the year in the black!

We currently have six Monthly subscribers who together donate $40 every month to HASA. We also have two Annual subscribers who together donate $30 per year. Together, these regular donations provide $510 towards hosting every year, and cover 28%, just over 1/4, of HASA's annual bill.

Think of that! It takes just 8 people donating a few dollars every month or every year to cover more than a quarter of the site costs.

HASA is in its tenth year of providing ad-free, fee-free JRRT fanfiction that is owned and operated by the fandom, not corporate interests. Your contact information is not for sale to marketeers. There are no tests to take to join, all genres, characters, ratings and story lengths are welcome, and we get hundreds of readers a day.

Currently, our account is at -$548. If you are one of our regular visitors, please consider setting up a subscription. $5 = one day of hosting. Or, if you cannot commit to a regular donation, give something just in December as a festive gift to all your fellow readers and authors here at HASA. Please see message in the HASA Christmas Cards forum, “Put HASA in the black for Christmas!” Give something just in December as a festive gift to all your fellow readers and authors here at HASA.

http://www.henneth-annun.net/forums/messages.cfm?confID=0&forumID=931&messageID=54423

Economic times are tough, but every little bit helps. If you can't spare money, then please give something just as valuable – your time. There are stories that need reviews, a story comment can really make an author's day, we have forums for discussing any topic and of course you can post your own works for the enjoyment of everyone.

Thanks for enjoying HASA!

Julie

Saturday, December 3, 2011

HASA news - Birthdays, Nuzgûl of the Month, Stories

This week's news features:

December birthdays, the Nuzgûl of the Month and links to the stories written or updated in November.

December Birthday Challenge

Is your birthday in December, and would you like a drabble about your favourite character or topic? You can request it here.

Not sure what the birthday cards are about? Have a look at stories written for previous requests.

Nuzgûl of the Month

Just as Challenges come from Prospective Challenges, Prospective Challenges come from Nuzgûl, and Nuzgûl need attention to grow from tiny ideas into big stories. Step into the Nuzgûl hutch. The bunnies don’t bite (much). And who knows what ideas you may come out with?

The Nuzgûl of the Month!

The December Nuzgûl, An Excellent Arrangement, can be found here, and will run until the end of the month.

Come on over to the Nuzgûl of the Month Workshop and join in the fun. If you’ve written a story for any of the previous months, don’t forget to add it to the Playlist!

November Stories

All of us writers love feedback. It is the lembas and miruvor that sustains us as we write our story, and leaving a few words about a story you read is always a nice thing to do, whether the story is new or old.

Every fifteen minutes HASA highlights a story chosen at random from the Reviewed and General stories in the archive. Read the currently featured story on our front page.

Many talented writers are publishing every day. In November:

--- 3 Reviewed Stories were published or updated.

--- 24 General Stories were published or updated.

--- 2 Beta Stories were updated.

(Please note, you need to be logged in to view beta stories.)

Thank you for reading at HASA. Enjoy!