The 2014 Pledge Challenge will run until the end of January. Join in the fun!
Readers, pledges and authors are all welcome! Write a story (or two), comment, or perhaps you've some spare change and are willing to pledge a small amount per story.
Read about the Challenge in more detail here.
Hobbit Story Pledge Challenge
The Hobbit Story Pledge Challenge is almost midway, so there is still plenty of time to make a pledge or read the entries so far. Come and join us in the forum. You can find the rules for the Challenge and enter a story here.
Reviewed Stories January 2013
Since the previous Bulletin, 2 stories passed through review while there are currently 10 stories waiting for reviewers. Make an author's day and review a story!
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 be, 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!
The Celeblas by Archeress
Rating: General
Genre: General
Era: 3rd Age - Post-Ring War
Summary: Two people, One meeting, leads to finding… an heir hidden away.
In need of a wife by Linda Hoyland
Rating: General
Genre: Romance
Era: 3rd Age – The Steward
Summary: Aragorn walks beneath the Birches.
Make an author's day, review a story or post a comment.
January Birthdays
Is your birthday in January, 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.
Challenges
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?
Story Pledge Challenge
The Story Pledge Challenge is live!
A reminder of how the Pledge Challenge works:
Authors write original works, enter them in the Challenge, and promise to not post the stories anywhere except HASA for the month of January. For each story entered, readers pledge to donate a certain dollar amount, anything from $1 per story to however generous they are feeling, to HASA at the end of January. They can put a cap on the total donations they will give so they don't break the bank.
If you'd like to give a total of $100, you can say "However many stories there are, I will donate $100 and divide that amount evenly," or "I'll give $1/$5/$10/etc. per story, up to a maximum of $100."
--(Correction)
These are the rules for pledging:
--
The Story Pledge Challenge in the Forums:
The Nuzgûl of the Month!
The January Nuzgûl: write something for the Story Pledge Challenge!
December Stories
All 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 December:
--- 1 Reviewed Story was published or updated.
--- 27 General Stories were published or updated.
--- 1 Beta Story was updated.
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view beta stories.)
Thank you for reading at HASA. Enjoy!
How do I...
..enter a story in a Challenge?
You are now entered in a Challenge!
If you have entered a Challenge and have a Placeholder that you want to replace with a real story, this is what to do:
A story may be entered in as many Challenges as are appropriate for it. It may only be entered once in a particular Challenge.
Challenge stories can also be entered for review. In that case all references to the Challenge should be removed before submission as reviewers are asked to judge the story on its own. Authors should bear in mind that some entries which are excellent in the context of a Challenge may not strike readers as a complete story when disassociated from that Challenge.
When your Challenge story is submitted for review, it will temporarily disappear from the Challenge listing until it has received the requisite nine decisions from the reviewers. After the review is complete, you will need to reset the status on the story so it will reappear in the Challenge.
Story Pledge Challenge
Keen an eye out for the Story Pledge Challenge in January…
Have fun writing and reading!
HASA news - Birthdays, Challenges, Stories
December birthdays and links to the stories written or updated in November
December Birthdays
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.
Challenges
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?
Story Pledge Challenge
In January we will run another Story Pledge Challenge as a site fundraiser. No details on the theme for now, except that the Challenge will focus on The Hobbit.
A reminder of how the Pledge Challenge works:
Authors write original works, enter them in the Challenge, and promise to not post the stories anywhere except HASA for the month of January. For each story entered, readers pledge to donate a certain dollar amount, anything from $1 per story to however generous they are feeling, to HASA at the end of January. They can put a cap on the total donations they will give so they don't break the bank.
If you'd like to give a total of $100, you can say "However many stories there are, I will donate $100 and divide that amount evenly," or you can say, "I'll give $1/$5/$10/etc. per story, up to a maximum of $100."
You can even put in very specific pledges, for instance, you can say you'll donate $10 for each story that focuses on Bombur, or very general ones such as giving $100 if there are 10 or more entries in the challenge, or something like that.
We will post more information about the Challenge in the next few weeks. Watch this space... (and the forums...)
The Nuzgûl of the Month!
The December Nuzgûl, Rivendell: Hidden Valley or Bulwark Against Orcs? 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 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:
--- 1 Reviewed Story was published or updated.
--- 26 General Stories were published or updated.
--- No Beta Stories were updated.
(Please note, you need to be logged in to view beta stories.)
Thank you for reading at HASA. Enjoy!
This month's HASA How-to takes a closer look at the Challenges section at HASA.
How do I...
... use Challenges? (pt. 2)
In this How-to you will learn how to create and enter a Challenge.
Challenges are ideas for fics that people have presented to the group at large. Any HASA member can create a Challenge. This prospective Challenge must get a minimum of three people who say they will try to write a story for it. These are called 'pledges.' If at least three pledges are obtained, then the idea becomes a Challenge.
How to create a Challenge
Start by registering the Challenge:
You are now entered in a Challenge!
If you have entered a Challenge and have a Placeholder that you want to replace with a real story, this is what to do:
A story may be entered in as many Challenges as are appropriate for it. It may only be entered once in a particular Challenge.
Challenge stories may also be entered for review. In that case all references to the Challenge should be removed before submission as reviewers are asked to judge the story on its own. Authors should bear in mind that some entries which are excellent in context of the Challenge may not strike readers as a complete story when disassociated from the Challenge.
When your Challenge story is submitted for review, it will temporarily disappear from the Challenge listing until it has received the requisite nine decisions from the reviewers. After the review is complete, you will need to reset the status on the story so it will reappear in the Challenge.
Have fun!
Check out challenges!
You have through today to write up a birthday present story for one of our December birthday babies. Even if you just have an idea and not a full story ready, you can enter it as a placeholder. If you need a reminder on who had a birthday in December, go to the Event Calendar in About and do a search for December 2009 birthdays. There are currently 35 birthday girls and boys. NOTE: You have to be a logged in to search for other member's birthdays.
We have several people asking for presents, and several stories have already been written. Check out the January 2010 discussion thread for the latest news. There are 35 member birthdays in the calendar, so plenty of members who would love a little recognition of their special day.
HASA has a new kind of challenge - the treasure hunt. All HASA pages now have a little treasure tucked away on them. The treasures are obscure entires in the Research Library, and different treasures appear in different areas of the web site. The challenge is to take the Challenges treasure for a story focus and then use one or more of the other treasures to write a story. See the challenge itself for more detailed instructions.
Who is going to come up with the most interesting combination of treasures?
NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.
Our Challenge forums have been brought out of the cellar and are now easily available for general reading: Challenge Forums. The Story Discussions, Birthday Cards, Prospective Challenges and Writing Mary Sue forums are open to the public for reading (only site members may post) and all the rest are instantly available to members after logging in.
September 22nd - Calanthe would love to read a birthday story, no matter how long or short, about what the fall equinox (which incidentally takes place on Frodo's and Bilbo's birthday) does mean to Frodo and Bilbo personally and/or its importance within Shire culture. I am happy, too, about any story about Frodo or Bilbo star-gazing in their birthday night.
Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum
Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for SEPTEMBER drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.
No new challenge this month so far. Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread, located here. When five people accept, you have created a new Challenge!
HASA Challenges Team
NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.
Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum
July 2 - TariElfLady would like a birthday drabble or ficlet about Legolas, Glorfindel, the twins or any other of the Elves from the First Age on.
July 12 - Marta has become very interested in the politics of Gondor. So I would love a story about any "ruling family" in Gondor's or Dol Amroth's history, where they have to make a decision where there were larger political concerns in addition to what they might have wanted to do. I would love any moment in Gondor's history, starting with the Faithful settling it in the Second Age up through Faramir's and Aragorn's families in the Fourth Age. Though if you write Denethor as an unloving or especially as an abusive father I just may have to release the hounds. I would especially love at least one Kinstrife-era piece if anyone is so inspired to take on that family feud.
July 25 - Vilwarin desires something with Aragorn in a state of emotion. Preferably with Halbarad in their earlier years, but I'm open for others as well. Rating can be anything, and I'd read het as well as slash.
Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter your story in the challenge for JULY drabbles. All birthday stories will also now be listed in a master playlist. Gandalfs apprentice will enter all stories into the playlist, which will be available for public viewing. (There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.) Any questions, contact Gandalfs Apprentice at:
gandalfs_apprentice(at)comcast(dot)net
If you aren't at your usual computer, you can send GA an email through HASA, too.
One for the One Ring to rule them all
Three for the kingdoms in old Arnor (Arthedain, Cardolan, Rhudaur)
HASA Challenges Team
NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.
Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum
June 5 - T'iana Luthien: I just finished reading the Children of Hurin and would like a drabble about a moment between Turin and Finduilas, be sad, happy, whatever. I could also go with some Galadriel/Celeborn or Eowyn/Faramir.
Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This serves the same purpose as the old HAWriters story and lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter this story in the challenge for JUNE birthday drabbles, so we have all of these in one place. (There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.) Any questions, contact Gandalfs Apprentice at:
gandalfs_apprentice(at)comcast(dot)net
If you aren't at your usual computer, you can send GA an email through HASA, too.
No new challenges yet for this month. Make a suggestion about something that interests you or a question to ponder. Encourage five people to want to write a story. You have created a new challenge.
Four for the farthings in the Shire (North, South, East, West)
HASA Challenges Team
NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.
Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum
May 6th - River Otter: I would enjoy stories about Dol Amroth in any age.
May 25 - Dwimordene: Since I've just off-loaded a story completely populated by OCs, minus some passing references to canon characters, I'm the mood to see more OCs. Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is: (1) Write me a drabble that features an OC-canon interaction, or even an entirely OC sidebar snapshot; (2) Go and bug the author of the OC you most enjoy and ask him or her if you can write a drabble featuring their character. Provide a link to their story. Think of it as your pitch to readers to go read that story.
Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This serves the same purpose as the old HAWriters story and lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter this story in the challenge for March birthday drabbles, so we have all of these in one place. (There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.) Any questions, contact Gandalfs Apprentice at:
gandalfs_apprentice(at)comcast(dot)net
If you aren't at your usual computer, you can send GA an email through HASA, too.
One for the hand of Beren
Three rings for the elven kings [Narya [fire], Nenya [water], Vilya [air]]
HASA Challenges Team
This is no April Fool's! Take up a HASA Challenge today!
NOTE: Please be sure you are logged in when clicking on the links.
Post your request at the Birthday Cards Forum
April 4th: RS writes "My daughter just turned 13, and wow, is it a new world for me! I was wondering if anybody is up to writing a drabble about Aragorn and his teenage daughter(s)...how he is able to cope with a bundle of raging hormones and an attitude! I would also like to see an interaction between Arwen and Boromir, or Eomer; Arwen and Gondorion society; or just Arwen and Aragorn."
Also, don't forget to create a story for the birthday card workshop. This serves the same purpose as the old HAWriters story and lets others put drabbles they write in an easily accessible location. Enter this story in the challenge for March birthday drabbles, so we have all of these in one place. (There are instructions on how to do all this at the top of each thread in the Birthday Cards Forum; if you need help just ask the Workshop Manager, Gwynnyd.) Any questions, contact Gandalfs Apprentice at:
gandalfs_apprentice(at)comcast(dot)net
If you aren't at your usual computer, you can send GA an email through HASA, too.
We don't have a new challenge yet for April. Make a suggestion in the prospective Challenges thread. When five people accept, you have created a new Challenge!
HASA Challenges Team
