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I was thinking of writing a story for this site, which would be my first ever online for any type of site whatsoever. I have only used the most basic html before, such as italics blah blah blah, and do not know how to format an entire story, even in the most basic form. I looked on the Add a Story page and noticed "< a n g l e s >" (italics?) didn't work and that you had to use > and <, and then "< ! - - break - - >" after your teaser...
In short, I'm lost. Should I take the time to learn an html editor and use that, or are there some simple tricks for a basic story that I might use?
well...
Besides the break after your title and teaser, the entire rest of your story can be plaintext for all the site cares. Unless you want to use a different font or font size, or actually feel like your story NEEDS to have italics, and bolding and all that. Me? Most of my work is done with the only bit of HTML being the break tag, which is easy to put in -- all you gotta do is use the little formatting button at the top of the box with the A and B separated by a dotted line, and BLAMMO! You're set!
Melanie E.
Thanks...
but I Do use italics in my writing. That is really all I should need to begin with. Can I use the usual html commands for those ( "< i >" and "< / i >" )?
SuZie
All you need...
The little mini-editor buttons at the top of the story box will do most of what you can be done with the limited HTML allowed here.
Highlight the text you want to apply an effect to or put the cursor where you want something inserted and use the right button.
B is bold, I is italic, U is underline, C is center, Q is blockquote, H is headline font, Y is byline font, _ is insert a blank space as a space holder, n is note font, > is use an actual greater-than sign, < is use an actual less-than sign, L is make type larger, s is make type smaller.
The next two buttons are ordered list and unordered list. After that is button to insert the code to call an offsite image to appear, then for the code to insert a link. The eyeball lets you see what everything will look like.
The A/B button inserts the break to mark the end of the teaser and the question mark brings up a help screen.
If you ask, I can turn on a different editor for you, one that is similar to MS-Word but has some quirks that frankly, drive me crazy. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Excellent!
If I can use those for stories I will be fine.
SuZie
pah
I'm an html illiterate and yet I have managed to fancy up a little my recent stories. A nice font here and there some spacing and centreing. Nice little buttons there do most of it and it is pretty simple, Puddintane did a nice explanation about all those in a blog comment yesterday. But you can as said just do basic text and most likely a nice site fairy will come in and pretty it up a bit for you, especially as you've blogged it, so do not fear. Hey I figured the instant I touched an html whatsis I'd blow up the site and probably cause all manner of mayhem globally. But the site is still here and my stories look like I intended and no one has been harmed as far as I know, unless by the writing itself. Use the preview a lot and when you're sure it looks right hit that post button. Just do it as someone said somewhere.
Kristina
>> Puddintane did a nice explanation...
Here's the blog. It's essentially Erin's comment expanded a bit. As I note in the post, the question mark at the far right of the button bar also supplies directions.
http://www.bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog/15538/fictioneer
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Remember: Type it in locally
Remember to always create a text file of the story in "locally", in your own computer, using any simple text editor. Some use note pad or MS Word, I use Emacs.
Then go to BCTS and copy and paste the story into the BCTS story submission editor. That way you have a local backup of the type-in in case of trouble posting and editing on BCTS.
After you have the story pasted in its entirety it should be rather quick work to pretty it up as needed.
Note: I have never posted a story here; I'm just supplying prudent advice. If I'm wrong, tell me.
- Moni
>> Remember to always create a text file of the story
Excellent advice. There are many things that can go wrong when editing online, and it's disappointing (to say the least) to see the text you've just worked so hard on disappear into the aether.
Even when using the buttons to "touch up" the story you've pasted as raw text, it pays to select all and copy to a text file from time to time, just in case.
There are many free text editors available, many with special help for html files.
HTMLKit is a particularly good one for Windows environments:
http://www.htmlkit.com/
It uses buttons which are quite similar to the ones at the top of the BC edit window, although there are more of them.
Taco is a similar product for the Mac environment, although there are many more.
I use a professional programmer's editor for the Mac called BBEdit, or a similar professional product for Windows called Visual SlickEdit, but both are overkill for the casual user, and they aren't cheap to buy.
Cheers,
Puddin'
-
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Code vs Story
I write code in BBEdit but I usually use Scrivener, Pages, Google Docs or Word for writing stories, depending on what is going to be done with the story. I do often edit stories in BBEdit because there is nothing much better for using quick macros.
I have about fifteen other text editors for various purposes. :) Most of them are seldom used. One is only used to unsmart quotes in stories sent to me saved in .doc but intended for BCTS. That particular editor, TexEDIT, has the smartest unsmart macro around. :)
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
HTML formatting
2 years ago I bought a program to change RTF, Text, and PDFs, into web style HTML. You want it posted or changed (you come to me)
Okay I borrow the jest of that line from "The Road Warrior," but it works!!!
If you or anyone else needs help in converting it to HTML then PM me,
I do it for SaraUK and others too...:)
HUGGELS
ChrisW
Do What I Do
I'm hopeless. I need a computer I can talk to and tell it what I want, and I don't just mean swearing at it. I do that all the time, but it's like saying prayers. Nobody answers.
So I do what any girl with a flat tyre does. I stand there looking weak and helpless until somebody nice comes along and helps me. Fortunately, on BC there are a lot of nice people who just look and see you're in trouble, so, Hey Presto! All of a sudden your title block looks much nicer and more attractive (which I'm sure attracts more readers).
Having said that, I've hard-copied all these useful hints and I SWEAR I will try them,
Joanne