Sablesword
TMF Master
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2001
- Messages
- 785
- Points
- 18
There are a number of good stories here, or things the look like they'd be good stories if they weren't posted in a single tar-like blob. For the sake of those stories, I have the following advice on posting stories in an improved, easier-to-read format.
So at the risk of causing horrible flashbacks to English classes...
Free Advice on Formatting Stories
1. Mark paragraphs. In printed books and magazines, paragraphs are usually marked by indenting. For on-line reading (like here), it's best to put a blank line between each paragraph.
No matter how short the paragraph is.
Really.
2. When writing dialog, each person speaking gets their own paragraph. If you're writing a paragraph where someone says something and then someone else starts speaking, start a new paragraph.
If it's the same person continuing to speak, you can (and usually should) keep it in the same paragraph:
"We need to secure you here," Joe said, locking the fetter around Sally's left ankle. "And here," Joe locked her left wrist. "And also here," he locked her right wrist. "And finally here." He fastened the final lock on Sally's right ankle and stepped back with a smirk. Sally squirmed, barefoot and vulnerable in her bonds.
But if a second person chimes in, start a new paragraph like this:
"We need to secure you here," Joe said, locking the fetter around Sally's left ankle.
"Oh!" Sally said, shocked by the chill of the metal.
"And here," Joe locked her left wrist.
"Oh!"
"And also here," he locked her right wrist.
"Oh!"
"And finally here." He fastened the final lock on Sally's right ankle and stepped back with a smirk. Sally squirmed, barefoot and vulnerable in her bonds.
(Note that Sally squirming doesn't need a new paragraph. Just when she says something, with quote-marks.)
3. Along with getting paragraphs right, check to be sure that you're not messing up your word-wrapping. If your Favorite Text Editor (e.g. Notepad) is putting line breaks at the end of each line, then you will have problems when you transfer your text to a place with different line lengths. So dig into the menus and guts of your Favorite Text Editor and make sure it isn't doing that.
Also, before you post, use "Preview Post" to make sure there isn't a problem with your paragraphs and line-wrapping.
4. Run your post through a spell-checker before posting. It won't catch everything, and you may need to over-ride it when it fails to recognize a proper name or other unusual word. But it will catch many forehead-slapping stupid mistakes, and that helps a lot.
5. Capitalize properly. Sentences begin with a capital letter. Proper names like 'Joe' and 'Sally' begin with capital letters. The word 'I' is a capital letter. Using Capitalization For Special Emphasis is OK only if you know that you're being "incorrect" and you have a good reason to do it anyway.
[Yes, I know that in some circles it's the style to use lower-case for proper names and 'i' instead of 'I' when it's a sub, slave, or 'lee talking or being referred to. I don't like it, I think it's silly, and I want you to at least know that I don't like it if you insist on using that style anyway. (And the style of using 'Y/your' and the like when posting to a mixed group of masters/slaves, doms/subs, or 'lers/'lees is even uglier and worse. In My Arrogant Opinion.)]
So at the risk of causing horrible flashbacks to English classes...
Free Advice on Formatting Stories
1. Mark paragraphs. In printed books and magazines, paragraphs are usually marked by indenting. For on-line reading (like here), it's best to put a blank line between each paragraph.
No matter how short the paragraph is.
Really.
2. When writing dialog, each person speaking gets their own paragraph. If you're writing a paragraph where someone says something and then someone else starts speaking, start a new paragraph.
If it's the same person continuing to speak, you can (and usually should) keep it in the same paragraph:
"We need to secure you here," Joe said, locking the fetter around Sally's left ankle. "And here," Joe locked her left wrist. "And also here," he locked her right wrist. "And finally here." He fastened the final lock on Sally's right ankle and stepped back with a smirk. Sally squirmed, barefoot and vulnerable in her bonds.
But if a second person chimes in, start a new paragraph like this:
"We need to secure you here," Joe said, locking the fetter around Sally's left ankle.
"Oh!" Sally said, shocked by the chill of the metal.
"And here," Joe locked her left wrist.
"Oh!"
"And also here," he locked her right wrist.
"Oh!"
"And finally here." He fastened the final lock on Sally's right ankle and stepped back with a smirk. Sally squirmed, barefoot and vulnerable in her bonds.
(Note that Sally squirming doesn't need a new paragraph. Just when she says something, with quote-marks.)
3. Along with getting paragraphs right, check to be sure that you're not messing up your word-wrapping. If your Favorite Text Editor (e.g. Notepad) is putting line breaks at the end of each line, then you will have problems when you transfer your text to a place with different line lengths. So dig into the menus and guts of your Favorite Text Editor and make sure it isn't doing that.
Also, before you post, use "Preview Post" to make sure there isn't a problem with your paragraphs and line-wrapping.
4. Run your post through a spell-checker before posting. It won't catch everything, and you may need to over-ride it when it fails to recognize a proper name or other unusual word. But it will catch many forehead-slapping stupid mistakes, and that helps a lot.
5. Capitalize properly. Sentences begin with a capital letter. Proper names like 'Joe' and 'Sally' begin with capital letters. The word 'I' is a capital letter. Using Capitalization For Special Emphasis is OK only if you know that you're being "incorrect" and you have a good reason to do it anyway.
[Yes, I know that in some circles it's the style to use lower-case for proper names and 'i' instead of 'I' when it's a sub, slave, or 'lee talking or being referred to. I don't like it, I think it's silly, and I want you to at least know that I don't like it if you insist on using that style anyway. (And the style of using 'Y/your' and the like when posting to a mixed group of masters/slaves, doms/subs, or 'lers/'lees is even uglier and worse. In My Arrogant Opinion.)]
