Monday, May 28, 2012

Happy HASA Site Support News

Please note Ang's Challenges Fundraiser update, it is progressing wonderfully. http://www.henneth-annun.net/index.cfm
We are down to our final 7 days of the Challenge. Authors, consider entering a new work in the challenge by Friday next week. Challenge entries will stay on the home page through Saturday, June 2nd. All of our contributors have maxed their pledge amounts for a total of $325. HASA's Secret Admirer is matching those contributions for an overall Story Pledge Challenge amount of $650. That is more than 4 months of hosting!

Thank you to all the writers and pledges. You still have time to submit more stories and more pledges, and join the fun.

HASA thanks our regular subscribers for your steady and much appreciated anonymous support of the site. You may not be known to the membership and get the public thanks you deserve, but rest assured that your contributions are the foundation that keeps HASA running.

Thanks for enjoying & supporting HASA!

Julie

Sunday, May 20, 2012

HASA How-tos - May 2012


How do I...
..enter a story in a Challenge?
  1. Go to Open Challenges, and find one you would like to enter, for example the May Story Pledge Challenge.
  2. Just below the description of the Challenge, look for the "Enter this Challenge!" box. If you don't see it, check to see if you are logged in.
  3. In the box you will see a drop-down menu with all of your stories that are eligible to be entered in the Challenge, plus a Challenge Placeholder.
  4. Select the story you want to enter or else the placeholder.
  5. Click "Enter".
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:
  1. Be sure you are logged in.
  2. Select "My Challenges" from the Challenges main navigation menu.
  3. On the My Challenges page, locate the challenge and the placeholder.
  4. Click "Edit Entry".
  5. The page will refresh and you will see a drop-down menu with all of your eligible stories.
  6. Select the story you want to have in the Challenge.
  7. Click "Edit".
  8. Your entry is updated.
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 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.

May Story Pledge Challenge

The May Story Pledge Challenge is still open! Come to the Forum and enter the Challenge or pledge an amount to donate.

Don't forget: any story that you  have posted at HASA this month can be entered. All we ask is that you don't post it anywhere else until June. Enter the Challenge and help put HASA in the black.

Have fun writing and reading!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

HASA Reviewed Stories May 2012 – and more!

In this week’s news an overview of the most recent reviewed stories, as well as an update of the Story Pledge Challenge!

Story Pledge Challenge
The Story Pledge Challenge will run until the end of May, and is a challenge for both authors and readers. You can read all about how the Challenge works here.

So far, three stories have been entered in the Challenge, and two authors are working on theirs. Pledges are coming along as well: four people have put up pledges for donations! Come join in the fun, either as an author or a donor, or just to cheer on authors!

Reviews
Since the previous Bulletin, three stories passed through review while there are currently 9 stories waiting for reviewers. Make an author's day and review a story!

As I type this, there are 9 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 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 People of the Stars by Shirebound
Rating: General
Genre: General
Era: 4th Age
Summary: It's not only the Sea that calls to Legolas, and he asks Gimli to accompany him on a very special journey... to a very special place. Book-verse, complete in one chapter.

Pure Morning by curiouswombat
Rating: Adult
Genre: General
Era: 3rd Age - The Stewards
Summary: When Denethor suggests a marriage between Boromir and Éowyn, despite an 'understanding' of why he, like her cousin the heir to The Mark, is still single, she has reasons to agree. MEFA Winner 2010. Somewhere between drama and romance, this contains scenes of male/male and male/female sex.

From the Inside by Adonnen Estenniel
Rating: General
Genre: General
Era: 1st Age
Summary: Lost on the ice, Aredhel begins to doubt herself. An unwelcome conversation with her least-favorite cousin brings fear into perspective.


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

Sunday, May 6, 2012

HASA news - Birthdays, Challenges, Stories

May Birthdays

Is your birthday in May, 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.

The Story Pledge Challenge

Here is a Challenge for authors and readers alike!

For each story posted to this challenge, readers pledge to donate a certain amount of money, up to a total amount the reader determines. Each story written for the challenge will be featured on HASA's home page.

There are already two entries and two pledges. Read all about it here and join the fun. Start writing now, or make a pledge (or even both)!

April 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 April:

--- No Reviewed Stories were published or updated.

--- 27 General Stories were published or updated.

--- 4 Beta Stories were updated.

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

Thank you for reading at HASA. Enjoy!