Sunday, November 17, 2013

HASA How-to

How do I...

... use Challenges? (pt. 2)

In this How-to you will learn how to create and enter a Challenge.

What is 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:

  1. In the Prospective Challenges forum, create a new topic to discuss your challenge idea. Use the forum to create interest and identify those who are willing to write in response to your challenge. If you can find enough people to agree to write for your challenge, e-mail the Challenge Manager with the text of the Challenge, its duration, and request that it be posted in HASA's Challenge section.
  2. Once the Challenge is accepted, the Challenges Manager will enter the Challenge into the database and keep a check on its progress. The originator of the Challenge may upon occasion be asked to clarify his or her prompt or some aspect of the prompt.
  3. Challenges that fail to acquire the three-response minimum by the closing date will be moved to the Nuzgûl Hutch for others to freely use.
  4. If you would like your idea to go directly to the Hutch, there is a The Hutch: Home of the HASA Nuzgûl forum in which you may put it. The Challenges Manager will enter it into the database as soon as possible.

How to enter a Challenge

  1. Go to Open Challenges, and find one you would like to enter. There are a variety of Challenges available to offer the widest participation for authors of all tastes, talents, and experience level.
  2. Once you have found the Challenge you are interested in, read the description and check the requirements: closing date, and in some cases, word limit. Even if the Challenge is closed, remember that you may still write for it as a Nuzgûl or Oliphaunt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Select the story you want to enter or else the placeholder.
  6. 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.

Have fun!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

HASA news - birthdays, challenges, stories

November Birthdays

Is your birthday in November, 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 some previous ones.

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?

The Nuzgûl of the Month!

The all-new November Nuzgûl, from Aruthir, celebrating life – October was the month one commemorated the dead, so let November be a month that celebrates life. Mothers, wives, sisters, sons, husbands, brothers... is it not written that a single spark brings an end to a millennium of darkness, after all?

If you have ideas for later Nuzgûlim of the Month, please post to the discussion thread as well. Ideas are always welcome!

October 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 October:

--- 10 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!