Young Writers Society

Firstly, keep in mind that this may or may not happen. I'm posting this here right now to gauge opinion.

Anyhow, as many have probably noticed, the storybooks area has become very popular. As a result, there are a lot of storybooks being made. Some of these don't really contribute a lot.

So after Griffinkeeper discussed some ideas it and then after the JMs and mods discussed it further, a few possible solutions came up. One of these is to set up a storybook approval system.

Under the system, a storybook would have to be approved before you could add to it. That's really about it...

Everything on your end would remain the same. Just when you go to the post the new storybook topic (topic not post!), it's not immediately viewable. Instead, a moderator will first have to approve it.

If you agree or disagree, let your voice be heard! Also, if you have an idea as to what the general qualifications should be for a brand smackin' new storybook, offer them up.

I'm for it. If you need someone to help define the minimum qualifications for a storybook, let me know and I'll see what I can whip up.

Clearly defined rules, setting, and character requisites come to mind.

I'm for it. I'm fairly new, but some of the storybooks are a bit...lacking in plot. Or actual idea. Or anything.

But they're still great.

I'm new but I'm all for it for my own reasons. Just saying.=\

I'm really new but I'm all for it. I hope this don't offend anybody. =|

Hunter wrote:Clearly defined rules, setting, and character requisites come to mind.

Also make sure that it isn't a redundant storybook. In other words, that the new storybook isn't a repeat (or close to it) of an open and active storybook.

I don't join storybooks, but I occasionally check them out. I think an approval system is a good idea.

Sounds good, but I reckon that if they are there, if gives people the oppurtunity to contribute, but they don't have to. My only concern is that if say they are declined because there already x number of fantasy storybooks out there, I would find it hard because I wouldn't be able to follow the other one's. Like for example Autumn's Beginning - around 110 pages long, I would find it hard to pick up from it, and feel left out as opposed to starting a new one from the start.

But hey! That's nothing much, sounds good aside from that.

-Mark

I'm not sure that I agree... Personally, I find that storybooks are a great help for story writing. I hadn't written a whole story in years until I started posting in dead storybook threads on TYWC. Now I'm writing stories regularly and have done a first draft of a novel. It's a great way to learn from other writers as some things must be learned subconciously from example. I don't think it matters whether stories "contribute a lot", everyone needs somewhere to learn and if something similar has been done before, I don't think it matters much as it's really just for practise and fun anyway-naturally are standards, but I don't think storybooks should have to be approoved.

However, maybe you could set up another storybook thread where they must be aprooved, alongside our current thread. The new one could be screened and geared towards peopel who are very serious about storybook writing. I think here the qualifications should be;
1) Minimum length of three decent sized paragraphs.
2)No posting more than three times a day, and there must be two posts by other people before your own.
3)People should only sign up if genuinely commited, and if they really must leave, they should inform the rest of the group.

Then of course the usual guidelines, like no godding and always use proper spelling and punctuation to the best of your abilities would be added.

I'm not sure what you mean, really, by "contribute a lot" so I'll have to guess. I'd interpret this as stories the likes of which already exist. I don't think this really matters, as some such storybooks are dead, and others may be eight or more pages long when someone who is interested discovers them, and naturally it's very hard to join a storybook which is already well on its way. Also, I don't think storybooks should have to be hugely original or ground breaking or literary (of course, it would be nice if they were!), as I see them more as a learning aid.

In short, I disagree.

Jasmine ->> I think you misunderstood it. This wouldn't be an approval system for posts inside a storybook, but instead for entirely new storybooks (i.e., topics). When you contribute, it'll be the same. But if want to start a new one, it'll have to be approved first. It's similar to how it was at TYWC; so many storybooks were being submitted there that eventually David (the admin) just told us to only approve those that had a point.

Valid points all around, Jasmine.

What if we were to have one of the requisites for each storbook be "Level of Skill" so to speak? For example, if you wanted to write a storybook with very high literary value, you might lable it "Intermediate" or "Expert," etc. Or, if you wanted to make a storybook that purely experimental, or one that is merely focused on improving skills in writing, you might label it "Beginner" or "Practice."

Not exactly related to the approval system, but it popped into my head as I was responding.

In my opinion, however, we have enough mods around that it won't take any time at all to get these storybooks approved, so long as they meet the very basic requirements that the moderators would set.

Bottom Line, in my opinion: It's worth a try.

I definately agree. A lot of new ones have no plot or quidelines, and they become dead in an instant. Also, we just had two new ones start about the end of the world, within a week of each other. Also, many have incorrect grammar and spelling, which shows that they're not serious enough about it to run it through the spell-checker. It's a little ridiculous.

As long as the mod's didn't disapprove because they don't like the idea (which I doubt will happen,) I'm all for it.

~JFW1415

I think it's a very good idea. I've always been around the storybooks and I see that people, especially newbies who haven't been on the wagon as long as most of us have, make multiple storybooks that are literally, exactly the same. They usually die. This system would clean out the countless copies. I'm in.

~Lupe

Thanks for clearing that up, Nate. I'm still not entirely sure that I agree, though.*wink*

I agree. The storybook section has always been one of my favorites, and a lot of the newer storybooks are very....well, to put it simply, they aren't anything. They have no plots, and last about a week, at the most. I find it irritating, almost like spamming.

Great idea!

What if we were to have one of the requisites for each storbook be "Level of Skill" so to speak? For example, if you wanted to write a storybook with very high literary value, you might lable it "Intermediate" or "Expert," etc. Or, if you wanted to make a storybook that purely experimental, or one that is merely focused on improving skills in writing, you might label it "Beginner" or "Practice."

I don't participate in the storybooks, but quite honestly, Dono, most members don't quite realize the difference in quality. Having a rating system like this one would only breed elitism--and really, that doesn't seem to fit with what I've heard members call a "relaxed place to practice writing". Better writers tend to seek out better concepts, and so this would only be done on its own naturally. As for beginning writers? Let them do as they like, without shame or pretension.