Thread: The Library

@ Mav: We've already agreed that lower-ranking stories would count less towards possible rewards than higher-ranking ones, silly :P.

As far as listing stories, why not change the titles around? Make the Library the general place where all the stories are kept track of, and have the Archive be the "best of the best" section? Makes more sense to me that way tbh. We can list the stories either a), alphabetically by author, b) alphabetically by story title, or c) by genre. It'd probably be easier to do it as either a or b really.

As for the Archives, like Monbrey said, one of the main reasons that there aren't any stories in the Library already is because the expectations are too high. Yes, we would only want to accept the really exceptional stories, but as it is now even really good stories like Kai's Ingrained (or my Monsters of the Machine, not tooting my own horn but people keep telling me how good it is) have a chance of getting listed. Another main reason is because there was never a group of people put together to actually judge submitted stories, so we'd need to get together some people who wouldn't mind reading over the stories (however long they might be) and decide what's good enough to be listed.

In terms of age, any story (as long as it's been Graded) should have a chance at being entered in both the Archives and Library.

As far as rewards go, I would say no to giving rewards for stories that make it into the Archive; that's an achievement that should be reward enough in itself. Getting x number of stories listed in the Library, though, could net you congratulatory rewards. Kinda like how Mon put it, as a thank-you for such contributions being made.

As far as older stories being put into the Library and counting towards possible rewards, I don't think that's something to worry about. I mean, whether it was done over the past year or will be met within six months, at some point you're going to meet the Goal and get the reward for x number of stories submitted to the Library. Why should it matter if you've already met the Goal (and thus already qualify for, say, 10k)? You'd get it in the future most likely, and really, it seems kinda silly to not say, "Thanks for all the work" for stories submitted in the past.

This coming from someone w/ only 29 stories, so I'd qualify, at the most, for maybe a Medium Mon or Daycare Pass or something lol.

Again:

Library = general list of organized stories
Archive = list of "the best" stories, submitted only after being reviewed by a panel of judges

A few thoughts:

• I would love to get a Library of some sort established.
• We did have a committee. We just had... three stories submitted.
• Removing date limit sounds good.
• If someone/s want/s to volunteer to edit/compile a list similar to Taras's story archives, I'd be happy to incorporate it into the Library as a reward-less Archives section.
• We put any story on the forum. We would put any story in this Library. There's really no difference between a "Library" as you're suggesting and the "forum", other than organizational coherence. So, what this idea basically does is... add work... without changing anything.
• The reward for writing many stories is captured Pokémon.
• Ignore the quality specifications, for a moment. If the Library is ever re-instituted, the rewards system will still circulate around Emblems. They already reward prolific writers--they just limit the rewards to prolific writers who move outside of their comfort zones.
  2 Emblems -> Hard Pokémon
  5 Emblems -> Complex Pokémon
  9 Emblems -> Demanding Pokémon
  14 Emblems -> Merciless Pokémon
  20 Emblems -> Mystery Prize?!?!
  (these prizes would be lowered if the quality specifications were lowered)
• There would be rewards for the "Archives" under your system. Not sure about rewards for general Library; it violates principles of previous goals with the Story Division, so that's a move that'd have to be considered carefully.

Haven't verified these with Kat, so she might disagree on some points.

Originally Posted by Scourge of Nemo

[*]If someone/s want/s to volunteer to edit/compile a list similar to Taras's story archives, I'd be happy to incorporate it into the Library as a reward-less Archives section.[*]We put any story on the forum. We would put any story in this Library. There's really no difference between a "Library" as you're suggesting and the "forum", other than organizational coherence. So, what this idea basically does is... add work... without changing anything.

Memememeememe...

...'s the kind of useless, utterly pointless, mindless kind of work that I've been missing as of late. If you like, I could add this to the Story List I have running... I just binged through 4 pages of BMG stuff and the night is still young. But god help me on PE2K... anywho, I wouldn't mind doing it, if I can? ^.^

We can still use the library as a source of inspiration while also including a wider variety of stories. Adjusting the criteria a little bit so good stories can be accepted, but the great stories will be prominent might be a solution. Something to consider though:

There was never a clear guideline for what is considered "the best" (at least I don't remember one xD). It's a vague and subjective term and the more it is used, the vaguer it becomes. It can lead to type of thinking where the "best" becomes unreachable.

So perhaps a basic criteria should be established? Such as "Sentence structure is varied and interesting; thought provoking themes; unique style (like Taras's story, The Box); smooth idea development; ect. It gives people something to aim for and the reviewers something to go by.

If we define "the best," it will be "a unique idea that is written with enough coherence to show off its value" or "an old idea pulled off in a new way."

Also, Kai, hunt down Taras's old list and start from there?

Originally Posted by Kai-Mei

Memememeememe...

...'s the kind of useless, utterly pointless, mindless kind of work that I've been missing as of late. If you like, I could add this to the Story List I have running... I just binged through 4 pages of BMG stuff and the night is still young. But god help me on PE2K... anywho, I wouldn't mind doing it, if I can? ^.^

I'd be happy to help you, Kai.
Just send me a VM on where you want me to start. (:

The reason the old committee got zilch work done aside from those 3 submissions is the inability to submit pre-library work. Heck, I would've submitted my whole body of work if possible, but that didn't fly.

Also, I suggest rewards be only placed on stories worth being in the library. As in some books are in real life libraries there for no other reasons that they are called books and read by unsatisfied housewives and other books are there cause they are bourne from supremacy and Ludlum or Clancy in general. Basically give the rewards to whatever holds a candle to a decent literary standard. That said, that one Magikarp story with the fork is obviously a literary masterwork. All the other Magikarp stories aren't, ergo you don't have to worry about abuse.

Just my 2 cents.

Originally Posted by DU.ke

The reason the old committee got zilch work done aside from those 3 submissions is the inability to submit pre-library work. Heck, I would've submitted my whole body of work if possible, but that didn't fly.

Also, I suggest rewards be only placed on stories worth being in the library. As in some books are in real life libraries there for no other reasons that they are called books and read by unsatisfied housewives and other books are there cause they are bourne from supremacy and Ludlum or Clancy in general. Basically give the rewards to whatever holds a candle to a decent literary standard. That said, that one Magikarp story with the fork is obviously a literary masterwork. All the other Magikarp stories aren't, ergo you don't have to worry about abuse.

Just my 2 cents.

So like a person would have to have a few library submissions in order to receive a prize? Doesn't that mean they would have to write a story of amazing proportions?

Some people write good stories all the time, and others have gems mixed it with a lot of coal. So prizes would get better the more you have, but they aren't meant to be gotten so easily. So one story getting a free cheap TM is a decent reward in and of itself. However, an awesome mon with TMs is an epic reward and should only be handed to stories of equal class.