Board Rules

[iago]

This board is specifically, only for on-topic discussion of craft of writing.  Please do your best to stay on-topic.  Moderators will take action with folks who routinely fail to stay on topic.  If you want to discuss something off-topic, take it over to the McAnally's (Anything Goes!) board.

[iago]

This board allows spoilers about anything relevant to writing craft.  This means that anyone reading this board reads it at their own peril.

All the same, when posting spoilers to this board, please make sure that your subject line makes it clear what you're talking about, and the fact that it contains spoilers.

[Mickey Finn]

Added April 6, 2007:
We now have a spoiler tag; use it whenever you're posting something with a small amount of spoiler content on a non-spoiler board, or if you're posting an "off-topic spoiler" for a particular spoiler board (for example, if you talk book spoilers on the TV show spoiler board, the book stuff should be inside a spoiler tag).

Spoiler tags when used properly will look like this:

(click to show/hide)

Oh my goodness!  Something spoilerish!

It may also be a good idea to state what the spoiler is from, so the audience knows whether they can proceed or not.

To activate the code, use the radiation symbol in the posting toolbar, or use the tags SPOILER & /SPOILER inside square brackets [].

Please make sure to "preview" your posts and make sure that the spoiler tag is working correctly.  It breaks down to this:
ON-TOPIC SPOILERS ON A SPOILER BOARD: Do not need the tag.

OFF-TOPIC SPOILERS ON A SPOILER BOARD (e.g., book spoilers in a TV spoiler forum): Need the tag.

IN-LINE SPOILERS IN A NON-SPOILER THREAD: Need the tag. Note: This supercedes the “No Spoilers at all” rule…if it’s in the tag, you’re ok. But it has to remain in the tag.

[Mickey Finn]

We understand that the type of folks that would come to an author's board are going to be of a creative nature.
However, for everyone's safety, there's a rule about no story ideas.
The reason is simple: If Jim happens to see something he was planning to do on these boards, he can no longer do it, because he can't prove he didn't get the idea from the poster.*
This also extends to story ideas outside of what Jim normally writes, as not only could certain elements be lifted from on genre to another, but after Alera, Jim will be turning to a new series, and we don't know the genre as yet.

Besides, it's dangerous for you, the a uthor, to post your ideas in a public forum where others to could steal them. Remember, more people come in here than posters....


*This does not extend to logical outcomes of situations already published, or no one could discuss the books

[The Deposed King]

Quote: However, for everyone's safety, there's a rule about no story ideas.
The reason is simple: If Jim happens to see something he was planning to do on these boards, he can no longer do it, because he can't prove he didn't get the idea from the poster.*
This also extends to story ideas outside of what Jim normally writes, as not only could certain elements be lifted from on genre to another, but after Alera, Jim will be turning to a new series, and we don't know the genre as yet.

Besides, it's dangerous for you, the author, to post your ideas in a public forum where others to could steal them. Remember, more people come in here than posters.... (Quote)

I have to say that IMO this rule is why Author Craft is dead as a doornail and has been for years.  Is there any way we can have some kind of disclaimer that lets us actually talk about story ideas and get some feedback?

Maybe a thread that literally says.  "I have a story Idea. I don't mind is someone else steals/uses it and I agree if someone else does use it that I will not be reimbursed. -this is not an agreement to let them publish in my own story universe-

The Deposed King