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Moderators : romeomikegolf bionic4ever kyleisalive ozfei Pagiedamon gtho4 sue943 Terry
Topic: 'Adventures in Authoring' - Pre-Launch
This thread has been closed to new replies by moderator kyleisalive.


Posted by: kyleisalive

Subject: 'Adventures in Authoring' - Pre-Launch
Date: Aug 15 12

Obviously I don't hide my upcoming events too well; as the Sprint started coming to a close I definitely made it clear that I was already planning 'THE NEXT BIG THING' (though to be fair, another 'next big thing' is coming along faster than mine, and in a more epic proportion, and Terry's Daily Challenges will be pretty big, IMO). In fact, I was dropping a bunch of nondescript hints along the way (along the lines of YOU'LL ALL LOVE THIS).

You know. The type that could really frustrate people. Because I'm like that.

This thread here won't be much different; I can't reveal a big master plan before it's out of the gates (unless there was a sign-up...which there's not) and I couldn't really give specifics without regretting it. ;)


What I will say are the obvious things:
  • I've already said that timed submissions will not be the focus this time around. You will not need to race against the clock. The last two were like that and we got some great quizzes out of them, but a break is needed. You should be able to approach this new 'thing' however you want-- fast or slow-- though there will be incentive.
  • Incentive will likely be badges of some sort, which is cool.
  • The 'Project Q' I allude to in the title is not the final name. Q is short for 'Quiz'. What I'm doing is making something for authors. The goal is to make something for new authors to jump onto the scene with, and something that will still be a challenge for our veterans...I assure you it will be.
  • 'Project Q' will come in three parts, if that makes any sense. How the three parts synergize will be interesting and may cause a lot of (a) quizzes to be written, (b) chocolate-cravings and twitching, and (c) badge tarts to be both eager and tense.
  • 'Project Q' will be, in a sense, an adventure in quiz-writing.


    THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. NO MORE! :D


    What I need from all of you is suggestions. What I'd like to hear from old authors, new authors, and non-authors is ways to encourage authorship in new members, ways to make things challenging for older authors, things you like about quizzes (challenges, for instance) and things you don't. I also want to know some of your favourite quizzes, or even a couple quizzes here and there that fit really well together. How about some great author mash-ups and synergies? How about team quizzes and the like?
    What do you want to see more of in new quizzes?


    While I may not use all of the suggestions, I will read every response and tweak the 'NEXT BIG THING' accordingly. Hopefully we can launch in time for November and NaNoWriQuiMo (or whichever abbreviation). :p

    And keep watching the skies!



    • Please feel free to leave feedback for the site administrators. We will take all feedback into account as we tweak and add new features.
    The old reply to thread function was removed because it got to the point where people weren't even reading the announcements and assuming, by default, that they were somehow being wronged or forgotten or insulted or abused or cheated out of something in some manner.


    324 replies. On page 10 of 17 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
    Christinap

    		tigasrule - welcome to the Lounge. Give it a go, the first one is the worst, after that you end up addicted like the rest of us here. Some advice I was given, do your first quiz on something you either know well or are very interested in, keep the questions simple and straightforward. The devil is in the detail, don't forget questions marks, full stops and other punctuation (easy to get carried away in the swing of the writing) and proof read carefully before submission. Don't take it personally if it comes back with corrections, look on them as a learning curve - if in doubt ask the editor, they will always help clarify anything.

    Reply #181. Oct 04 12, 11:42 AM

    pollucci19

    		good to see you tiga

    Reply #182. Oct 04 12, 3:54 PM

    Aussiedrongo

    		My first contribution to this thread is in response to the question of favourite categories to write for, not for their ease but for what you learn whilst you write. I'll begin by unashamedly declaring myself as a Romaphile and have scores of books relating to many aspects, topics and periods of this fascinating era of history. To date I've written two quizzes in the Ancient Rome sub-category and a third is my current project, and whilst reading and researching I'm still discovering things that were not known to me; Rome was a whole lot more than the Hollywood depiction of mad Emperors and Gladiators. For me the beauty of this is that it leads to new ideas for quizzes on this subject and sets me off on a quest for enough related info for the ten question minimum. So be warned people, I will be quizzing you on Rome until I'm either banned from that category or you start sending me nasty feedback.

    While I'm here, I think it was this thread that brought up the subject of easier access to the Author Lounge. I can't remember who raised it but I agree 100%. When I first stumbled upon FT and played those introductory mini badge quizzes, a lot of them mentioned this mysterious lounge and challenges and commissions. I thought it must have been some sort of Masonic Lodge as I couldn't find any link to it. Would it be possible for any quizzes written for lounge activities, and that have such stated in their conclusions, to have a link to the lounge included in that conclusion which can be put their by a simple click of a button by the editor? This way any person who has just played a lounge quiz can click on the link and be automatically directed here if they so wish.

    Reply #183. Oct 04 12, 6:09 PM

    zorba_scank Nice to see you here, tigasrule!

    Reply #184. Oct 04 12, 8:20 PM

    kyleisalive

    		Tigasrule-- my goal for the first part of Project Q is to make both a learning tool for first-timers and a way to hone skills for regular authors. Each step of the way, you'll be given some tips and tricks, you'll learn the guidelines, and you'll be shown the parts of the site you should be looking at when you start a brand new quiz.

    Of course, the further you go, the less guidance there will be. It's still, in the long run, a challenge, but it's also a learning tool.

    We're all here to help. :)

    Reply #185. Oct 04 12, 8:35 PM

    kaddarsgirl

    		My favorite category to write is Humanities. I also enjoy writing in Sci/Tech.

    Reply #186. Oct 04 12, 11:57 PM

    Daaanieeel

    		Welcome tigasrule, hope you have fun quiz writing. :)

    Reply #187. Oct 05 12, 2:01 AM

    dcpddc478

    		Welcome to our madhouse tigasrule!...It is always nice to meet new victims...ahem....I mean comrades in our quiz writing pursuits:)

    Reply #188. Oct 05 12, 5:57 AM

    tigasrule

    		Thank you all for the welcome! :)
    But I won't do anything so drastic as to start a quiz, just now - I'm waiting for this Project Q to start! Call it superstition, but I have been quite frustrated with my attempts at quiz-writing in the past; even when my team worked on a team quiz, I didn't manage to think of a question that would fit my answer.
    Also, I wouldn't dream of claiming anything on the Lounge, yet, because I know I just wouldn't submit anything in the end.

    Reply #189. Oct 05 12, 10:41 AM

    looney_tunes

    		Watching all of us tear our hair out in public can be reassuring - it makes you feel less like the only one in town who can't make their quiz work. The Lounge is a form of group therapy, as well as a source of inspiration. All participants welcome. :D

    Reply #190. Oct 05 12, 4:32 PM

    beergirllaura

    		I panic a second later every time I click on the submit button.

    Reply #191. Oct 05 12, 7:31 PM

    Jakeroo

    		tiga: your opinions are just as valid as anyone else's are. As for writing quizzes (or single questions) just GO FOR IT! You might surprise yourself. I haven't replied to what MY favourite quiz (of mine) is, because I'm not happy with any of them (for several different reasons). But apparently, some people liked them LOL! You never know til you try : ))))

    Reply #192. Oct 07 12, 9:22 AM

    kyleisalive

    		Book November 1st off, authors. Hoping to launch that day to coincide with our annual Quiz-Writing Month. :)

    Reply #193. Oct 09 12, 1:39 AM

    Plodd

    		I already have the time off work :)

    Reply #194. Oct 09 12, 3:33 AM

    looney_tunes

    		You wouldn't like to leave it until the following (4-day in Melbourne) weekend? Oh well, I will catch up eventually.

    Reply #195. Oct 09 12, 3:50 AM

    salami_swami

    		Sweet! The excitement is killing me. I cannot wait. Get my mind off of recent FunTrivia happenings that has gotten me depressed for the day. Now I have something to look forward to.

    Reply #196. Oct 09 12, 8:25 AM

    kyleisalive

    		I want to thank everyone for their input and comments over the past couple of months-- it's helped me construct what I hope will be a fun, new adventure for quiz authors. It should produce a number of new quizzes for everyone to enjoy and give those willing to learn a chance to hone the skills needed to get their first ones (or next ones) online.



    The first part of the game will point you to many of the often-difficult-to-find guideline pages and spell out the requirements and, the further you go and more confident you get, you'll start to play into more specific challenges (during the second part). It will not be a challenge you complete in a day...or a week...and likely not a month. Remember-- it took three months for nearly forty people in teams of two to four to play through our original Amazing Race to write the quizzes-- it takes just over a week to play (at the quickest).

    While there will be badges to be earned, the end goal should not be the blip in your profile-- hopefully 'Project Q' (which still has yet to be named...though I'm thinking 'FunTrivia Secret Agent' is looking good) will bring more people into this fold of the site where you can be both great players *and* great writers, even if you weren't to begin with.


    With the game going live in approximately three weeks, I encourage any authors who haven't yet done so to open a template in any category just to see how it looks, maybe even fill in a few of the blanks. You will need to have the Quiziversity badgelet to begin making *any* quizzes and you *may* need the 'Author Challenge' badgelet as qualification to start the game. This would ensure that you're not diving headlong into it. The choices you make after that will be laid out for you and, in many cases, they're completely up to you.

    If anyone has questions about the game or quizwriting in general, don't hesitate to ask.

    Also, look forward. I will be! I'll also be playing it alongside you all. Woo! ;)

    Reply #197. Oct 10 12, 10:07 PM

    rossian

    		This sounds intriguing. I'm on holiday for ten days from the weekend, so the timing is good for me and may rekindle my quiz writing spark.

    Reply #198. Oct 11 12, 6:42 AM

    Christinap

    		Whilst my spark hasn't exactly gone it is a bit dim lately, so I've deliberately laid off quiz writing to come to Project Q fresh and raring to go.

    Reply #199. Oct 11 12, 7:33 AM

    Daaanieeel

    		I'm looking forward to this. Haven't felt much motivation to write quizzes recently, so hopefully this gives me the kick-start I need. :)

    Reply #200. Oct 11 12, 9:01 AM

    This thread has been closed to new replies.
    324 replies. On page 10 of 17 page(s). 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
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