9
$\begingroup$

We have now gone through several different discussions about the blog. Finally, it is almost ready to start working on.

I have created the site. You can find it at http://magratheanforges.wordpress.com/. I went with "The Magrathean Forges" as the name since it seemed most easily linked to worldbuilding; any objectors please come forward.

Contributors: the site is ready for you to start your writing. I will need either your Wordpress usernames or an email address to add you as a contributor - either leave them in an answer or ping me in chat. You can also give me anything you want to be added to the About or Contact pages.

$\endgroup$
14
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ ...I seriously need to read that one of these days. $\endgroup$
    – James
    Commented Apr 27, 2015 at 15:34
  • $\begingroup$ @James heh. Yes you do. Might take a little longer than a day though... $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 27, 2015 at 15:50
  • $\begingroup$ @James If you mean the Hitchhikers Guide, yes, its actually one of the few things in literature thats actually vaguely deserving of its cult following, at least in my opinion. Nice to see my suggestion used. Anyways, if you do want to add me, my wordpress handle is the same as it is here on stack exchange: eharper256 $\endgroup$
    – eharper256
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 7:44
  • $\begingroup$ @eharper256 invitation sent, check your emails/notifications $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 7:49
  • $\begingroup$ Is it possible for multiple people to work on the same blog entry? like we can do with the community wiki answers ? $\endgroup$
    – Vincent
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 19:27
  • $\begingroup$ @Vincent I don't know - if you leave me a username I'll add you to the blog and you can test it out. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 20:11
  • $\begingroup$ Or it could be done here maybe $\endgroup$
    – Vincent
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 20:16
  • $\begingroup$ I don't see somewhere to send a private message or the like to you, @ArtOfCode. I don't have a wordpress account at the moment, but I do have an email... and would rather not spread it everywhere, all things being equal. What do I do? $\endgroup$
    – CAgrippa
    Commented May 1, 2015 at 23:57
  • $\begingroup$ @CAgrippa you can either leave it in chat and delete it and ask for the history to be deleted once I've seen it, or you can email it to me. I believe my email address is on my profile. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented May 2, 2015 at 7:57
  • $\begingroup$ I have to say that with the semester ending soon and a majority of potential writers involved in higher education (e.g. @DaaaahWhoosh) this is not the best time to start the blog :) $\endgroup$
    – Jax
    Commented May 5, 2015 at 19:39
  • $\begingroup$ @ArtOfCode I'm sorry if this is coming out of the blue at you, but could you take a look at this blog-related answer from SE on another question? Might you be willing to move this to the site suggested there, which looks like it could work better for us while also helping SE unofficially test it out? $\endgroup$
    – Monica Cellio Mod
    Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 0:23
  • $\begingroup$ @MonicaCellio Straight out of the blue, but I'm around anyway. Sounds like a plan to me; our current/old blog didn't work too well. I've just taken a look at the site, and it looks good. I'll move over there tomorrow. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 0:28
  • $\begingroup$ @ArtOfCode cool, let's chat when you have a chance! I want to take advantage of the work you've already done and I want you to feel good about this. The goal is that this is just a platform shift that gets us some useful features. $\endgroup$
    – Monica Cellio Mod
    Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 0:30
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @MonicaCellio No problem, it's a good idea. I only say I'll move tomorrow because it's the wee hours here. Anything that helps us out is a good move in my book. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Aug 26, 2015 at 0:31

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
5
$\begingroup$

I think the first topic I would like to put up on the blog is about the world building process.

We have had several very good answers and discussions here on the topic. If anyone would like to contribute let me know.

This will be macro-level. Then perhaps down the road we can go into some more specific topics.

$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ I agree with this, and might like to put in my own two cents if you come up short. However, I'm currently in a bit of a hurry, what with final exams, graduation, and finding an apartment, so I won't be much help for a while. $\endgroup$
    – DaaaahWhoosh
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 2:30
  • $\begingroup$ @DaaaahWhoosh if all else fails you could assist with one of the more specific topics down the road. Good luck with the end of school...thats a real busy time. $\endgroup$
    – James
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 13:25
5
$\begingroup$

Some of those specific topics I'd love to eventually write to let out my mad inner storyteller:

  • Handwavium or Hardcore? What does my story need?
  • Building an Economy 101: Supply and Demand
  • Chekov's Shotgun vs. Scenery Porn

Of course, no idea when I'll get around to actually writing any of that; especially since May and June tend to be busier months at work. Late April has been mercifully quiet, which is why I've had time to join in on this stack exchange at all.

Just as a couple of quick notes from a past blogger:

People tend to stay longer and look around if you have some eye-catching elements (without them being too loud and garish, of course). Using purely a default wordpress style is generally not going to help with that. I did things like tweak the CSS and added a new custom banner to my chosen template to mix things up a bit.

Although it wasn't an issue for me in the past, these days you've also got to consider whether you have a site with big buttons to attract mobile device users, and whether you want a narrow-width site so you can attract people with antique PCs with rubbish resolutions; and again, small screen mobile devices.

Your main source of income (of visitors) is links from other popular places; though Google does throw some people your way on occassion, especially when you have some unique topics. For instance, things like my old Touhoumon posts and visual novel diaries got alot more google hits because no one had written much about them. Funny posts also tend to get more referrals and pingbanks, of course.

Finally, if you want to carry on with Hitchhikers guide references, it does lend itself to several workshop type topics:

  • The Improbability Drive: [Insert Reality Check Topic Here]
  • Petunias at Terminal Velocity: ['The things not to do' type Topic Here]
  • Restaurant at the End of the Universe: [Insert posthumous world analysis Topic Here]
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ You've got an invitation to contribute so you can accept that and write any of these whenever you like. Sounds like you have some good ideas. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 13:04
  • $\begingroup$ Yup, I accepted, thanks. I'll see if I can squeeze something in when I can. $\endgroup$
    – eharper256
    Commented Apr 28, 2015 at 21:55
0
$\begingroup$

As I said in a comment to James, this is a bit of a busy time for me and anyone else in an academic institution (whether a student or a educator). I personally probably won't have time to write anything for a few months while I transition from college to professional life, but I'll keep an open mind in case there's anything I can put together easily.

That said, could I draw something for the banner image?

$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ Feel free to draw whatever it is you're thinking of, but keep in mind we may not be able to change the image. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 29, 2015 at 21:34
  • $\begingroup$ @ArtOfCode So we're stuck with 'Sunrise on the Farm' forever? That's kind of a let down. $\endgroup$
    – DaaaahWhoosh
    Commented Apr 30, 2015 at 13:40
  • $\begingroup$ No, we can change the theme. I don't know, I'll have to investigate. There is some customisation, I just don't know how much. $\endgroup$
    – ArtOfCode
    Commented Apr 30, 2015 at 15:41

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .