Ficly

How to Get Involved on Ficly

With a few new people, and the blog lacking new material (oops), allow me to provide some base advice to those new here and some reminders to those lurking on the sidelines thinking they should wait for old friends to return before becoming active. If we all wait, nothing happens!

How to Get Involved:

  • Comment!

The first thing you should do is comment on a story. Go comment on several and make some friends.

  • Return Comment

If someone comments on your story, return the favor. Offer up words of support, constructive criticism, advice, or awe.

  • Follow!

Click on an author you think is da bomb and follow them.

*Follow Back

If you are followed by someone who thinks you are awesome, it is good manners to follow them back. You can click on the blue numbers above your followers to see a list of all of them if the number exceeds the viewable icon limits. This allows you to see all of their activity on your homepage

  • Sequel/Prequel

Nothing is more flattering than inspiring others to sequel or prequel your work. If you have a great idea to continue the story, then write it! Stories can have multiple prequels or sequels so if the author wants to continue, they still can. Multiple threads are fun!

  • Notes

Use notes to your advantage. Say hi to someone, tell them you admire their latest work, offer up your ideas, and ask questions. You might end up inviting them to chat and end up with a lasting friendship.

*CHALLENGES!
Use them to your advantage! Make some, enter some, comment on all the entries, comment on the challenges. They are a great place, don’t be afraid.

  • Promo

Get on Twitter, Facebook, your blog, and link, share, and promo this site. Shout to your friends, pin your works, tweet your pride. Tell your Real Life Friends, too.

  • Forum

There is a much neglected forum for blog ideas and writing craft advice floating out there. 12 users have logged on, and it could use some more. I need people to inspire me, too! I need writers for blog posts!

http://ficly.com/blog/help-wanted <— past blog post about it
http://ficly.freeforums.org <— website, [your log in must be approved by ElshaHawk (no trolls)]

I know everyone is back in school, and I have a new job as well, but with a little effort, we can breathe some vibrant life into this place.

Comments

  • HSAR

    I echo this. Building a community is all about interaction and support, and it’s part of what makes Ficly awesome that talented writers share their works and comments here!

  • Tad Winslow

    I vow to be a better commenter. This site is an inspiration worth nourishing. Thanks for a great post, Elsha.

  • Princess Binky Lemontwist (LoA)

    Very good points! Completely concur. :D

  • Robert Quick

    I actually forgot how to get to the forum. Maybe I’ll get inspired to blog again. Thanks for the blog Elsha! I know you are busy but this is really useful, especially as new readers come and old ones return.

  • THX 0477

    Comment, comment, comment!

    That is all.

  • Robert Quick

    Man, I miss a couple of days and my notifications have flowed like Someone turned on a spigot of pure information. Following on the footsteps of Princess Binky LemonTwist, Jae, and Wednesday (PJ) come the triumphant return of Stovohobo, Mostly Harmless, and zxasdf!

    I’d also like to congratulate the new folk like sky.castles, That Crafty Art Nerd, and Sharks are my friends for their contributions too!

    A hearty welcome to you all!

    I don’t know if this really belongs here but I was sort of overcome by emotion and I wanted to share.

  • Abby (LoA)

    A wonderful article as always =) I hope to soon be as active on this great site as I once was. Love you allll!

  • Abby (LoA)

    Hey, I just had the idea that to get people back involved in ficly who have been away for a while, we should use and encourage the use of the ‘random story’ button. I’ve been away for about a month and what brought me back was one of those wonderful email notifications that someone had taken the time to read and comment on my story.

    Thanks Over the Precipice of the Unknown!! I’m back!

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    Ooo, I forgot about that! Thanks Abby!

  • Stovohobo

    Speaking of those email notifications, they really did keep me coming back. I’m not getting them anymore, though. My last one was in August. Is the server neglected or something?

  • Blossom Roquen

    Hello everyone. Lady Hawk, a pleasure, as always.
    Since I’m 3 or more years guilty…I felt a little reluctant to say this, but-
    I LOVE YOU ALL SO VURRY MUCH! bursts into snotty tears
    I forgot how much I loved this place.
    I missed you all!

    [meanwhile, in a computer room far far away…]
    thx 0477 scratches bum “who the heck is this lady?”
    collective ficly shoulder shrug

  • Blossom Roquen

    You’ll see
    eye squinch
    You’ll     all see

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    BLOSSOM!

  • RoseTone ~LoA~

    While I’m desperately denying the fear that my multiple entries into Abby’s challenge (Come On Guys!) are merely a shameless grasping at comments (or may be seen as such) – I’m overjoyed by the fact that it has gotten me back into Ficly-ing and commenting. Plus, I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback… particularly on my unreserved abuse of commas.
    whoops. o_o’

  • Pyropunk 51 (PPP LoA)

    Something seriously wrong with ficly. Stories are missing, challenges are not working. Does anybody still care?

  • Kevin Lawver

    I still care. I just got a report via twitter that things don’t seem to be working very well. I’m looking into it now.

  • Kevin Lawver

    Ok, it should be fixed now. There was a weird issue with memcached reporting it was out of memory. I restarted it and it should be A-OK now.

  • Kevin Lawver

    Also, how’s that for response time? Not too many other sites will respond and fix an issue in less than 5 minutes.

  • Abby (LoA)

    Wow you got that sorted really fast. Hope you know that we really appreciate all your work =)

  • Stovohobo

    Oooh, maybe do that more often. The site seems to be loading faster all over the place. (Of course that could be my placebo’d self.)

  • ElshaHawk (LoA)

    It does seem faster, Stovo.
    New blog post up, kinda personal.