I have uploaded the first two chapters of my first story here. I have each chapter in a .txt file, and there will be 12 chapters in total.
Each chapter have a chapter title. I didn't find any place to put the chapter titles. Should the titles be in the chapter files, and if so, how? Please help.
Assuming each chapter is a separate txt file, put the following at the beginning of each file:
Story title
Author name
Chapter name
The story goes here.
Thank you! Do I put blank lines in between like in your example. Do I use some tags to precede or surround each part?
Another thing, I cannot see a list of uploaded files. If I reupload the first two chapters, will the new files replace the first uploaded files, or will they be treated as the next two chapters?
My files (docx format, not txt) look like:
Chapter N: Title
(blank line)
text
...
I don't embed Story Title or Author Name in the docx files.
When you do a 'repost chapter', you can pick which chapters you're overwriting. If you're uploading chapters you've already posted along with new material, I would suggest making it clear in the Moderator Notes. I use a file per chapter, so each uploaded chapter is new.
If I reupload the first two chapters, will the new files replace the first uploaded files
I believe the wizard asks whether you're uploading new chapters or replacing existing chapters.
AJ
Do I put blank lines in between like in your example. Do I use some tags to precede or surround each part?
I do it exactly as in my example, with blank lines. I don't use tags. I believe those three lines are used by the moderators.
But based on other people's comments, there's more flexibility than I thought.
btw, I create the file as a docx and submit it to SOL as filtered HTML. This way all the formatting I did in Word is maintained (such as italics and em-dashes and ellipses).
I do it exactly as in my example, with blank lines. I don't use tags. I believe those three lines are used by the moderators.
Based on Lazeez's reply, your method makes life easiest for the moderators.
I submit plain text by copying and pasting it into the wizard.
AJ
Thank you! Do I put blank lines in between like in your example. Do I use some tags to precede or surround each par
I don't do anything that complicated. At the top of each chapter's text, I put Chapter: This is a Chapter Name. Somehow or other, management seems to understand what I intend.
AJ
I've always preferred properly naming chapters, using standard html-coding H1 and H2 settings (ex: '< H1 title="1: The Daughter Steps in it">' (though I know SOL won't let those tags go unmolested).
Unfortunately, SOL also insists on NUMBERING each of my chapters, rather than leaving the titles as they are—which again, is why I format my books so I build the TOC by hand, rather than by automation. Thus a Introduction of a Preface are labels as "Chapter 1:" and "Chapter 2:".
I'm not quite sure if you're saying what I think you're saying, but, if you are:
I have a Foreword and a Summary in my current book. SoL numbers them parts 1 and 2, but those are 'behind the scenes.' The first actual chapter is Chapter 1, and so on.
That counts for Post and Repost as well. When I post a new chapter, it's listed as Chapter N, where SoL's numbering and my numbering align.
I imagine this takes some magic on Lazeez's part. I'm unaware of what that magic actually is. From my perspective, 'it just works.'
I imagine that, if I wanted unnumbered chapters, or a gap in numbering, that might be hard, though.
I have noticed that some stories have chapter titles in the description and not in the chapter and vise versa.
Ranting--I don't care if a story had chapter titles or not BUT if it has titles ALL the chapters should.
Ranting--I don't care if a story had chapter titles or not BUT if it has titles ALL the chapters should.
I wouldn't go as far as a rant, but I don't like it when an author mixes descriptive titles with plain numbers eg
Chapter 1
Edith Wanks an Elephant
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Donald Makes a Getaway
Chapter 6
etc
AJ
Chapter 1
Edith Wanks an Elephant
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Donald Makes a Getaway
Chapter 6
etc
Wanking and a getaway. Did Donald take Edith with him? And the elephant, too? Please tell us this story.
~ JBB
ETA: I can help with missing chapter titles
3 Edith takes a long bath
4 Donald gets a job at the zoo
6 They live happily ever after
Consistency is always vital in writing, simply so readers know what to expect and aren't caught by surprise when standard formatting is abandoned mid-story.