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Fanfictionworld.org helppage / FAQ

Last Updated:1st September  2009 @ 19:56 by Webmaster Spikey

Most Commonly Asked Questions

How do I get my writing on here?

In order to post stories on this website, you must have an account. Joining fanfictionworld.org is completely free, however you must provide a working e-mail address when you register. So that we know you are a legitimate user (rather than a 'spam-bot'), your first password will be randomly generated and then sent to you. Therefore, if you provide a fake email address, you won't be able to join, as you will not recieve your initial logon password.

What rating system do you use?

With the intention of offering as clear, consice a rating system as possible, fanfictionworld.org has devised its own set of ratings, which are as follows:
[everyone]           - suitable for all users
[General Advisory] - some content/themes may not be suitable for a universal audience
[teen]                  - for readers aged 12+
[15+]                   - for readers aged 15+
[Adult]                 - for readers aged 18+

Are there any username restrictions when choosing my username (Pen name) ?

Yes. The only restriction we place upon you is that your chosen name must not be offensive in any way, or a url (link to another website) or part of a url. We check out any pen names we feel are suspicious, and if we find that a pen name clashes with our restriction, the account will be banned on sight.

What kinds of stories are allowed?

We allow for a wide range of stories and will create a category for you if you request it (if its allowed on the site), some questions about the types are listed below but if your not sure about whether something is allowed on the site please ask on the forums or email us and ask

Do you accept Original Stories?

Yes we welcome Original work here on fanfictionworld.org

Do you accept stories with Original characters in them?

Yes we do we have an Original Characters option in the character selection area for your submissions

will it count against me if my story has Original characters in it?

Not at all as we welcome submissions with Original characters in them

Do you Accept "CYOA" fanfiction?

Yes we do! I myself used to love reading the CYOA (or Choose your own adventure) fanfiction books as a kid these are stories that offer the reader at least 2 options on what the character does next. The reader chooses an option and then jumps to another part of the story to continue reading. The way the story evolves and concludes is based on the reader's decisions. Please make sure that you select the CYOA option from the story type menu when submitting your work

Do you Accept Real Person fan fiction?

Yes but subject to the following... We can accept Real Person fan fiction so long as the author doesn't place the person in a sexual situation, explicit or otherwise

Do you accept stories with sex/sexual content  in them?

Stories with sexual content are fine here on fanfictionworld.org just  please make sure that you give your submission the correct rating and label them with the appriopiate warnings

Do you accept YAOI and slash fanfiction?

Yes  just make sure you rate your submissions with the correct rating and label them with the correct warnings please

Do you accept Yuri and femslash fanfiction?

as above with YAOI and slash we do as long as the correct ratings and warnings are attached to your submission

Do you accept stories that have swearing in them?

Yes we do having swearing in your work is fine if its used in the dialogue we wont censer you on the site however we may change your works rating if we feel that potential readers should be forewarned about the amount of bad language in your work

Are stories censored here?

No, we may change the rating or the warnings attached to your submissions if we dont feel that you have labeled them appriopiately enough

Are there any Categories with special rules with regards to submitted content?

Yes the only 2 current exceptions are Harrypotter and realperson fanfiction

Harrypotter - This is because author JK Rowling has requested that any harrypotter fanfiction is kept reasonably clean so big swearing/explicit content is a nono here!

Real person fanfiction - im already putting the site in a iffy area by allowing it on the site so it has to be kept clean which means absolutly NO sexual situations explicit or otherwise - I do not want to risk any legal action from either the people or their agents

 

 



What stories won't you accept?

A number of authors have requested that fans refrain from writing fan fiction based on their work. Fanfictionworld.org respects these author's wishes, therefore we will not accept pieces based upon the works of...
- P.N. Elrod
- Raymond Feist
- Terry Goodkind
- Laurell K. Hamilton
- Anne McCaffrey
- Robin McKinley
- Irene Radford
- Anne Rice
- Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb
- The Tolken estate
- Dennis L. McKiernan
- Robin Hobb
- Archie comics
This list is not exhaustive, and will be updated as and when needed.

I just posted my story, why won't it show up ?

Fanfictionworld.org is dedicated to the task of ensuring that high-quality work is given a wider audience. Therefore, all stories are checked by the admin/validation team before going 'live' on the site. The admin/validation team check that your work fits the catagories you state it should go into, as well as basic spelling/grammar and so on. Some authors may earn validated status -- any users that earn this privalige are allowed to post their work directly to the site, without having to wait for admin validation.

Can we reply back to the accept/decline e-mails ?

Yes. please send your email to webmaster[at]fanfictionworld[dot][org] please ensure you quote the story title and any reasons why it was rejected etc this email address will automatically email  Spikey

How long does it take you to read over stories before they're approved?

Usually, we review submissions within 48hrs, but please allow up to two weeks before contacting us.

I didn't get my registration password -- what happened?

In this case it is most likely that our email has been sent to your "junk mail" folder (this is espicially for hotmail and AOL amongst others) so it is worth checking there. (N.B. so that you are sure to receive any general fanfictionworld.org correspondance please add webmaster[at]fanfictionworld[dot][org] to your 'allow' list)/
If the e-mail is not in your "junk mail" folder, try to request a new password by clicking "lost password" on the site home page. If, after taking these steps, you still have not received a password, please contact Spikey either via email or via the forums [forums would be a faster route].

Who are the admins of this site?

Currently there is  one admin who runs the site. Which is myself (Spikey),. There may be more moderators and admins added with time, depending on the circumstances.

How do I contact the site administrators?

You can us via our contact us form.

General questions

Do you accept donations?

Yes we do. Currently we can only accept donations securely via Paypal. Please see the donations page or contact Spikey directly for more detailed infomation. thanks for considering a donation donations can also be made via the forum securely via PayPal

Do you use Cookies?

Yes. Our cookies don't store any information that can personally identify you, they simply serve to keep you logged into the site if you're a member. The forum's cookies work in the same way, "telling" the sites server which topics you've already viewed, and nothing more. All fanfictionworld.org's cookies should be labeled with the site name or at least have 'fanfictionworld' as part of the name.

Why do you need my e-mail address?

In basic terms, we need your e-mail address to prove that you are human and to guard against spam bots (which create accounts that waste my server's resources).

Are you going to Spam me if I sign up to the site? / When will I get e-mail from you?
Absoultely not we hate spam ourselves below is a summarary of when you'll be emailed by the sites systems (Please note this is not an exhaustive list as this site is a constant work in progress then ocasinally there may be a glitch which causes more mail to be sent out than usual)

Sign-up: You'll get a welcome e-mail with your initial logon password
Story Submittal: whenever you have submitted a story once we have made a decision on whether we can have it on the site then We'll e-mail you to let you know if your story was accepted or declined - if you earn validated author status then the accept/decline emails will not be sent to you
Site Newsletter - these are sitewide emails that are sent to all members it is a condition of your membership that you agree to recieve these emails, the email lets you know about the latest updates to the site and generally whats going on at fanfictionworld.org these are usually sent at the rate of 2 per month sometimes even less than that (if our newsletters are returned as undeliverable to your email address than your account may be disabled untill you email an admin/post on the forums to correct the email problem with your email address)

Below are the optional e-mails you can opt-in for in your user profile:
New Review: In your profile, you can select whether you want to get an e-mail anytime you get a new review for one of your stories that are hosted on fanfictionworld.org

Favorite Story: You can choose to receive a notification e-mail when one of your favorite stories has been updated by the author.

Favorite Author: You can choose to receive a notification e-mail whenever your favorite author(s) publishes a new story or chapter on fanfictionworld.org

 
What do you do to protect my Contact Info?

All e-mail addresses are hidden by default  by the site's system (unless you put it in your author bio yourself -- this is optional and at your own risk). It is possible for people to e-mail you via your author contact form, but they cannot see your e-mail address if they contact you in this way.
Unless required by law we will not share your contact information under any circumstances. Please bear in mind that while we do our best to protect your contact info that if someone hacks into  the server then they may get access to your contact email etc and we are not responsible if that happens

 
Administrative Questions

 
Who are the admins of this site?

The current stafflist is as follows:

Administrators

Spikey  -- Site Founder/owner / Webmaster

Moderators

No moderators are currently appointed - see the forums if you would be interested in becoming one


Please see the ''meet the staff' page for more detailed infomation about our current staff members

Do you read any e-mails that we send you?

Yes we do. It may take us a few days to reply, but we read all e-mails.

Do you accept affiliates?

Yes we do. Please contact either of us via our email, the forums or through our author profile pages (you can click our usernames in the who are the admins section above to go to our profiles) if you would like to affiliate with fanfictionworld.org. For more detailed information, please also see the 'affiliates/link' page. thanks for considering us as an affiliate

Can I link to your site?

Yes. There are some banners on the 'banner/promotion' page for this purpose. Please upload them to your own server then tell us about your site via emailing us or via our forums

Hotlinking our banners will not be tolerated-bandwidth theft is illegal - we will come down hard on anybody who attempts to steal our bandwidth - you have been warned

Why do you delete unused accounts?

Unused accounts drain server resources that could be better used by proper members. Spam bots and hackers have created accounts in the past with the intent of expoliting my server, therefore, all unused accounts will be deleted - no exceptions will be made to this rule.

How do I report plagiarism?

Please e-mail and tell us about it afterall we cant act on it unless we know about it we arent pyscic!. If the original author is available, inform them too and ask them to contact us if possible. When you get in touch with us about suspected plagerism, tell us why you think a piece of work is plagiarized, and provide a link both to the original story and the plagiarized version.
We are very strict about investigating any claims of plagerism. It is a very serious issue and will not be tolerated on this website. If you fear your work has been plagerised (or if you feel you have been falsly accused yourself), please remain calm and patient, as we promise look into and resolve any claims as soon as we can. Convicted offenders will be placed in the hall of shame for all to see and I'll do my utmost to get them banned from as many fanfiction sites as I can.

Co-operation between sites is the key to beating this serious problem.

I really like the site. Are you looking for more staff?

Yes we are looking for some staff. Please see the forums for more information and for the application form for current/upcoming vacancies. All positions at fanfictionworld.org are voluntary

Can I suggest something for the site?

Yes you certainly can. We welcome all comments. so please tell us what you think and/or your suggestions via either emailing us or the forums the forums are a better place to post your comments/suggestions as they get seen quicker

 
Account questions
How do I join the site?
Simply click register on the main page. Read the terms of service, and if you agree to them then follow the simple steps to create your account.

How do i edit my bio (account profile)?
Simply log in and from the "Your account page", select "edit bio". Most things can be edited from this page. To view your account detailes, simply click "account options" (this link is at the very top of the screen for the default skin,  and while it is situated in different places on other skins, it always says "your account" or "Account Info").

Are there any rules as to what is allowed in my bio (account profile)?
The only rule we place upon you is that all accounts have to be clean, therefore, please do not include bad language and other forms of unsociable information. members that do not respect this rule will be subject to warnings and a possible ban we can and will edit any profiles that break our rules

How do I edit my account preferences?

You can edit your account preferences by accessing the member account page and simply choosing "edit preferences". In this section, you can edit your skin choice, and various contact/site preferences.

Why can't I add favorites anymore?

You can. There is an extra step from before. The option to add a reason to why something is your favorite is now available. After you click "add to favorites" or select it from a dropdown, you will be directed to a page that shows the story info with a box underneath titled "Comments". If you have something to say about the fic or author, then you can type in the box; leave it blank if you have nothing to say. Then, hit "submit" underneath. You should then be directed to a page that says, "The action was successful."

What is a beta reader?

A beta reader is someone who kindly donates their time to help you with writing/checking your fanfiction before you submit it to the site. A list of current site beta readers is avaliable on the site. You can specify in your account options whether you wish to be considered avaliable as a beta reader to beta for other people.

How do I change my username?

It can be changed, but a level 2 or higher access admin has to do it.  Simply e-mail us  or ask on the forums if you can change your username. it will be done quicker for you  if you use the thread on the forum for this purpose
How do I change my password?
Click on 'account info' and then 'Edit Bio'. The last two boxes are what you're after.

I forgot my username! Can you send it to me?
Yes, but Spikey is the only one who can When you email me make sure that you do it from the email address you used at signup of your account , otherwise I won't be able to help you. You also  better write it down, since I won't do it a second time
I forgot my password! What do I do now?

Simply Click lost password on the main page and fill in your account's registered e-mail address. A new password will then be sent to your accounts registered e-mail address that you provided. Note: to protect the server and site users from abuse All password reset requests are logged

Editing contact info

To edit your contact information, click "edit bio" on the user account page. You can edit options such as msn, website, blog, starsign, gender, you can also fill in what your username is on the site forums too and much more all from this page.

Do I have to fill everything in for contact info/bio?
No. The only required items on this page is your e-mail address, which you must keep current at all times -- if you change your e-mail address please update your account details to let us know or else we may not be able to keep in touch with you. also you wont be able to reset your password should you need to we will not generally assist with password overrides unless you can proove outright that the account is yours.
the only other thing required is a user bio - in this area simply tell us a little bit about yourself and what you like doing for example if your user bio is blank on registration the account will be removed

When do you delete an account?
This is my website and therefore I reserve the right to delete accounts at any time for any reason whatsoever. Of course this, is not an exclusive list  but there are several reasons why accounts may be deleted:

1) You didn't log into your account within 7 days of creating it.
2) The account had no stories on it and had no account activity for 3 months (90 days).
3) The account contained information or links to things we find highly inappropriate (examples: adverts or links to porn sites, dating sites, and so on).
4) We suspect that the account belonged to a hacker, spammer, or robot.
5) The author asked us to remove their account themselves.
6) The account user broke a zero tolerance rule such as plaguisim. (see below)
7) The account user broke other rules such as being rude to admins or other members or disrupting the site by other means

Why do you delete user accounts?

Unused accounts drain server resources that could be made avaliable to members. In the past hackers have created accounts to try and expolit my server, therefore all unused accounts will be removed -- no exceptions will be made to this rule.

I haven't posted a new story in a while, is my account going to be deleted?

No. Once you have at least 1 story posted, your account is then safe from deletion. (unless you break the rules)

When do people get banned?

Users will be banned if they break one of the zero tolerence rules such as plaguism or spamming. or if the site rules warrant it banning is at an admin's discreation remember being a member is a privliage not a right! and until you are paying for the server this will not change!

How do i get validated status?
Validated status is only given to members who consistently submit writing that fits within the site's rules, and that we know we can trust to upload straight to the site without breaking the rules.

Remember while I can bestow validated status to your account I can also revoke it at anytime if users abuse this trust


Why haven't I been granted validated status?
Not all members will get validated status. You may not have earned this status as we dont know your style of writing well enough yet -- but this is not to say that you will never have validated status. Keep posting your work and in time it is likely that you will be given this status.

Remember while I can bestow validated status onto your account  I can also revoke it at anytime if users abuse this trust


Categories and Characters related questions

How do I request  a new Category?

Simply ask us via the forums or via e-mail. If you use the forums for this issue, it is likely that your requested category will be added faster than via the e-mail route.

How do I request  new character(s)?
Again, ask us via the forums or via email.

Story related questions

How do I post a new story?

Simply log-in and from the user account page, click "add new story".

How do I post a new chapter?

Choose "manage stories" from the user account page, then click "new chapter" on the story you wish to add to.

How do I delete a story from my account?

To delete a story from your account, go to the user account page and click "manage stories". Then, click "delete story" on the story you wish to delete -- Warning! Once you click Yes to the confirmation message, the deletion is permanent. There is no way to recover the story if you make a mistake, so please use this option with caution!

Why can't I review a story?

You must be logged in to review a story. to protect the site and users from spam Anonymous reviews are not permitted at fanfictionworld.org.

Why can't I post a challenge under the 'challenge' link?

Again, you must be logged in to post a challenge. in order to protect the site and users from spam Anonymous challenges are not permitted at fanfictionworld.org.

What do you mean by validation?

Validation on fanfictionworld.org applies to both stories and authors:
a) for stories validation means that any story on the site has been validated by the admin team, and therefore everyone can read it.
b) for authors validation refers to members who have proven that they can follow the site's rules to the extent that they can be trusted to upload directly to the site

How do I contact an author? Can you do this for me?

There will be a contact link next to their penname on their author profile page  and that will take you to the author's contact form. Their e-mail address is automatically hidden to protect them from spammers We are sorry but we cannot contact authors on your behalf.

What is a warning?

A warning is a label on a story that informs users that of something present in the story that they may not wish to read, or may find uncomfortable in some way.

What happens if my story is rejected?

You will recieve an e-mail telling you why it was rejected. If a story is rejected, it is deleted from the server so please make sure you have a copy of it! - we are not responsible if you choose not to follow this rule

If my story is rejected can I resubmit it?
Yes. If you modify whatever it was that caused it to be rejected (see any rejection e-mails for this infomation) then you are free to resubmit once the problems are corrected.

Why was my story rejected?

If your work is rejected, you will receive an e-mail explaining the exact reason(s) why we felt we could not publish it on fanfictionworld.org.

What is a round robin story?

A round robin is a story that multiple members can work on. For example author A starts the story by writing chapter 1, then author b adds their own chapter to the story as chapter 2 and so on.

Can I write a story with another user or other user(s) on your site?
Yes you can! Simply select any co-authors that you would like to work with from the "add a story" page. Remember, all co-authors have the same access rights to the story as you do (i.e they can amend/delete it etc).
If you don't wish to use the co-author feature for your story simply select "None" from the list when you are submitting your work.

Can I edit my story?
Yes. To edit your story, go to your account page and from there go to the manage stories page, however if your making a big change to the story then please inform the admin team so we can be sure that it still meets the sites rules

Can I delete my story?
Yes. To delete your story, go to  the manage stories page from the user account page, and then click "delete story" on the story you wish to delete -- Warning! Once you click Yes to the confirmation message, the deletion is pemerment. There is no way to recover the story if you make a mistake so please use this option with caution!

Can i change the order of the chapters of my story?
Yes you can. This can be done from manage stories page.

What are challenges?
Challenges are exactly what it says on the tin: challenges the users of the site to write a certain story that has a certain theme, setting, style or content.

What are series?
Series are a set of linked or related stories that are published separately. while Series are permitted I will let you know now that any blank series I find that have been created by members will be deleted without notice as blank series would waste my servers resources

How do i create a challenge?

To creat a challenge, go to the challenge page by clicking the challenges link on the main page. Once there, click issue a challenge, and you will see a form that allows you to add one. you must be logged into fanfictionworld.org to use the challenge system

How do i respond to a challenge?
 
Cick "Respond to the Challenge!" -- either on the actual challenge page or on the challenge information page. You'll then be able to attach your story to the challenge. Good luck! again you must be logged into fanfictionworld.org to use the challenges system

Other feature questions

What are off-site story recommendations and how do I add them?

If you've seen a story that isn't on fanfictionworld.org and you liked what you read, and think that other people should see it, then you can create a link to it, which users of fanfictionworld.org can click on to see it for themselves. To add a link, simply click Manage Recommendations on your account page, then click Add a Recommendation and complete the form. We will check your recommendation and gladly add your link to the site if it is suitable.

Can i submit something for the monthly newsletter?
Yes you certainly can. E-mail us or post on the forums.

Can i suggest a poll for the main page?
Yes. When suggesting a poll, please create a post about it on the forums.

Can i make a poll for the main page?
No. While you are welcome to suggest them, only administrators can make polls. but members can make polls for the forums
Forum Questions

Will my main site account work for the forums?
No, you need to make another account for the forums as the 2 systems run seperately, its very easy to make a forum account and only takes a few seconds, we suggest that you use your main site name for the forums too if its avaliable! that way people will be able to find you better on the forum

are there any restrictions on my forums username?

Yes same as main site, your forums username must not be offensive in any way, or a url (link to another website) or part of a url. We check out any usernames we feel are suspicious, and if we find that a username name clashes with our restriction, the account will be removed on sight. the offending users domain will also be banned server-wide

Why does the forum use Licensed IPB v1.3 instead of v 2.3?
This is due to money restraints and besides theres no point in buying a 2.3 license when the current forum more than meets our requirements it is unlikely that the forum will be upgraded to v2.3 that is unless you want to pay for it via site donations