Portal Columnists wanted

Hello again folks and folkettes ;o)

I hope you all had a good Christmas and a happy new year.

I am opening columnist applications for a short time, BUT I will be processing any applications on the 7th Jan. Sorry for the short notice but I have been informed we have to move quickly. Plus you have a weekend.

There are going to be 4 main sections on the portal.

Alliance – stuff like politics, how they developed - Alliance Discussions type stuff)
Opinion – (about events in the Planetarion Universe, announcements, speedgames etc)
Strategy – (stuff like strategy, 72hour plans, analysis of stats and game features, how to take advantage of the way that the game evolves etc)

Fiction – (humour, stories, songs etc)

If you feel you can write regularly for any of these sections. I would be looking for column updates at least once a week.
I will be working on a one-chance system. So fail once and your off the columnist list.
All columnists will receive more information once they are accepted.

The Content of the columns obviously needs to be interesting enough to make people want to read it.

If you don’t think you will be able to update frequently enough all is not lost. There will be regular guest columns. HOWEVER I am not accepting applications for guest columns at this time. Any people sending guest columns will be noted down and dismissed due to their inability to read ;o)

If you are still reading hopefully you are interested ;o)
What I am looking for in a column is :

- Good Strong enjoyable or interesting content
- Good Spelling and Grammar
- Dedication to the Portal

Please note that the columns have to be suitable for ALL age groups.

If you are still interested in writing for the portal then please email me at

[email protected]

Include the following :
- a sample post sent as an attachment (in either .doc or .txt format)
- in the main body of the email. Your Name, IRC Nickname (P Auth), and a contact email address you will be contacted if you application is successful.
- The Subject of the email must been the column section you wish to write in. (eg : Opinion)


If you need any help or have any questions please feel free to email me on the above address or contact me on IRC my nickname is DragonLord.

Successful applicants will be notified between the 8th – 10th January via email.

Good Luck

DragonLord
Columns Manager

[Sakera]

I'll write for ye whenever I cum back playing

[Coffee]

I'll again add my roundly offer to do a gfx column (o:

Coffee is back!!! Oi I want you to make those l33t wallpapers again
I could write about things I hear on IRC, also I could write about everyones fears about Spinner coding again ;-)

[wakey]

Originally posted by Coffee
I'll again add my roundly offer to do a gfx column (o:

I would personally take you up on the offer...after all graphics are part of this game due to the galaxy banners and anything which can help people produce better banners can only be a good thing

[mbushell]

I suggested a whole portal area dedicated to the pa gfx when i was on the team - sadly was never looked into :/

Well, I've been known to write stories and such, so I think I might be able to write in the fiction section. I wouldn't know about regularly updating such things though, I'm notorious for forgetting things. It's a good thing I type things during a post or I'd have forgotten what I'd been trying to say allready.

*reads his post*

Ah yes. I'll see if I can get you a fiction story...

[Coffee]

Originally posted by mbushell
I suggested a whole portal area dedicated to the pa gfx when i was on the team - sadly was never looked into :/

yeh. I created the gfx for the original portal and was still denied a column! I guess pa crew, sorry pa team (-: dont like gfx ;-)

I will look into the possibility of a gfx column once the portal is up and running. ;o)

[Zh|l]

Unfortunately I dont believe I am able to commit to an article every week. It seems steep to me. I was writing some fiction for Fury and that was every two-four weeks depending on the time I had available (and the people I could contact to get an accurate description and consent)

If you are willing to not be so strict perhaps a system where as long there are x new articles then its fine. Give different release dates for different columnists so they aren't releasing new articles all at the same time. This means you won't get a 'one day peak' and then it all tails off. I just feel as someone who could have contributed that 'one article every week' is slightly harsh.

Again, this does depend on how many columnists you intend to have.

[wakey]

DragonLord I have to admit Zh|ls idea sounds better than forcing one a week. At the rate of one a week your going to end up with people having nothing to write about thus putting up rubbish. If you split them into 4 you could then give group 1 the deadline of submitting their work in week 1 of the month, group 2 in week 2 and so on hence ensuring that theres something new every week for people to read while also ensuring that people wont run out of ideas as quickly (after all if they have 4 initial ideas under your scheame they will have them used ina month where as it can be dragged out to 4 months)

Of course if the columnist happens to have something special to post they can do but they would still be expected to submit another peice of work on their deadline

[Zh|l]

Originally posted by wakey
DragonLord I have to admit Zh|ls idea sounds better than forcing one a week. At the rate of one a week your going to end up with people having nothing to write about thus putting up rubbish. If you split them into 4 you could then give group 1 the deadline of submitting their work in week 1 of the month, group 2 in week 2 and so on hence ensuring that theres something new every week for people to read while also ensuring that people wont run out of ideas as quickly (after all if they have 4 initial ideas under your scheame they will have them used ina month where as it can be dragged out to 4 months)

Of course if the columnist happens to have something special to post they can do but they would still be expected to submit another peice of work on their deadline

You understood \o/

I only wrote around three or four chapters for Fury. I only planned for six - ten chapters before finishing, so going by what DragonLord said thats only six-ten weeks worth. My chapter three was probably the most rushed out the lot and Fury members noticed by commenting how it wasn't 'good' as the other two chapters before it.

[Andy_r]

I would consider writing my strategy columns again if it wasn't for the 'one per week' restriction.

Wouldn't the portal be a better resource for players if columns were written when the authors had something worthwhile to say, and the spare time to write it up well, rather than once a week?

[Coffee]

Personally I dont think they should be relevant to pa - only interesting.

[Marv]

i can write on the aspect of the game...how its doing...general things..

i too..dont like ther one per week thing...i agree with the idea that they update as the writer has something worth while to say...

Marv

[Zh|l]

Originally posted by Andy_r
I would consider writing my strategy columns again if it wasn't for the 'one per week' restriction.

Wouldn't the portal be a better resource for players if columns were written when the authors had something worthwhile to say, and the spare time to write it up well, rather than once a week?

There is however a distinct problem with this. If you give no idea for any deadlines then people don't write anything. While I would love something that had no deadlines I may not write anything for a month - and then if noone else writes anything for a month then the portal content is in big trouble.

If anything I think a system where you get a deadline based on book writing (nothing set just a range two to four weeks for example) is something that is needed along with columnists communication between eachother to coordinate releases of articiles and to make sure noone is doing the same thing. A coordination could let someone who really wanted to work on something have mybe a month or more as long as the other's filled up that with their own articles.

[Zh|l]

Originally posted by DragonLord

There are going to be 4 main sections on the portal.

Alliance – stuff like politics, how they developed - Alliance Discussions type stuff)
Opinion – (about events in the Planetarion Universe, announcements, speedgames etc)
Strategy – (stuff like strategy, 72hour plans, analysis of stats and game features, how to take advantage of the way that the game evolves etc)
Fiction – (humour, stories, songs etc)

I also don't like how if I was a columnist I have to be confined to one area. The Alliance and Opinion section's arent that different if you really think about it. Events in the game are due to alliances - and everything within that section is going to be opinion based anyway (Everyone is biased to some extent)

What if I was writing a story, but I wasnt going to meet my deadline? I may write up a small quick article about alliances or at least something to 'discuss' or to 'provoke thought' and thus give me that extra bit of time to continue my story. According to your explanation I couldn't do that - I have to stay within my area bar perhaps a guest column appearance within another section.

Additionally I have to agree with Coffee - some unPA related content would be good also. His GFX articles that he wrote ages ago were helpful to the community. I know PA may be a business and may not want other manufacturers/games mentioned but at the end of the day - I am sure Sim Tech/Jolt will be covering themselves legally so that the portal does not represent their viewpoints.

[wakey]

Originally posted by Coffee
Personally I dont think they should be relevant to pa - only interesting.

nah if they are not in the slighest bit related to PA its going to become little more than a journal system for the writers. Thats not saying they have to be just on PA but in the general Computers/internet/online game area

Ok,

Right Fiction and columns like that i may review the update freqency as yes i understand that sometimes it takes longer.

The Sections will be reviewed once i have started to process the applications new sections may be added.

Quality is what i am looking for. I'd rather have a one page column that is entertaining and good than a 4 page column which is boring.

The problem with the columns in previous rounds has been the lack of updates done on them. Its kinda a lose lose situation as to make the columns a success they need to be updated regularly.

The columns section will be under constant review and i am always open for additional and new ideas for them.
If something isn't working it will be readdressed and altered. If there is something you dont like. Scream at me and i will see what i can do ;o)

So any suggestions or ideas please feel free to email them to me

[email protected]

Regards

DragonLord
Columns Editor

[Coffee]

Originally posted by DragonLord

The problem with the columns in previous rounds has been the lack of updates done on them. Its kinda a lose lose situation as to make the columns a success they need to be updated regularly.

Exactly. There is nothing original or interesting left to say about Planetarion. Diversify it a bit.

Lets face it you'd have more luck doing a Microsoft Excel Portal. ;)

[Marv]

Originally posted by Coffee
Lets face it you'd have more luck doing a Microsoft Excel Portal.

- LOL...

It does need to be updates frequently..maybe difrent update time for diffrent things etc...who knows...DL will have to see what he has to work with...

I have tried to write from a diffrent aspect to add veriety to my appication piece to decreese the fact that things can get repetative.

[mbushell]

Tis fairly easy to contact a column to Planetarion and still make it interesting, e.g.: change a few names as in from 'fred' to 'spinner', seemless!

Although i do agree columns shouldn't have to be related to PA as long as they're good to read.

[[Cymru]]

Originally posted by mbushell
Although i do agree columns shouldn't have to be related to PA as long as they're good to read.

Loads more bull***t on the portal then. The portal should be just that, a portal to all of what PA is. Links to and within PA. It should have everything needed to be helpfull and informative about PA. Having too much "excess" will stop people from browsing it for what they need.

[mbushell]

Originally posted by [Cymru]
Loads more bull***t on the portal then.

I did say 'good to read', if they're just bullshit then they wouldn't be submitted.

[A2]

Originally posted by [Cymru]
Loads more bull***t on the portal then. The portal should be just that, a portal to all of what PA is. Links to and within PA. It should have everything needed to be helpfull and informative about PA. Having too much "excess" will stop people from browsing it for what they need.

If we put no content on it then people moan.
Are you seriously moaning because we're trying to give you a reason to go there?

[Christian]

It would most seriously be a laugh to have an column where people could write in, and then get a public response.
This ofc would be under 'fiction', since it would go dead within two minuts if the column didn't have a humorous twist to it...
The more I think of the ideas, the letters the mailbox would receive, the witty answers... It would sorta be like the boards - But with only the 'golden moments'. Plus, if it's more people would read and enjoy it.

This little idea do have potential tho, think about it.

[Telhilion]

Perhaps it would be wise if all those calling for pa gfx related columns arranged a meeting on IRC, my last fill in article for the newsletter was on the subject of Planetarion Art and I agree that there is a lot of talent wandering around out there in the community. I'd love to do a column but tbh I haven't the time I used to.

My soul was sold to the Furry Grim Reaper, Wakey.

[Not_RIT]

I plan to update mine at least once a week, possibly twice. I have far too much spare time

[Marv]

i will endevore to make it updated once a week...

[Coffee]

If I write a gfx article but start it with...

'I have beeen given a column here i dont know what to write but i will update it ALOT when when i have time so expect things good soon here as well as lots of strategys and planetarin humer!'

... can I get a column? Everyone else seems to

[Marv]

Originally posted by Coffee
If I write a gfx article but start it with...

'I have beeen given a column here i dont know what to write but i will update it ALOT when when i have time so expect things good soon here as well as lots of strategys and planetarin humer!'

... can I get a column? Everyone else seems to

no harm in trying...\o/

[Sexgod]

Can the Portal columnists please spell check and grammar check as sometimes its hard to understand sometimes.

[Marv]

of coarse we will....