application stories —

This in so many ways is self exclamatory. Application stories can be pretty easy to write if done correctly. They're like any other story, there are ways that can possibly turn someone off when they see your story. I don't mean to offend but I am going to use examples of existant application stories out on this website now. Of course with the number of application stories out there along with people who apply compared to the people who have been using this tutorial, there is a chance that they won't even see their story mentioned in this. If you are mentioned do not get offended because I don't mean to make anyone made or try and bash me, I'm just stating opinions--and facts in some cases--that are supposed to benefit you, not get under either one of our skin.

For one, do not start off with "This is my first apply fic". Save it to the end at least or keep it to yourself. For me, it might prove to me that as a writer you aren't necessarily capable of writing an apply fic because something is wrong with your devotion level to writing or even something else that I can't think of right this second. Another turn off may be that your format is sloppy. I like to change fonts because I think it looks better than Arial but don't make your font too big or too hard to read. Don't do stuff like this ...

Start to type really small than gradually get bigger. Even if you want to put emphasis on words, just made them bold or italicized. Also just because you want things emphasized does not mean you can just randomly make the font both bigger and colored. There are many ways to get a reader's attention and you don't have to be all drastic by making things really awkward to read. Like I've stated once before (not in this tutorial but another), all capital letters make it seem like your shouting. Another thing that makes it seem like your either trying to hard to get people's attention is when you type in only big letters.

I loathe it when authors write in all big letterings. It makes it seem like they're taking up too much space. By doing so, it comes off that you don't know what else to type so to make up space, you just make the font bigger. It may just be me, but it feels like when you do that you're wasting time or just screaming at me over the computer.

Another thing that I don't enjoy is when people use in their rules "Don't bash". I will admit that at first when I started to write apply fics I did this. Now for my new apply fic "all a game" I'm allowing people to bash as long as they do it directly to me so I can take care of it. Otherwise, author's can simply block someone from their story and save the hassel of making a pointless rule. Do you really think that people are going to listen either? When writing rules do make sure to proofread them so that people can understand them easily.

Passwords, to me, can be important depending on how many rules you have. If you have few rules then a password isn't needed. However, if you have multiple rules (around 10 or so) then I suggest a password. If you don't have one, then you never know if your applicants really read the rules or not. I typically have ten because I like to spread out my rules so that they are more understandable. Plus I like to end with even numbers so I put ten--mostly.

My least favorite thing is filling out an application form as a blog or having to get the application off of a blog. Applications should be pretty detailed, and neat of course so that the author can read them. I just don't like filling them out into a blog because I have a habit of making them detailed so I'm always logged out of my account before I can post it when it's filled out. When I make application forms I use Forms Assembly. As a tip for those who like to have passwords and use Forms Assembly, the company claims that your forms has an error if you put "Password" as a question. Always make it something else so that your form isn't taken down for "reviewing" as they put it.

I like apply stories that have a clean look to it. Take "troublemaker" for instance. "infinite summer camp" to me is also an appealing story because of the format that it is in. I understand that technically their titles are incorrect because the first letter of the first word isn't capitalized and neither is the "important words" in the title but i still find them appealing. I don't capitalize my words in new apply story either. Application story "Girl Group~ Shady" would be something I would have never clicked on because the title looks sloppy with all the characters/symbols. On the inside, when I click on it, it's actually really neat. I don't really like application stories with a lot of symbols because it's really informal and makes things seem so untidy.

Just like regular stories I've been beginning to notice clichés among application stories. Why is it that new girl group or boy group stories are the most common? Is that all you guys can come up with nowadays? Think a bit outside the application box. We don't always have to write these stories that are extremely happy and bubbly. Nor do we have to have these stories that are high school based. Mine is horror with a bit of a high school base but won't really have too much of that in the plot when I begin to write it. Horror is a tag that you'll rarely see along with an "apply" tag. The tag "supernatural" is becoming more popular among apply stories I've noticed because of a vampire theme that is taking over.

Spreading things out too far is another thing. I keep my rules either with my application in the first chapter of the story or in the forward with a link to the application hidden somewhere. By putting your rules into one chapter then your application (if you don't use a website like Forms Assembly instead--which is a free site I might add) in another, you're making things difficult for those who wish to apply. Maybe it's just me, I don't really know. Just remember these are just my opinions and might be added onto as I continue to use AFF.