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Parmadur
The Happy Pariah
Posts: 515
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Post User submitted news
on: November 03, 2002 11:46
Over the past week or so, we've had a bit of an increase in user submitted news. I don't want to seem like a nag - we love and appreciate that our members want to help us find news! - but there have been many submissions on stories that have already been posted.

Please review our News Archive (there's a link to your left, under "CoE") before submitting a story to make sure that it hasn't already been covered. If you see an archived article which covers most or all of what you want to send in, unless your story has important new information, please do not submit it. Duplicate stories will not posted.

Following this procedure will keep your News Admins very happy and will also save us a lot of time.

Thanks guys.

[Edited on 11/3/02 by Parmadur]
Tanlaithwen
Orange Juice Fanatic
Posts: 344
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: November 03, 2002 12:33
Eeeek! I did apologise and I said I'd check before submitting another one.
But I don't usually go and seek out news - I'm more of a VAA!
pipsqueak
CoE Volunteer
Posts: 543
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: November 03, 2002 07:29
I know, half the time I find a wonderfull thing, and then come back to the site...and there it is. *slaps forehead* :dizzy:
Carancoe
Council Member
Posts: 155
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: November 09, 2002 03:58
Yeah, I've got two articles of news, one of them is waiting to be published, but I've got a question:

How do you add links??? It gives no instructions! I copy and paste from Word, give the WHOLE url, IT DOES NOT WORK!!! GAH!!!

Please help!
Parmadur
The Happy Pariah
Posts: 515
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: November 10, 2002 06:26
Just for future reference in case anyone else has this problem, to insert a link into a submission, use this code:

Text

"Text" represents how you want your link to read, ie: "click here."
For the site address, it must begin with "http://"

It must be typed exactly like this in order for the link to work.

[Edited on 11/10/02 by Parmadur]
Parmadur
The Happy Pariah
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: November 26, 2002 10:41
New submission guidelines concerning full text articles.

If you come across a Lord of the Rings related article in an offline source (newspaper, magazine, etc), please do not type it up and submit it that way. Due to copyrights, CoE may get in serious trouble for posting in this manner.

If you want to make people aware of the story, the source information is absolutely necessary. Please include the title of the newspaper/magazine and the date it was published along with a brief blurb about the article. Use your own words. Do not copy. Give enough information so that anyone who wishes to hunt it down knows exactly where to look.

And if you're feeling particularly helpful , try surfing the source's website. It's likely that they'll have an online version of the story you want to post.

Thanks!
Parmadur
The Happy Pariah
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: June 23, 2003 09:50
It's been a while since there's been an update here and it seems like it's about time to post one.

Again, we have been receiving several submissions a day, some meeting the requirements and some... not so much. Here are a few tips and guidelines that you should be sure to follow before sending in any submission:

1) Please include a link. If there is a story that can be tracked to an online source, please do not hesitate to find it. If you don't, then the news admins are forced to hunt around website after website to find the story you're wanting to post.

These types of submissions cause more "harm" than good, meaning that sending in news doesn't help your admins at all if they still end up having to do all of the work.

Submissions of this sort are a waste of our time and yours, as you will not receive the point that may have made you want to submit news in the first place.


2) Please check your spelling and grammar. Keep in mind that what you send in is meant to be posted on the front page of CoE. The news is one of the first things on this site that people see and we want to give a good impression. The news admins also are not English teachers or babysitters and we don't always have the sort of time necessary to go through some of the spelling/grammar errors we come across. If it's your news submission, then much of it is your responsibility.


3) Do not plagiarize. If you've come across a story on another website and decide to submit it to us, please make sure that you use your own wording, create your own title, and do everything you possibly can to separate the story from this other site. Their news admins work hard as well and they don't deserve the disrespect of having their words copied and posted somewhere with someone else attempting to take credit for what they haven't actually done. That isn't fair to them nor is it fair to us as - again - many first impressions of CoE come from the front page. (And also, if the story cannot be tracked to an outside source, it won't be accepte by our news crew.)


4) We do not post stories relating to any of the crew or cast's other projects. Yes, we're all happy that Orlando Bloom has found new footing in Pirates of the Carribean and yes, we're all glad that PJ is keeping himself busy by remaking King Kong, but that sort of information does not belong on our news page. This is a Lord of the Rings website and our only concern is what's happening with the Lord of the Rings story itself, whether it be the literature or the films. Anything outside of that is not newsworthy.

Also, I should take this opportunity to express my growing irritation with anyone who sends PM after PM my way wondering where their points are. There is a notice in the User Points section stating very clearly not to pester the admins about the points and I'm afraid it seems that people are growing more comfortable with doing just that.

How other admins operate is their business, but if I'm continuously bothered by anyone concerning news related points, not only will you not receive the point you're asking for, but I will also remove one from your pool.

[Edited on 6/24/03 by Parmadur]
HobbitFriend
Maps student, site patron and supporter
Posts: 91
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: June 23, 2003 01:28
Hmm, I never thought of that--the pesky peoples get a point removed? LOL! :evil: Not a bad idea, really though. There have been a handful that I have had to gently explain to why they are not getting the cookie--they are non-admins/mods, so live and learn. Only one that I deal with has made the mistake of no link, grammer, etc, after the tutorial I gave, but they never PM'ed me to complain, so I am sure they get it. Well, pretty sure, anyway. ... I could have sworn we had the submittal procedures posted somewhere.
morwenna
News Admin and Taste Tester for LHH
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Post RE: User submitted news
on: September 01, 2004 01:29
It’s been a while since this thread was updated. We hope that this guide will encourage members to submit news stories to CoE.

Some things to remember about submitting news

1. Always include a link back to the site where you read the news item. The only exceptions to this are cast/crew birthdays where you should put a link to their cast bio (if available) and to any pictures in CoE’s gallery.

2. Don’t link direct to fan sites. If you find some interesting news on another fan site try to trace it back to the original source. Google can be very useful for this.

3. News about actors (apart from birthdays) if it is not LotR, related is not accepted. So, for example, a story about Orlando Bloom’s latest movie would not be acceptable.

4. Check the news item has not been posted before. You can do this using the search facility or by checking the front page.

5. Remember news means up to date news - for example – an interesting article that is a year old is not news – if appropriate this should be submitted to the links section rather than news

How do I find news items?

1. Check out other sites, official websites such as Ian McKellen’s and Sean Astin’s can be good sources. If you find a piece of news on a fan site then try to trace it back to the original source. If you cannot do this then it cannot be posted as itt may be a rumour.

An example, before RotK came out someone posted what was supposed to be the last few pages of the script for RotK. I couldn’t trace this back to a reputable source and so didn’t submit it. It may have been true but then again it may not.

2. Search out the unusual, some ideas: competition websites for LotR contests, sites about coins and stamps, online voting for things like Best Film.

How do I submit news?

1. Tip: Type up your news item out in Word first so you can check for typos.

2. Use your own words as far as possible, if you use a quote from the item use quotation marks. Do not just copy an article from somewhere else on the net.

3. Go to submit news and click, the submission page will open.

4. Enter a title – try to make it catchy but go easy on the exclamation marks!!!!!

5. Use the drop down box to select a category

6. Type in your news item or cut and paste your item from Word, into the first box., Article text

7. Any extra information can go in the Extended text box

8. Click preview.

9. Check the link(s) in your story work.

10. When you are happy with how the story looks click submit.


But how do I do the links bit?

1. Your news item should usually include a link. Submit it in this format:

text goes here

2. What’s with the target”_blank” bit – this is a techie bit that means that when people have read the article then can use their browser button to get back to CoE.

3. Don’t just put the link at the bottom of your news item, put it in you submission.

When will my news item be posted and what about points?

1. If your news item is accepted you will see it on the front page at CoE

2. If your news item is not acceptable you will receive a PM about this. Don’t be downhearted if an item is not accepted.

3. If we need more information to decide if a news item is suitable we will PM you (usually this is because there is no link in the submission).

4. We usually work pretty quick, you should know if your item has been accepted within a few hours.

5. If we have to do a lot of editing on your item then you won’t get a point.


Morwenna and Beleg_S (News Admins)




[Edited on 30/7/2005 by morwenna]
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