Neocities references for IF authors who want their own site
this is a sorta reference guide- i am by no means an expert, but here's how I'm doing it
A tool to help you make a responsive layout on Neocities or any other web host.
My index page (the home page) is built off of sadgrlonline's layout builder, edited to only have the header image and navigation bar. dead simple and very easy.
Twine automatically gives you an HTML file when you export your IF's and you can fully just slap it in neocities and it should work right away.
My layout is made to be very simple, but, if you want a more involved site, there are plenty of different layouts out there!
Neocities gives you 1GB of space to work with, with an option of upgrading for more space.
It's happening!! Time will tell if this needs its own blog but for now, it'll share this one!
What is IFNoWriMo?
For 25 years, NaNoWriMo was a fun chance for writers to try and do the unhinged and write a novel in one month. Then they allowed AI in, in addition to other issues with their moderators, and now they've shut down.
IFNoWriMo is a small, interactive fiction-focused version of NaNoWriMo! There'll be small check ins, chances for people to share snippets of their work, and the joy of suffering together as we try to write Too Many Words at once. It'll be much less structured than NaNoWriMo but people who make their goals still get a neat certificate at the end!
IFNoWriMo Calendar
Tumblr compression strikes again, sadly.
IFNoWriMo starts at midnight your local time on November 1st!
There'll be a check-in post every three days where people can share progress and vent.
Methods Monday is a chance for people to share cool things they're doing with their code or variables! I feel like interactive fiction is unique in how much coding is required and all the possibilities it unlocks and Methods Monday is a chance to celebrate that!
WIP Wednesday is the same as always, a chance to share snippets of works in progress.
Then IFNoWriMo ends at midnight your local time on November 30th!
What counts? What goal should I have?
That's up to you! You can count code, you can not count code, you can work on side stories or worldbuilding posts, you can focus on the IF itself! Whatever helps you write more counts.
The traditional NaNoWriMo goal is 50k. But you can set your own goal for IFNoWriMo! Think about what is an achievable stretch goal and shoot for that.
Will there be prep events?
Maybe! I'm thinking through what prep events might be useful. The one that I'm sure about is that near the end of October, I'll make a post where people who want to can share their project and word count goals. Then at the end of November they can say if they met them!
I promised myself to never be vocal in this blog since I fear confrontation (woops), but it's just so disheartening seeing how many authors rightfully complain of people stealing their work and/or using AI for writing, but simultaneously seem to be perfectly fine with generating AI images to promote their interactive fiction or support and share any that do that. The concept is the same. It's still stealing others works. I understand the convenience and the joy from something that feels like a shiny toy, but YOU ARE A WRITER. You have the power to describe with your words anything that doesn't exist and portray any emotion you want the reader to feel with it. I promise you, you don't need it. You have all you need already to create something beautiful and meaningful. And if you really want some visuals, stock images exist. There are multiple free programs to edit those if you need something slightly more specific. The readers you want to keep are not going to stray away simply from a generic banner. Most Ifs I adore quite literally simply have the title in a free font.
If you use it for inspiration, CHECK ACTUAL PEOPLE'S WORKS. You are going to earn and learn much more from them. And you can actually thanks the person that's inspiring you! How great is that.
If you want to make your OCs, picrew is a GREAT alternative other than games with a character creator like the sims, baldur's gate, skyrim, most dragon age games, and many more. Just look into any rpg and find one you like. Some online ones are even free.
I had made a small tutorial back on @interact-if a few months ago. Here is the very extended version. Also this is a very long post.
Obviously, you are not forced to do every single one of those actions below (it would be hypocritical of me to say so), but it helps show the authors their readerbase care about their works. Most action only takes a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
Let me know if I forgot something or made a mistake!
Note: while this is specific to IF authors, it can also be applied to other creators.
TLDR: Engage with stuff you like. Lurking might be nice and easy for you but can be detrimental to your fav author. Sharing is caring, y'all!
Also, please don't keep the base avatar, it makes us think you are a bot. Don't behave like a bot.
On this Hellsite.
Many ways to interact with the authors you follow. Some are very simple but not really effective. Others require a bit more effort but really goes a long way.
Likes
The easiest to do. Just one click on the heart.
Pros:
- tells your fav author you like their stuff.
- easiest thing to do.
Cons:
- It's pretty much just a bookmark function on this site.
- The "algorithm" doesn't really care for it.
ALSO: don't feel weird about going through the archive and like old posts. You'll prob find some gems there. LIKING OLD CONTENT IS NOT CRINGY!!!
Reblog
Requires maybe 3 more clicks and some typing if you add comments/tags. Still relatively easy. Best way to share what you like to others. The only way a post appears on a dashboard.
Pros:
- tells your fav author you like their stuff in a more ✨🌟personalised 🌟✨way.
- helps their post travel this hellscape and reach other people who could like this content (see addendum at the end).
- the "algorithm" likes it.
- you can queue them for a later date/so you don't spam your followers.
Cons: None (lol).
Notes:
- do not reblog posts with a #don't reblog tag.
- consider adding trigger warnings to your reblogs if the original one has some too.
- TEMPLATE/ASSETS/RESSOURCE: always reblog those to help your neighbour. Who knows? One of your followers or your follower's followers might be looking for that. Also: good karma.
- post doesn't fit your ✨aesthetic ✨? have a side-blog and put it there.
Asks
Needs a bit more effort. You need to think of words to write or picture to send. Also, can feel a bit nerve-wracking interacting with someone you look up to (they're like you, don't worry). But one of the most rewarding note for authors.
Pro:
- you have a direct line of communication with the author, making it easy to ask questions, give feedback/comments.
- you can positively impact their days with a few words. Yup. Seriously.
- most authors really like asks, it's probably the most engaging response you can get from your readers.
- you can asks stuff anonymously (unless the author has turned it off), we've all done it.
Cons:
- you need to think of words to say and muster the courage to press ask.
- it might not available because other people abused it/were dicks in the author's dm.
Ask Etiquette/Advice
Be nice and respectful!
Just because you have a direct/anonymous like to that author doesn't mean manners can be thrown out the window. They are like everyone: humans with feelings. Internet may make it difficult to see other people as... well people, but they are. Don't be a dick. A Hello or How are you? really goes a long way.
Ask questions about the project/process
Interested in a particular part of the project or the authors' process? Ask about it! We love to talk about our projects and characters.
Feedback doesn't have to be complex/long.
If you don't know how to put your feelings about their works into words, take a small aspect of the project and explain why it stuck with you.
I really liked how you portrayed X's relationship with Y. That scene with Z made me feel V.
Or you can be a bit more generic (still add a bit of yourself):
Your writing is great! The UI is very pretty. The game is amazing.
Don't demand things.
Duh. That's rude.
Don't spam.
Even if they don't reply to your question right away. They may have a reason not to do it. Or they want to keep your post for just themselves. May be ok for positive ones (ask first).
Replies
This is fairly new on Tumblr (2021?). They're pretty much comments without rebloging. Great for giving feedback/sending love to a specific post.
Pro:
- Yay engagement.
- Another way to send your fav author love!
Cons:
- That's it. It's not visible unless you open the notes of a post. Unsure if it makes any difference in the algorithm.
- it is not anonymous.
Other ways
A non-exhaustive list:
Create fan art : Always appreciated, we love to see your interpretation of our work and your OCs. Caveat: only if the author allows it. Ask the author if you are unsure.
Participate in Beta-Testing : Big part of IF it testing before release. Many authors will have a call for beta a few weeks/months. Consider rebloging that too.
Answer Poll/Feedback forms : Aside from Beta-testing, authors may post a poll or ask for feedback for a functionality/path. This is a great way for us to get direct responses. Consider rebloging that too.
Published Platform
There are many places where an author can publish their games. Below are the most used/known ones. You will require an account for most of those (it's worth it, I promise).
ITCH.IO
Itch has a lot of games.
A LOT of Games. To help your favourite game gain traction, you need to... engage with it! All ways are super easy and takes very little time too!
Play the Game
Duh.
(Also I lied about the time it takes, that will depend on the game)
Account not required.
Collection
You can add games/assets/whatever page on a collection (folder) to keep it as a to play later or share as a game you enjoyed. You can make those collections public and share it to the world!
To do that, click on Add to Collection (top left corner on laptop, bottom bar on mobile) and choose the collection you want.
Rate the Game
It's as easy as 1, 2, 3. Nope, not joking. 3 clicks and that's it. Ready?
Click on Rate this... on the top-left corner of the page.
Click on the amount of stars you want to give.
And click Submit.
Aaaaand that's it. Easy-peasy.
For Mobiles: the UI is a bit wonky and doesn't give you the option to rate a game. As such, you have 2 options:
put your phone in landscape mode: the feature will be at the top of the page (see below, I took a random game from the front page).
put the page in desktop mode (Chrome, Firefox) and follow the same description as above.
NOTE: This functions is not available if the game has been submitted to a Jam/Comp and said Jam is in its voting period! It will be available again when the ranking/votes have been released. If possible, consider voting for that game in the Jam/Comp as well.
Review the Game
Want to give your rating a bit more depth? Or you have a comment you want to give the author? Then add a review to your rating before clicking on Submit!
Note: The review is only visible to the author.
Leave a Comment
You can leave a comment at the bottom of the game's page. Can be a few words, can be an essay, whatever floats your boat.
Don't know what to say? Take a small aspect of the game and explain why it stuck with you.
EX: I really liked how you portrayed X's relationship with Y. That scene with Z made me feel V. The UI/Design is W.
Also, you get notified if the creator answers your comment!
Share the game
There is not specific button on itch to share a game. BUT: you can copy the page's link and paste it wherever you want to share the game! Easy-peasy!
Other ways
Follow the Author: to get updated on the game's process, bugs fixes or updates.
Like/Comment on/Share Devlogs: those logs have a Tab similar to the main page where the most popular ones are more visible. You can like the logs on that log's page or in your feed if you follow that author; share directly on twitter/facebook (or copy paste the link to whatever platform); or comment on the page (if available).
Interact in the Community tab: a.k.a. Itch's forum. Discuss, review or recommend games there!
CoG Forums
Specifically for CScript games posted on Dashingdon or posted through CoG/HostedGames. Used for feedback, coding questions, writing questions... for CScript games.
Authors can create threads where the game can be discussed by other users. The thread locks itself automatically after 60 days since the last comment or if the author requests it.
As far as I know (not my preferred platform tbh), there are no rating systems on CoG. Games with payable content can be rated on other platforms (can be seen at the bottom of the page).
IFDB/IF Community Forum
IFDB - Interactive Fiction DataBase
As the name implies, the website works as a sort of archive/database for IF works. There are over 11k games (ongoing/completed) listed. Reviewing and Commenting is fairly easy. You can also put a game on your wishlist or indicate whether you've played it.
Rating is a one click job: on the amount of stars you want to give. And that's it!
Reviewing looks a bit more complicated at first, but I promise it's not too hard! The review link will send you to another page, where you will be asked to enter your comments about the game, add a title and optionally tag it. When you are done, click on the preview button at the bottom of the page. You get to review how your comment will look before publishing it (see below)
You can also create polls or participate in one, join a club, browse other reviews and game listings, etc...
IF Community Forum
Very similar to the CoG forum, but is open to other programs (Twine, Inform, Renpy...) and all sorts of IF (text base, VN, parser...). You can find help for coding or writing, talk about games you like....
There are special categories to review IF games or recommend some to other users.
As with every Forum communities, please be mindful of the rules of said forum before posting!
Steam
Thank you @pomegranate-cuties for the reminder.
If a game is to be published on Steam, adding it to your wishlist will increase its visibility before and on release.
You have the possibility to:
leave reviews and comments (SUPER IMPORTANT)
post screenshot or fanart
create guides and walkthroughs for other users.
interact in the community tab
Other platforms
If the project is hosted on other platforms, simply check if their page allows for rating/review, and get cracking!
Other Non-Monetary Support
Share game with friends/other websites
Words-of-mouth is a great way to help a game get more attention. And if one person talks to another person who talks to another person... that's already 3 more players right there :D
Talk about your favourite IF with your friends, or family. Mention it to acquaintances or people who you think might enjoy it.
If you'd rather avoid sharing your love to people you know IRL, you can always post about it on other platforms than the ones above. Talk about the game on websites like Reddit (there are IF communities there, albeit not very large), Twitter (if it survives, lol), Discord Servers, Forums, etc...
Obviously, don't spam people. That might reflect badly on the author.
Do Streaming Parties!
This comes with the caveat of: with the permission of the author.
Doing Let's Plays of games or discussing IF works on streams might be another good way to introduce more people to games you enjoy. This can give a different life to the work, especially if you actually read the text aloud and do voices. This way it can let the work even speak for itself.
Platforms like YouTube or Twitch are relatively helpful to set streaming up. Though you may require some specific hardware to run it.
If you plan on streaming a game, do ask the author beforehand.
Monetary support
If you can afford it or if your budget allows it, you can consider supporting your favourite author(s) with real money! You may get extra content or special features (ex: alpha release) for doing so.
Below are a few ways I've seen being used, but the best way is to follow the author's links/preferrence.
Tumblr: Tips/Subscriptions
This is a new functionality (2022), where you can now subscribe or tip a creator for their posts.
Note: Tumblr takes 5% commission on subscription but 0% on tips.
Patreon/Tipee
I think everyone knows about Pateron by now. Tipee if the European version of Patreon. They work the same way.
Note: Patreon charged your account when you sign up and on the 1st of every month + takes 9-12% commission on monthly income. Tipee is 8%.
Kofi
Another tipping platform (with less fees for the creator). Also used often for commissions.
Note: Kofi takes 0% to 5% commission + 3-4% from the payment processor.
Paypal/CashApp/Venmo/etc...
Another way to tip your author or pay for commission. Commission depends per platform.
Pay as you want/Donation Button Itch
Some authors have left the option to pay as much as you want or have a donation button on their game's page. You can donate/pay for the game this was as well!
Note: Itch takes a 10% commission on each sale EXCEPT on Creator's day (2/3 times a year).
ADDENDUM
Reblog posts to make them travel.
The images above are the Reblog Graph (Tumblr Lab Function), that shows part of the 100-ish reblog the intro post for my game @crimsonroseandwhitelily got since last year (original is the small red dot) and the one for the 80-ish reblogs of this post as of this edit (22 Aug 2022).
In the first one: there are a few branches that made that post travel and reach users who do not follow me but may have read the post and played the game. In the second, even if it has less reblogs, it has longer branches, showing how much it has travelled on this website.
Note: a shame they don't have a function with likes too... That'd be useful.
I was having a hard time writing for a while, I wasn't super happy with how my last flash fiction went, I feel like I could have done better.
But taking a step back and writing a new beginning to the story is really helping the slog I was going through. I want things to be a bit slower, more build up.
I also don't make story outlines, I've just been making stuff up off the cuff, which has been great for creativity, but a little lackluster on structure, so I'm focusing more on big picture ideas right now, and less on the details.
If y'all could stop giving me new obsession content that'd be great.....but also I love you for it. Please always keep writing and developing and sharing.
