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Welcome to the Bulbagarden Forums Fiction Fairground! For those that may have fallen down a rabbit hole and ended up here, this is the section of the forums where all general writing is located. If you have a story you want to share with everyone, than this is the place to go!
This thread is just a helpful guide to get you started around this section, or, if you are a returning member or have forgotten where to find something, you will links and reminders here. Most things will be covered here, but if you need any extra help, contact one of Fairground Moderators or post in the General Chat Thread, where someone will be around to help you out.
Firstly, we have two other sections as part of the Fairground. The Writers Block is the place where almost every aspect of writing is, has and probably will be discussed. If you yourself are interested in discussing particular aspects, or you've hit a block in your writing then come here too. The Fanfics Archive, simply, is where completed fics are placed once the Author has finished writing. If you need your story moved, ask in this thread and a moderator will gladly move it for you. We are also now part of the Roleplays and Collaborative Stories Forum if you prefer doing roleplaying stories, so make sure you check them out as well!
Secondly, here are some of the more frequently asked questions that will help get you started:
1) Can I post my fic right away?
Yes, you can post straight away! Indeed you can, and we welcome every and all new fictions posted, whether Pokemon, a completely different series or something altogether original. And it doesn't even have to be a fic. You are more than welcome to post poems, One-Shot pieces of works and almost anything and everything creative. Our recommendations would be to check out a few of the links above involved with writing, and in particular The Writer’s Block. We look forward to reading your works, and don't forget to check out the reviewing games too.
2) Can I still participate in the section even if I don't have a story or don't write?
We love having all types of people in this section, even if you don't write yourself! If you simply enjoy reading it's great to have you in this community, and you may also enjoy engaging with others by reviewing their works and participating in writing conversations from a readers perspective.
3) Do I have to review?
No there are no requirements of the story. However, if you are reading a fic, we do think the best thing to do is to try and post a few sentences after you have read the story. It is encouraging to the writer to know that people are reading their work, and your feedback could mean the world to them! We even have an Award for Best Reviewer! If you don’t have anything constructive to say then don’t say anything at all: telling someone their story is awful is hurtful, not giving them feedback.
but we do encourage you to become involved in this community through engaging with other's works and giving them helpful advice or simply just encouraging them by letting them know their work is being read. If you yourself have posted a fic then it's a great way of engaging with other writers, especially in the Review Game.
4) What do those prefixes mean?
Those are used to classify the rating of your story. Everyone means that anyone should be able to read it, Teen means that your story has more mature content not appropriate for young children, and Mature is used to classify the stories will much darker themes, constant coarse language and inappropriate content. A more detailed explanation is available in a spoiler at the bottom of the rule post, and we recommend you use these especially if you have a very mature story that is not appropriate for all ages.
5) What are the rules/regulations to having a story in the section?
The main place to go is The Fiction Fairground Rulebook. This will cover all the major issues and will answer many of your questions! Anyone is allowed to submit a story in this section, but you must remember that, like any forum, we have rules that must be obeyed, and there are consequences for those that break them. Everyone needs to read, accept and follow the rules. On the whole, we ask that you simply be friendly to everyone: if you are a writer, accept the feedback you get and reply to it in a sensible manner, and if you are a reader, do not be rude and bring down others if you do not like their story.
Thirdly, here is a list of the many different threads you can navigate around that will help you get started:
The Fairground Directory – This is a place where current works within the Fairground are listed within different genres. It gives you an idea of what fictions are available to read in the Fairground, and posting yours here can help promote your work as well.
The Archive Directory - It works exactly the same as the Fairground Directory, except everything here has been completed. If you prefer reading completed works then this is your place.
Reviewing Reminders – If you want to leave reviews on the stories you come across, which we strongly recommend, then this will give you a few brief reminders about where you can start if you're not always sure what to say, as well as a reminder to always be friendly and courteous when reviewing.
The Review Game - And for those that come bearing their own fic, this is a great way to get it read and reviewed in the format of a game. It's good fun and is a great way to meet some others from the forum and see what types of stories are out there.
General Writing Questions - For those that have any questions to do with writing your stories, your characters or any aspects or themes then just post it in here and someone will lend a hand. If you want to discuss a big writing topic or an issue, create its own thread in the Writer’s Block, but we prefer that if you have a one off question you put it here rather than making your own thread.
Need a Name Thread - This helpful thread is rather explanatory: if you are lost with the name for a character, location or story, this is the place to go and ask for ideas
The Weekly Prompt Thread - If you are struggling to come up with an idea for your next fic or want to write something else to clear Writer's Block, this weekly activity is a fun way to get new ideas: a single sentence is posted at the start of each week, giving you an story, theme, quote or character to get you started on your next project.
The Writing Academy – This monthly series of user submitted lessons covers a variety of major topics about writing, including plot, grammar, character development and much more. This is the most comprehensive place to go if you need help with something, as the lessons are easy to read and come with links to other material to help you out.
Fiction Fairground General Chat Thread - Lastly, as a way to get to know more people from this section, you can pop in here and meet other Fiction Fairground participators. This is just a way to be social and discuss anything, from your writing, what your reading, your lives, the sun, the moon, the colour blue, whatever floats your boat!
Finally, these are just a few extra details:
- Every four months in June, October and February, we celebrate the work of the Fairground through our very own awards ceremony! This competition is done by users nominating works and then a team of judges reads and decides which of the fics and characters in the different categories deserve to win. These categories range from thematic story categories such as Best Journey and Best Dark to simple character categories like Best Protagonist and Best Antagonist. The users of the Fairground also vote for the best reviewer and the best newcomer, which are extra special as they as everyone gets a say in who deserves the Award.
- If you would like to announce you have joined the Fairground, feel free to do it here or in the General Chat. It will be a good way to let everyone know you have arrived and what you may be writing
- For all the Tweeters out there, the Workshop has a Twitter account! Follow us @bulbawriters and don't miss any of the big news!
- Older users would notice that the Author's Atlas has disappeared. This is due to a lack of activity in the section that prevented it from being a useful part of the forum. If you would like to post additional information about your stories, such as character biographies, maps, histories, that type of work, you can now post this in a spoiler in the first post of your story or, we highly recommend, you can make a blog that will contain this information and provide a link
I hope you have found this useful! If you have any more questions simply ask, and if any old users think there is a key thread that we have missed, let me know I hope you all enjoy your time in the Fairground and have fun sharing your work!
(Original layout done by @harryheart, completed by AceTrainer14)
This thread is just a helpful guide to get you started around this section, or, if you are a returning member or have forgotten where to find something, you will links and reminders here. Most things will be covered here, but if you need any extra help, contact one of Fairground Moderators or post in the General Chat Thread, where someone will be around to help you out.
Firstly, we have two other sections as part of the Fairground. The Writers Block is the place where almost every aspect of writing is, has and probably will be discussed. If you yourself are interested in discussing particular aspects, or you've hit a block in your writing then come here too. The Fanfics Archive, simply, is where completed fics are placed once the Author has finished writing. If you need your story moved, ask in this thread and a moderator will gladly move it for you. We are also now part of the Roleplays and Collaborative Stories Forum if you prefer doing roleplaying stories, so make sure you check them out as well!
Secondly, here are some of the more frequently asked questions that will help get you started:
1) Can I post my fic right away?
Yes, you can post straight away! Indeed you can, and we welcome every and all new fictions posted, whether Pokemon, a completely different series or something altogether original. And it doesn't even have to be a fic. You are more than welcome to post poems, One-Shot pieces of works and almost anything and everything creative. Our recommendations would be to check out a few of the links above involved with writing, and in particular The Writer’s Block. We look forward to reading your works, and don't forget to check out the reviewing games too.
2) Can I still participate in the section even if I don't have a story or don't write?
We love having all types of people in this section, even if you don't write yourself! If you simply enjoy reading it's great to have you in this community, and you may also enjoy engaging with others by reviewing their works and participating in writing conversations from a readers perspective.
3) Do I have to review?
No there are no requirements of the story. However, if you are reading a fic, we do think the best thing to do is to try and post a few sentences after you have read the story. It is encouraging to the writer to know that people are reading their work, and your feedback could mean the world to them! We even have an Award for Best Reviewer! If you don’t have anything constructive to say then don’t say anything at all: telling someone their story is awful is hurtful, not giving them feedback.
but we do encourage you to become involved in this community through engaging with other's works and giving them helpful advice or simply just encouraging them by letting them know their work is being read. If you yourself have posted a fic then it's a great way of engaging with other writers, especially in the Review Game.
4) What do those prefixes mean?
Those are used to classify the rating of your story. Everyone means that anyone should be able to read it, Teen means that your story has more mature content not appropriate for young children, and Mature is used to classify the stories will much darker themes, constant coarse language and inappropriate content. A more detailed explanation is available in a spoiler at the bottom of the rule post, and we recommend you use these especially if you have a very mature story that is not appropriate for all ages.
5) What are the rules/regulations to having a story in the section?
The main place to go is The Fiction Fairground Rulebook. This will cover all the major issues and will answer many of your questions! Anyone is allowed to submit a story in this section, but you must remember that, like any forum, we have rules that must be obeyed, and there are consequences for those that break them. Everyone needs to read, accept and follow the rules. On the whole, we ask that you simply be friendly to everyone: if you are a writer, accept the feedback you get and reply to it in a sensible manner, and if you are a reader, do not be rude and bring down others if you do not like their story.
Thirdly, here is a list of the many different threads you can navigate around that will help you get started:
The Fairground Directory – This is a place where current works within the Fairground are listed within different genres. It gives you an idea of what fictions are available to read in the Fairground, and posting yours here can help promote your work as well.
The Archive Directory - It works exactly the same as the Fairground Directory, except everything here has been completed. If you prefer reading completed works then this is your place.
Reviewing Reminders – If you want to leave reviews on the stories you come across, which we strongly recommend, then this will give you a few brief reminders about where you can start if you're not always sure what to say, as well as a reminder to always be friendly and courteous when reviewing.
The Review Game - And for those that come bearing their own fic, this is a great way to get it read and reviewed in the format of a game. It's good fun and is a great way to meet some others from the forum and see what types of stories are out there.
General Writing Questions - For those that have any questions to do with writing your stories, your characters or any aspects or themes then just post it in here and someone will lend a hand. If you want to discuss a big writing topic or an issue, create its own thread in the Writer’s Block, but we prefer that if you have a one off question you put it here rather than making your own thread.
Need a Name Thread - This helpful thread is rather explanatory: if you are lost with the name for a character, location or story, this is the place to go and ask for ideas
The Weekly Prompt Thread - If you are struggling to come up with an idea for your next fic or want to write something else to clear Writer's Block, this weekly activity is a fun way to get new ideas: a single sentence is posted at the start of each week, giving you an story, theme, quote or character to get you started on your next project.
The Writing Academy – This monthly series of user submitted lessons covers a variety of major topics about writing, including plot, grammar, character development and much more. This is the most comprehensive place to go if you need help with something, as the lessons are easy to read and come with links to other material to help you out.
Fiction Fairground General Chat Thread - Lastly, as a way to get to know more people from this section, you can pop in here and meet other Fiction Fairground participators. This is just a way to be social and discuss anything, from your writing, what your reading, your lives, the sun, the moon, the colour blue, whatever floats your boat!
Finally, these are just a few extra details:
- Every four months in June, October and February, we celebrate the work of the Fairground through our very own awards ceremony! This competition is done by users nominating works and then a team of judges reads and decides which of the fics and characters in the different categories deserve to win. These categories range from thematic story categories such as Best Journey and Best Dark to simple character categories like Best Protagonist and Best Antagonist. The users of the Fairground also vote for the best reviewer and the best newcomer, which are extra special as they as everyone gets a say in who deserves the Award.
- If you would like to announce you have joined the Fairground, feel free to do it here or in the General Chat. It will be a good way to let everyone know you have arrived and what you may be writing
- For all the Tweeters out there, the Workshop has a Twitter account! Follow us @bulbawriters and don't miss any of the big news!
- Older users would notice that the Author's Atlas has disappeared. This is due to a lack of activity in the section that prevented it from being a useful part of the forum. If you would like to post additional information about your stories, such as character biographies, maps, histories, that type of work, you can now post this in a spoiler in the first post of your story or, we highly recommend, you can make a blog that will contain this information and provide a link
I hope you have found this useful! If you have any more questions simply ask, and if any old users think there is a key thread that we have missed, let me know
I hope you all enjoy your time in the Fairground and have fun sharing your work!(Original layout done by @harryheart, completed by AceTrainer14)
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