[Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

Summary:

faq time

[Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

EstrellaYoshte 17 Nov 2021 09:11

Problem

Frequently Asked Questions is kind of outdated and needs some trimming, reorganization and/or reassessment from various teams as to the usefulness of the current questions.

Solution

We do that.

Here is the current draft I have: http://topia.wikidot.com/collab:re-faq

I'd like to receive inputs from everyone, especially relevant teams (Disc on the Disciplinary process, IO for contact outlets, etc.) to flesh out or trim down the list of answers we have on there. If possible, please edit the page to add your suggestions.

This discussion will go for 1 week, after which all changes will be consolidated and reviewed again.

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Mainsite Mirror

Last edited on 17 Nov 2021 09:27 by EstrellaYoshte Show more

Re: [Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

OptimisticLucio 17 Nov 2021 09:52

+ show block

(Note that wiki membership does not make you a member of the Sandbox automatically - See the "Writing SCPs" tabs for more details.)

I think this may confuse users who don’t know what the sandbox is, and barely understand what wiki membership is. Not the worst ever, but maybe cut this part out.

I have a question about a~~n offsite~~ content creator's SCP work.

Offsite is a term we use, and probably not a newbie who doesn’t even know that offsite and on-site are separate.

“What is vandalism?” coming before “can I edit someone else’s article?” feels odd. Hell, I think “what is vandalism” can be cut out entirely, since “can I edit someone else’s article” says the same thing it does but in a shorter and more newbie-friendly way.

Check out Security Clearance Levels for one interpretation of D-Class

Feels odd to list only one interpretation. Maybe give a handful of examples instead?

We've also got Series 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the latest one, Series 7.

If there’s a way to write this out without having a page we’ll need to update every time we open a new series it’ll be best. Also - maybe this question could point to the sidebar, since it’s easily accessible and exists for that purpose.

Alongside “writing SCPs,” maybe add a section for non-SCP authors who want to contribute to the site? Like, art, css, music… the other formats? I know there’s a question like that in “Community and Staff”, but it feels out of place since it’s a contribution question in an interaction section, and it’s really reductive IMO.

Why is everyone mean to me?

The phrasing of this question feels really dismissive of the user.

Re: [Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

Jerden 17 Nov 2021 10:41

Just some thoughts on some of Lucio's points: (meant to do this as a reply, oops)

Instead of:

Don't ONLY read Series 1 (i.e. the first 1000 SCPs). Series 1 can be great, but it's a decade old and can sometimes fall short of modern site standards. We've also got Series 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and the latest one, Series 7. Try reading an equal number of SCPs from each series.

How about:

Don't ONLY read Series 1 (the first 1000 SCPs). Series 1 can be great, but it's a decade old and can sometimes fall short of modern site standards. We'd recommend reading a variety of SCPs from our more recent Series to see how our writing has progressed over time, especially if you intend to contribute to the site.

Just to avoid having to update it all the time, and to give people a better idea of why they should read more recent works.

In terms of "canon" - I'd put that as the third question in the list, before the amnestic and D-class stuff, since they're specific examples of a more general trend - it seems odd to answer specific questions about canon prior to the more general "it depends" caveat that puts them in context. We could include the D class question within that, and maybe note that some canons even explore setting in which the Foundation is no longer secret or doesn't even exist.

I feel like "I have a question about a Video Game" could be merged with the question about "offsite content creators", to make it clearer what we're talking about.
Maybe: "I have a question about an SCP related Video Game/Youtube Channel/other project not on this site"
However, it probably is worth mentioning that the Wanderer's Library and the International Branches are officially affiliated with us if we phrase it that way, although even then, "contact them directly" still applies.

Last edited on 17 Nov 2021 11:10 by Jerden Show more

Re: [Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

TheMightyMcB 20 Nov 2021 21:40

Just to avoid having to update it all the time, and to give people a better idea of why they should read more recent works.

This is very important. The fewer random lines that we have to go back and fix, the better.

Re: [Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

hungrypossum 18 Nov 2021 11:03

My suggestions are mainly for the "Writing SCPs" tab:

+ show block

Read the How to Write an SCP for a step-by-step guide!

I think some emphasis on reading it carefully should be made here. Many new writers just skim it and miss important steps or tips. Something along the lines of "Read the How to Write an SCP for a step-by-step guide very carefully! There are important bits of info in that guide that cover most newbie mistakes seen on the site."

I wrote an SCP. Do you want to see it?

The answer here should stress more the impact critique can have on a concept/draft/potential article. The "although you don't have to" bit, combined with the next question, might just be enough to unwillingly encourage coldposts, so a "seeking critique is strongly recommended" should be placed in the answer, ideally in the next couple answers as well.

What if my friends like it?

I posted my SCP, but it was downvoted. Why don't you like it?

I feel like the answer to one of these questions should outright state that the writing standards are quite high on the site - college-level and all that jazz.

One could make the argument that people who read the FAQ are self-conscious enough not to coldpost or ignore advice, but I still feel all of this should be included.

Can I write something from a thing I read or watched as an SCP?

You could give a 2-part answer: Licensing point of view (stuff being protected by copyright etc.), and the Creative Spirit point of view (our purpose is to make original work, not to imitate stuff written by others).

I'd also add a "My article was deleted. Why?" entry, which would direct people to the Deletions Guide and explain the deletion process.

Last edited on 18 Nov 2021 11:05 by hungrypossum Show more

Re: [Discussion] Frequently Asked Question Review and Rewrite

TheMightyMcB 20 Nov 2021 21:52

Lucio and Jerden have addressed my biggest concerns with this in their comments. I do want to highlight that we should seek to make these types of guides as long-lasting as possible. Language workarounds that specifically avoid information that must be updated with time should be considered. There are some minor insatnces of this littered throughout. The main one that I haven't seen addressed is on the Community and Staff tab:

For example, "Real Life" Zyn and DrEverettMann are real site staff, but "Real Life" Kondraki is not.

While Zyn and Mann are inarguably the best examples to use here, there will eventually come a time that they will not be site staff anymore and I can all but guarantee that the FAQ page will not be checked for references to them when their listings are being removed. It may be a better idea to replace this statement wholesale with a sentence that links the master staff list or a similar reference like Contact Staff (or just cut it entirely since these pages will be linked just a few questions above it).

Last edited on 20 Nov 2021 21:54 by TheMightyMcB Show more