How does this work?

[Smartyhands]

So I just signed up to Litopia, basic level. On the home page it says 'do come and say hello' so I clicked the link and it says that forum is not available. Everything else I clicked on says I don't have access without full membership, so what is the basic sub for? Thanks.

 

[Bloo]

Hiya, Smarty...

Follow the "Café Life" link below, and make a post there. Be sure to use the "Welcome... I'm new here" tag.

Café Life

Oh wait...youre already here!

Anyhoo...we used to have a Welcome forum, but it's just a tag now.

@AgentPete - there might be a dead Welcome link lurking.

 

[AgentPete]

Ah, OK! Would that be in an email you received, @Smartyhands ?

 

[AgentPete]

Ah, OK! Would that be in an email you received, @Smartyhands ?

Actually, I've just checked the welcome emails and they don't appear to contain an old link. It would be useful to know where you found it, pls.. P.

 

[Smartyhands]

Actually, I've just checked the welcome emails and they don't appear to contain an old link. It would be useful to know where you found it, pls.. P.

Hi, the dead link was in an email to me from Litopia Support, titled Colony login. Also, when I opened the home page, it says 'do come and say hello' but the link is dead. I get it now, if you've changed the system from a forum to a tag, but it's not very welcoming to be sent to a dead end!

 

[AgentPete]

Hi, the dead link was in an email to me from Litopia Support, titled Colony login. Also, when I opened the home page, it says 'do come and say hello' but the link is dead. I get it now, if you've changed the system from a forum to a tag, but it's not very welcoming to be sent to a dead end!

Sorry about that will be corrected. Big welcome!

P.

 

[Still Waters]

so what is the basic sub for?

Hi. I'm new here too. It's a bit overwhelming. I was looking for a place that would facilitate writing with prompts, but I'm a bit confused as to what this site is, especially if you only have a basic level membership.

 

[AgentPete]

Hi. I'm new here too. It's a bit overwhelming. I was looking for a place that would facilitate writing with prompts, but I'm a bit confused as to what this site is, especially if you only have a basic level membership.

Welcome, SW

We also have Full Membership. Go to your Account Portal to upgrade whenever you want.

Yeah, it’s a bit overwhelming, sorry… we’ve been around for such a long time, there’s a lot of deep material here, but you have to dig. Also, the Colony (the bit where you are now) runs on what is essentially a bulletin board system, although quite an evolved one. BBS are highly flexible, and can work pretty much in any way you want, but there’s a learning curve.

Fortunately, the ethos here is extremely friendly, so you can ask anything any any time (asking a Guardian is a good place to start) and you’ll always receive supportive help.

As a Basic member, you can use most of the facilities here ad nauseam, no limits.

Full Membership gives you access to our seminars and weekly live Huddles, which is really the way to go if you’re serious about getting published. Apparently, they’re also quite entertaining

In addition to weekly Saturday Huddles, we also do monthly Huddle South – scheduled at a more convenient time for those in the somewhat antipodean regions. All members can join Huddle South, but they do kick off at 8am UK time

Just reach out if you need more orientation. You can flag me in any post by typing the “@” symbol and then my Colony name, thus:

@AgentPete

And the Guardians are:

@Jonny

@Ancora Imparo

Best, P.

 

[Claire G]

Hi. I'm new here too. It's a bit overwhelming. I was looking for a place that would facilitate writing with prompts, but I'm a bit confused as to what this site is, especially if you only have a basic level membership.

Hi @Still Waters We had writing prompts until recently... @AgentPete What's happened to the Flash Club?

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @Still Waters What do you write? The Lab is a good place to visit to give or receive feedback on your writing...

 

[AgentPete]

Hi @Still Waters We had writing prompts until recently... @AgentPete What's happened to the Flash Club?

We put it on hiatus. We were always struggling to get enough folk to take part, my interpretation was that many members were fighting in any case to find enough time for their own writing projects, let alone for a monthly piece of flash fiction… but I might be wrong.

I very much like the idea of encouraging spontaneous creativity, and it’s something that is still kicking around in my head, waiting for the right vehicle to emerge.

I’m very focused on the next seminar at the moment, I think it will be the most important / useful / transformative I’ve ever done, working title How Writing Works… making coherent sense of many of the insights we’ve discussed inside Huddles. It’s going well.

Beyond that, we’ll be attacking YouTube again with a Pop-Up Submissions-type project, but reformatted to be destination-agnostic, i.e. of equal usefulness to both trad-pub as well as self-pub (and with a larger panel). Also, another limited-series YouTube project is in the works, too, but I’m keeping mum about that for the time being.

Litopia is as much everyone’s playground / laboratory / proving ground as it is mine, especially in these exciting but uncertain times… if there’s anything anyone wants to see happen here, and is prepared to “own” and work for, then we’ll do it. Just sing out.

 

[Pamela Jo]

OK I'm starting a writing prompt thread right now. I am willing to be the moderator for Flash Club if people want to bring it back. There was some discussion about what it would look like if reborn. Better, fairer voting- a real prize like publication on the blog page were some suggestions.

 

[mickleinapickle]

OK I'm starting a writing prompt thread right now. I am willing to be the moderator for Flash Club if people want to bring it back. There was some discussion about what it would look like if reborn. Better, fairer voting- a real prize like publication on the blog page were some suggestions.

*mickleinapickle trembles with anticipation*

 

[Pamela Jo]

*mickleinapickle trembles with anticipation*

Just pictured you in a Merry Widow corset Mick... I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

[mickleinapickle]

Just pictured you in a Merry Widow corset Mick... I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Aw heck! They said they wouldn't publish the photos.

 

[Pamela Jo]

Aw heck! They said they wouldn't publish the photos.

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Welcome, @Smartyhands – sorry you were sent down a dead end. I hope by now you're feeling more comfortable about exploring and are finding your way around okay. if you have any further questions, let us know. I'm one of the Guardians here and am always happy to help. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the Colony.

 

[Still Waters]

We put it on hiatus. We were always struggling to get enough folk to take part, my interpretation was that many members were fighting in any case to find enough time for their own writing projects, let alone for a monthly piece of flash fiction… but I might be wrong.

I very much like the idea of encouraging spontaneous creativity, and it’s something that is still kicking around in my head, waiting for the right vehicle to emerge.

I’m very focused on the next seminar at the moment, I think it will be the most important / useful / transformative I’ve ever done, working title How Writing Works… making coherent sense of many of the insights we’ve discussed inside Huddles. It’s going well.

Beyond that, we’ll be attacking YouTube again with a Pop-Up Submissions-type project, but reformatted to be destination-agnostic, i.e. of equal usefulness to both trad-pub as well as self-pub (and with a larger panel). Also, another limited-series YouTube project is in the works, too, but I’m keeping mum about that for the time being.

Litopia is as much everyone’s playground / laboratory / proving ground as it is mine, especially in these exciting but uncertain times… if there’s anything anyone wants to see happen here, and is prepared to “own” and work for, then we’ll do it. Just sing out.

Thanks! I'm impressed, I have to admit. I've never been on a forum before where the creator of it was so accessible.
I am finding my way around quite well . I found The Lab and waiting for some free time to read those documents I downloaded.
Once I get acclimated (and have had time to make some headway on any one of my multiple writing projects) I do want to get a full membership.

I would love to contribute to the blog on here, but I wonder what would happen if for some reason I would not be able to renew my membership one year.

 

[Still Waters]

Welcome aboard @Still Waters What do you write? The Lab is a good place to visit to give or receive feedback on your writing...

Thanks (oh, I found the emoticons...it only took me about 3 days...). What I don't write is fiction. Everything I write is based in personal experience, even if there might be people who think my experience is delusional. I have big problems with mixing reality with my imagination and it began when I was very young.

As I mentioned in more detail in the thread in the welcome section, I started writing a non-fiction handbook about how to create world peace in 2022. It then exploded into an overwhelming thing by 2023, involving an enormous amount of research. Now it seems to be splitting off into several books, so I don't actually know what it's going to turn into, but it's a project that I have thought is too big for me to handle. It's clearly my life's work.

 

[AgentPete]

I would love to contribute to the blog on here, but I wonder what would happen if for some reason I would not be able to renew my membership one year.

Blogging is open to all members, Full or Basic. You would not be expelled

 

[AgentPete]

As I mentioned in more detail in the thread in the welcome section, I started writing a non-fiction handbook about how to create world peace in 2022.

You've already seen this thread, it has some things in common with what you're doing. I'm just going to make a comment over there that would apply equally to you, too

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Thanks! I'm impressed, I have to admit. I've never been on a forum before where the creator of it was so accessible.
I am finding my way around quite well

I think that's one of the great strengths of Litopia, @Still Waters. Sure, sometimes things go wrong, but there's usually someone around to answer questions or help out, and Pete is always contactable. We're a helpful bunch. (But of course I'm biased... )

Glad you're finding your way around.

 

[Sedayne]

Thanks! I'm impressed, I have to admit. I've never been on a forum before where the creator of it was so accessible.

I remember thinking the same thing when I joined earlier this year, and I still feel that way.
That an online community so vast and long-established, with members from all over the world, has such a cosy vibe, is remarkable. People here genuinely care about each other, and that ethos comes from the top.

 

[Still Waters]

Blogging is open to all members, Full or Basic. You would not be expelled

That's great news. I thought it was just for full members, as when I tried to log in, it said I was not allowed to.
I'm starting to fill out my profile now, that means I'm making a nest here .