Why boredom is dangerous...

[deathpixie]

Well, boredom and long rambling email conversations with [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com], that is. I blame her for this.

I'm thinking of starting a fanfic archive. On LJ, since I suck with the layout thing and actually wouldn't mind playing around with the traditional archive idea (if an LJ archive is a new concept, that is. Could be I'm just behind the times). Any way, what I am thinking to put in this archive would be TCPs, or The Common People Project fics. Although not the open-door policy [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com], bless her soul, had on her archive, since there's only so many "mutant student is killed by the evil FOHers at their school" stories I want to read. ;) I'm thinking something more along the lines of [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]'s "Premium Vintage" archive, where she collected the fanfic she felt was good.

This isn't a new idea - [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] and I came up with it one night in a St Kilda pub, only he didn't have time and I didn't have the tech savvy. And the eventual idea would be to stimulate TCP writing again, possibly even in other 'verses, which was always fun.

But yeah. This is why I shouldn't be allowed to get bored. ;)

Comments

Isn't there a size limit on LJ posts?

[khanfused.livejournal.com]

... or should I be asking "is there a function in LJ that will allow storage of larger files?" (and will you be wanting to store larger files).

From what I know of the LJ system, and of the (mostly buffyfic and firefly) archives I've seen, you might have to build one outside of LJ if you're going to store larger fics.

You'd need something like a content management system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system) instead. It would build the pages itself on the fly, handle the layout (template-based, similar to LJ), and store everything in a database.

This only comes to mind, of course, because I'm starting to learn Joomla (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joomla) administration for work (and non-company moonlighting) ...

... ohcrap ... am I contemplating volunteering for a project like this? ... ANOTHER project?

... see what happens when I'm at home, sick?

Re: Isn't there a size limit on LJ posts?

[deathpixie]

Well, two points. One, most TCP fics are short stories, usually under 2,000 words, well within the LJ limits. Two, I don't have online space, nor do I want it beyond what I already have in terms of various free services. I figure I'll see how things go with my own stuff, and if it's unworkable, possibly look at proper archive alternatives. I'm bored, but I'm not bored enough to mess around with databases. ;)

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

You could require that people HTML/host their own stories, for long ones, and link to them from LJ. LJ has some good indexing properties and layout potentials, so I can see why you'd want to use it. You could do a shared journal if you wanted other mods. There are heaps of LJ rec communities and newsletters that you could look at.

And, remember that you're not always bored. :) Last think you need is more stress.

[frito-kal.livejournal.com]

This is gonna sound nuts, but the OTHER thing you could do is use the wiki software. It's not perfect for it, but it's something you already know how to do aside from the techie hosting stuff, and really, all that would take is a hosting website and minor bribery from someone who already knows how to setup a wiki, and with only slight modifications, it could be used to host fic. You could even use categories to sort by author or genre.

[ex-rubyliss861.livejournal.com]

You might try: http://www.citymax.com. I'd be willing to pay for the first month if you think it would work for you.

(Here via Smolder's LJ flist.)