Lois & Clark Forums Forums Fan Fiction Fanfic Related Suggestion for nfic TOCs. A g-rated post :)

Hi. Not sure if this goes here, but if not one of the admins can move it where it goes.

I was wondering if maybe on the nfic TOCs (and even the regular TOCs, if people wanted to) we could have a separate Message Icon for finished fics. You know how on the regular Message Boards, we use the blue arrow for a story? Well, when you go to the TOCs, all the stories there have the yellow pin-note for an icon. I was thinking it would be helpful if that icon could be changed (to the exclamation in a triange? the lightbulb?) to indicate a FINISHED work (either a vignette or a multi-part story that has been finished.)

I know it would be a LOT of work to go back and change all the icons on finished stories already posted, but at the very least if people like the idea we could just do it from now on. Or, better still if they wanted to, authors could updated the TOCs for their own finished stories?

Often the parts in the TOC are just posted as "Part 1" "Part 2" etc., rather than "1/3", "2/3". Then I start reading only to discover the fic was never finished. Worse, the chances of it ever BEING finished are slim to nil if it's been ages since the last part was posted, or it's from an author who no longer frequents the boards or whatever.

I specified nfic because I know I can go to lcfanfic to read finished g-rated stories, but many of the nfic stories here are not posted anywhere else. But really, I think it would be helpful for the g-fic TOCs too.

Any comments? Good idea? No?

I kinda like this idea for BOTH sets of fics! It would be helpful to see what is done and what isn't.

If others are ok with this, I will definitely go and change mine.

Anyone else have a thought?

Wouldn't it be easier, rather than having to change nearly *everything* that was done heretofore, to say that the old icon is for the *finished* fics, and introduce a new icon for the works in progress?

Or if others agree it is a good idea, perhaps *two* new icons could be used: one for WIP and one for finished works. The old symbol could remain as finished-neutral. Then the icon for the older works could be changed, or not, as people see fit and have time.

Joy,
Lynn

Great idea, Lynn. I vote for Lynn's idea.

Actually, that's a much better idea. How about the ! for WIP and the old icon for the finished ones?

It's an interesting idea, but I foresee a few difficulties. New members, unless they happen to read this thread, will have no clue what the icons denote - so it would be fairly useless in the future as a system for noting which fics were complete, since the icons attached will mean nothing to them.

And the problem with putting in "Part 1/3" comes when the author decides to change the total number of story parts midway through posting the story or doesn't put the total at all - which would mean having to go back to the previous entries in the TOC and start editing at a later date.

Wouldn't it be simpler to just make a note in the TOC itself when the story is complete? When putting in the last entry, for example?

or even

Of course, there's nothing to stop an icon system being used, too, even though I'd be dubious as to its long-term value. It couldn't hurt. but I think some indicator within the TOC itself would be of more use.

I'm also reminded by the Index Crew of the following:

LabRat

Wow, thanks for those links. I had no idea those tables were there! Very helpful.

Perhaps, but on the other hand, we might think of it this way:

Current System: Newbies and Oldbies cannot tell what fics are finished based on the icons.

Proposed System. Newbies probably cannot tell what fics are finished based on the icons. Oldbies likely can.

So it's still a step up; the question is whether this makes it worth the effort.

Thanks for the replies.

I said above I wasn't really sure if it was in the right place. Well, it just occurred to me where I should have asked this question... in the polls!

I'm going to do that now.