[Meta] Story Hour Index (development)

[Lazybones]

Right now I am figuring out my average post frequency. I decided the most current thread (in multi-thread SHs) should be the one that is used (you might have been really eager and frequent in the beginning and slowed down, or vice versa) - but in my case since my most recent thread only just recently started, I decided to use the second to last thread as well.

It is actually quite interesting to see how often I posted, going thru noting down the dates of posts - but then again I love math and statistics and stuff (I'm a geek, go figure!).

Heh, I did that a short while back, and it came out to an average of one update every 42 hours for the last 2 years. Of course, I a) have a fictional SH and b) have a very boring job with frequent slow spells.

 

[spyscribe]

Right now I am figuring out my average post frequency...

Out of the blue, one of my readers just posted a tabulation of my average posting rate in my thread.

There must be something in the water.

One of the categories I came up with is Average Post Length - breaking it up into short, medium and long. I don't know what criteria we will use to define those (probably word count) but I know my own tend to be much longer than say, Piratecat's, and some (like Sagiro) are in the middle.

This could be tricky. In my experience, what constitutes "short" and "long" tends to be subjective. 2,000 words that really fly by feels "shorter" than 500 less-apt ones.

*shrug* Word count might be the way to go, just as a gut-check for readers. "Well, X-author doesn't update often, but when it comes, it's a doozy." That sort of thing.

 

[Shemeska]

The problem with determining by views is that big name writers can have very few updates and a thousands of views...same with posts. Many of the posts in the 'big name' SHs, are not actually updates but instead outside comments.

I don't have a clue if I count as a 'big name' SH or not, but while I do tend to get a decent amount of commentary and chatter in my SH (and to a lesser extent my 2nd SH) thread, it gets a fairly large update almost every week. Perhaps a notation for rate of typical update might be useful?

 

[el-remmen]

I have a fictional SH

Well, right there is an important category to make note of, whether a story hour is based on a game or "fictional" (they are all fictional, thus the quotes )

 

[el-remmen]

Perhaps a notation for rate of typical update might be useful?

That is exactly what we have been talking about the most. . . It would certainly be one of the items.

 

[Droid101]

I don't have many readers, so I would like something like this to possibly get more people interested.

 

[el-remmen]

So here is a sample entry using my own story hour.

I am not too sure about the format, but it is justa basic idea to be tweaked. So if people want to suggest changes or think I missed something or something is unclear, please say so. . .

Oh, and feel free to post your story hour info in such a way, might as well start collecting some data - or to post the info below in a different format you think would work better.

Open to all ideas. . .


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Story Hour Title: Out of the Frying Pan
Author: El-remmen
Number of Threads: 5 | Links: Book I | Book II (part 1) | Book II (part 2) | Book III | Book IV
Setting: Homebrew (Aquerra) – www.aquerra.com
Started: February 2001
Overview: Seeking to avoid conscription into the Kingdom of Herman Land’s civil war, the PCs flee to the Little Kingdoms, in the remote mountains of Derome-Delem, where they begin to learn that there are some things worse than war.
Sample Reader Comment:
“Great characterization and tension, and the end of session 65 had that LotR:FotR feel. ‘Drums, drums in the deep! ....’” – Red Shirt No5
Status: On-going (71 sessions of a 100 session campaign still in progress)
Average Installment Length: Moderate (Average Word Count: 2490)
Average Frequency of Installments: Every 13 days
Available for Download? Books 1 & 2 in Word Doc form.
Style: Gritty “low magic”/low wealth presented in a narrative style with lots of dialogue. Adult themes.


Special:
· “Portal Thread” (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=76999) provides links to all “Out of the Frying Pan” threads, and a glossary of NPCs.
· Rogue’s Gallery Thread (out of date)
· “The Story of Ratchis” (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=50757). Backstory for one of the PCs.
· “The Promised Land” (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=41733) now defunct Aquerra story hour by Rastfar.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I like the format except for one thing: The "Average Installment Length."

Are you using certain word count lengths for each catagory? Also, it seems like another thing to add in to make it more difficult to compile if we're having to grab average word counts for all these SHs, too.

 

[Funeris]

Good point with the avg. word count call, Ankh. And if anyone actually had the inclination to delve through my SH trying to figure out my avg word count, well...good luck to 'em. I can't keep track. Some days its 600 words. Some days its 4,000.

I would like to know what ranges you're using for the Avg. Installment Length as well, El-remmen. Aside from that, I think your format is kosher.

~Fune

 

[el-remmen]

I like the format except for one thing: The "Average Installment Length."

Are you using certain word count lengths for each catagory? Also, it seems like another thing to add in to make it more difficult to compile if we're having to grab average word counts for all these SHs, too.

Well, I was just pulling something out of my ass.

up to 2000 words = short
2000 to 5000 = moderate
5000+ = long

And for my own average I just used the last five installments I have made. It might be better just to eyeball it - or ask the writer what they think. It may not be a crucial category, though I know some people prefer shorter more frequent installments - so that might be a criteria by which they might choose to check out a story hour.