Call for submissions: webserial previews, news & discussion for EpiGuide's Podcast

[Kira]

Hi everyone! It's time now to get cracking on a new EpiCast podcast. We'll be recording our podcast in early April, and we have some requests for info from both audience members and writers/producers if you'd like to participate. For those who don't know what the EpiCast is, visit http://epicast.podbean.com for details. Webfiction, webserials, webcomics and basically any original web entertainment are all topics of discussion by hosts Kira Lerner (yours truly, the admin of the EpiGuide Webfiction Community and author of About Schuyler Falls, online since 1997) and Michael (author of Footprints, one of longest-running serials on the web with nearly 700 installments and--like my own serial--15+ years behind it!).

If you'd like to participate in the next EpiCast, here's what we're looking for:

PREVIEWS - The deadline for getting your previews to us is Friday, April 5.

We're doing a spring preview, where writers can give us a heads-up about your fresh new storylines and events we can look forward to for the next few months. To submit previews, please submit about a paragraph (let's say 250 words or so), focusing on either a single storyline or a bunch of smaller teasers. Try to add a little context if possible, but that's not essential if there's no room.

Please bear in mind that we can be a bit irreverent, so please don't submit if some light-hearted cracks would bother you. Otherwise, send your previews along with your serial's title, URL, and your name.

NEWS / QUESTIONS / FEEDBACK - Deadline: Friday, April 5

For news, we're looking for any tidbits that might interest our listeners, whether it's about a single serial or some topic that affects the community. If possible / relevant, please include links to any stories or websites related to the news item. By "news" relating to webserials, this includes brand new website launches, serial finales, crossovers, changes in format, etc. Not just releasing a new installment--give us something that's actually newsworthy! :)

Plus, if you have a general question or a response to something we said on our previous EpiCasts, we'd love to get your feedback.

DISCUSSION TOPIC: SITE DESIGN DELIGHTS & DISASTERS - Deadline, Friday, April 5

One not-hugely discussed topic we're going to look at in the next podcast is the look of webfiction/webseries sites, and how sometimes first (and second, and third...) impressions really do make a difference. Coming from the perspective of a web entertainment consumer, I know that my interest can be piqued by an intriguing and original design -- just as it can be turned off by dull appearance or confusing navigation. So we're asking you guys to let us know, when you're visiting a site to read (and we certainly hope as writers you're also readers too!), what are your turn-ons and turn-offs when it comes to the look and feel of a site? What do you adore, and what do you abhor? Give us your top 3 in each category if possible. We'll end up ranking the submissions to see what we all think is the #1 pro and the #1 mistake when building a site.

We want fun and constructive (if possible) comments, and you can be specific in naming certain sites if you like, though if there are any specific sites that turn you off, we'd ask you to mention any suggestions that could make the negative aspect of the site more pleasing or functional. URLs are a big plus too so I don't have to hunt them down.

Some things you might consider are use of colors, images, page sizes, fonts, navigation elements, themes, technical glitches, ads, extras that enhance or overwhelm... anything that has to do with the look and feel of a site.

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As always, time is limited -- we'd like to use less time previewing and more time discussing topics -- so it'll be first-come, first-served as far as previews go, with preference given to serials we haven't featured yet, or not that often. That doesn't mean you shouldn't submit, though; if we don't get many new submissions we'll certainly be happy to include those who are enthusiastic to participate again.

Send everything to editor@epiguide.com.

Finally, as always, whatever you send us, please be sure to let us know if it's okay to use your name on the air, or perhaps screenname / initials if you'd rather. If you have any questions, let us know. Thanks!

-- Kira

The original of this post is at the EpiGuide at http://bit.ly/YDvoB7.

[S.G.]

Hi all, just bumping this since Kira sounds like she is looking for contributions. Even if you don't have anything yourself to report as far as news or previews, could you pass the message along? I'm sure those of you looking for new readers can benefit from EG exposure. They've been around quite a long time in webfic - longer than this group, webfictionguide, or reddit :)