# tired question, I know...



## CaliaTriss (Oct 7, 2009)

when I post a piece of my story to my FA page, about how many pages from my word processing program would be ideal to change from .wps or .doc to .txt? 2 pages? 5 pages? 



and before I get even more furs here going 'my god what an idiot!'  I'll stop.


----------



## Atrak (Oct 7, 2009)

Well...I change my entire stories  . The only one I have posted on here so far is 32 pages on word, and it's double-spaced, size 12 font. My next one is 57 pages, and the next 100 pages. I haven't posted them yet, but I don't see what the problem would be with converting many pages...


----------



## Volpino (Oct 7, 2009)

Well, it can't be a completely stupid question. The answer might be posted somewhere though...

All I know is that at 10 pages, it will not write it out on the page. Since its so hard to read on the webpage, I don't bother and just make sure I post it in .pdf or .rtf format so that everyone is sure to read it.


----------



## Atrak (Oct 7, 2009)

Yes, but a lot of people don't like downloading, so I post in .txt. My apostrophes show as unknown, but there is a way to fix this, I just have to find it  .


----------



## panzergulo (Oct 7, 2009)

I refuse to understand the question.

Okay, bad jokes aside... talking about "pages" is a bit tricky, isn't it? If you change the font, the font size or anything in the formatting, the page count will change. If you want to define a length for a story or a passage of a story, use word count.

Now, as that little thing is aside... What prevents you from changing the whole file from one file format to another? I could think that it's the easiest way to change the format by 'Saving As...' the file as it is, not by chopping it into pieces and saving afterwards?

Or are you trying to ask how long one submission should be to attract most readers?

Also, to give you help beforehand... because I know many struggle with these: Computer tips for the writers and readers of FA

If you have any problems with posting in .txt format, that thread might be worth checking out.

@atrakaj: Check the thread linked above... I believe the tips about UTF-8 and "smart aka curly quotes" will help you.


----------



## TakeWalker (Oct 7, 2009)

CaliaTriss said:


> when I post a piece of my story to my FA page, about how many pages from my word processing program would be ideal to change from .wps or .doc to .txt? 2 pages? 5 pages?



Uhh... wouldn't you want to change _all_ of it, if you're wanting to post something the parser will read?  I mean, you upload a single file for a story; it's all or nothing, pal.


----------



## Volpino (Oct 7, 2009)

The question is not so much what portion of the story total, as it is how large of a portion can it take at a time.


----------



## CaliaTriss (Oct 8, 2009)

Well, its more of a question of, how long can a story or part of a story get before a viewer looks at it and says "Eh, too long, I'm not reading this, I won't have time." or "Maybe later when I have more time." and then never reading it.
  I have been seriously toying with the idea of having various artists depict part of the story, then I'd upload the commissioned work, and use the part of the story as the image description in the box below.


----------



## GraemeLion (Oct 8, 2009)

Five pages is usually given as the point at which people decide whether they want to continue to read or not.

Around 1000 words or so.    

It can't be "too long" if you have the reader's attention.  This isn't twitter.  

Your goal should be to post as much as you need to to accomplish the story.  If people don't read it, that's on them, not on you.


----------



## TakeWalker (Oct 8, 2009)

Volpino said:


> The question is not so much what portion of the story total, as it is how large of a portion can it take at a time.



Ohh!

Well...

If you don't care about how much your reader wants to read at once, people have posted really really long works to FA before, c.f. Vixyyfox's "Clay Fox" (40 pages) and "Kindling" by Poetigress (33 pages). You've got room to work with.


----------

