

                 A Writer's Guide to DREADLoC

   This article is intended to illustrate exactly how material
should be written for DREADLoC.  Articles written for DREADLoC
must follow these guidelines to insure uniformity and
compatability.  It also makes my job (HOOPTiE) a hell of a lot
easier when compiling the magazine.

   FORMATTING THE TEXT:  First of all, look at the margins (if
you are now in the DREADLoC Interface).  The longest lines is
65 characters.  This is one of the most important rules.  If a
line goes past the 65th character, you run the risk of over-
writing the ansi display.  Also, look at the seperation of 
paragraphs.  The first line is indented three (3) spaces and
there is one blank line between each one.

        Key Formatting Point:
          - No lines longer than 65 character
          - Indent each paragraph 3 spaces
          - Double space between paragraphs.

   PUNCTUATION:  This is primarily common sence.  Everyone 
writing SHOULD know where commas, semi-colons, apostrophies, 
etc belong.  Make sure you make good use of them your articles 
are clear and understandable.  Furthermore, make sure there are
two spaces after each period, and one space after commas, etc.

   GRAMMAR:  Once again, grammar is simply a great deal
common sence.  Try to avoid colloquialisms and cliches as much
as possible unless they are artfully deployed and used sparingly.
Make sure to use transitional phrases where they apply and don't
leave your participles hanging (ending a paragraph in a
prepostion).

   VOCABULARY:  I won't chastise anyone for their command of the 
English language; however, if you are an articulate author,
please let your writing reflect it.

   The punctuation, grammar, and vocabulary guidelines are
primarily to maintain the writer's image as an authority.
If your article is filled with grammatical and punctuational
errors or overloaded with colloquialisms (as if used in
conversational English), readers tend to disregard the person's
opinion due to the low-level of writing skills.  In short, don't
talk to the readers, write your opinion conclusively and try to
pursuade the reader into your point of view.

   TRANSMITTING THE ARTICLE:  If you are local to 915, simply UL
your article on Digital Disturance.  If you are not an active
user on that board, then you need to look at the type of user
you are and what kind of boards you call.  If you are not local
to 915 (as most of you are not), there are several ways to send 
an article to me.  

   1.  You may do a normal UL or send NetMail to System Crash,
DREADLoC Distribution HQ.  I log onto that system about once
per week and can pick things up at that time.

   2.  Around February 1, 1994, my friend's and I are going to
be putting up a 4 node, OBV/2 board here in 915 to serve as the
DREADLoC WHQ.  When the board is up, you may send it there.

   3.  I am willing to call you and poll your system (through a
front-end mailer) or log onto your board and pick the file up
if you cannot call LD to get the article to me.  If you run a 
board without FD, I will coordinate with you about an account
name and password (so I don't have to go through the new user
application process).

   GAME REVIEWS:  The same guidelines apply to game-reviewer as
they do for authors, the only difference is that you will have
an additional responsibility to complete an evaluation sheet
as well.  Before you review a game, please read the "Game Review
Definitions" so that everyone evalutes new games with some kind
of uniformity.

   When writing your reviews, comments are required for all areas
of evaluation if they received less-than or greater-than average
scores (ie, you don't need to explain an average install).  If 
you thought something was "Shitty", "Operational", "Pretty Good" 
or "Epic", tell people why.  In other words, I don't really care 
how you rate the games as long as you explain your position.

   ANSI REVIEWS:  The epitomy of what I am looking for in the
ANSI Review Department is shown in Alter Ego's evaluations in
the first issue of DREADLoC.  He did a truly OUTSTANDING job;
and, all ANSI reviews should be simular to it.  I was originally
going to compile a list of the best three; however, Alter Ego's
format of picking the best ansi in each pack is even a better
idea.

   NEW GROUP REVIEWS:  I started thinking about it; and here is
what I would like to see for a new group review.

        1.  An interview with the Founder or Senior Staff member
            is manditory.

        2.  I want to have comments about (at least) 50% of the
            members such as what they are doing, what their
            strong points are, maybe something funny that they
            did, something about their personality, etc.
            Personify the name with a description.

        3.  What the group's current projects are, future goals,
            greatest accomplishments, etc.

        4.  Examples of the group's best works (literature or 
            ansi only).  Later versions of the interface will
            have an option to view ansi's attached to that
            story (for this, ansi reviews, lit reviews, etc).

   As you can see, most of this information can be obtained from
the Founder or Sr. Staff members.  Not all of it is manditory; 
however, I think that it would add depth to the article and 
promote the new group better.


