13. How should I format my text file?
Plain text: If possible, save your text file as Text Only. (If you have a choice between Text Only and Text Only with Line Breaks, choose the Text Only option. Text Only with Line Breaks makes for a very messy archived story.) Do not include HTML tags. Every line of text should begin flush with the left margin. Hit an extra return between paragraphs so each paragraph will be separated by a blank line.
Story Headers: Put all your normal story header info first, then put a blank line and then *** (three asterisks) which will be converted to a horizontal line when the story is archived. This will separate the headers from the text of your story. Then a blank line and then the first line of your story.
Italics: To make a word italicized, surround it in *asterisks*. The posting interface will convert it to italics. This will only work for one paragraph at a time. You must put an asterisk in front of the first letter of the paragraph and directly after the period. If you have several paragraphs that have hard returns, you must put an asterisk at the beginning and end of each paragraph.
Bold: To make a word bold, put it in all CAPS on its own line. The posting interface will convert it to
BOLD.
Please note that in your HTML file the archive generates, the bolded word will remain on its own line and in CAPS.
Underlines: To underline text, simply surround the area to be underlined in _underscores_. This will convert everything between the underscores to underlined text.
Dividing lines: To make a horizontal line like this:
Insert three asterisks in row like this:
***
Last line: The last line of text in your story file should be "The End" and whatever notes or info you want after that. The Posting Interface will add your name, e-mail address and a link back to the Archive front door. The mailing list template will get "##THE END##" tacked onto it.
