Constant Content

After joining CC a week ago, "zipping" through the TOS and wanting to get started, I submitted my first article and started the infamous "waiting" game. I was checking the status of my article on a "regular" basis (no more than 8 times per hour...) and was getting discouraged that it had been sitting in "review" for 3 days.

With nothing else to do, I started reading the forum. The more I read about "rejections", the more I started worrying about my submission. I went back and took another look at the article and realized it was nowhere NEAR what it needed to be. Now it was decision time - delete the article (and lose 3 days of waiting...) or just let it go and hope Ed would send it back saying it needed a few corrections.

I finally decided to delete it, put it on the back burner and started my second article (which I'm about half way through now) it wasn't easy to actually go ahead and hit the "delete" button - but I do feel a lot better having done it.

I would like to say "Thank You" to the people who have taken the time to post about the mistakes they've made and how things really "need" to be done. I would suggest to anyone who is starting with CC to go ahead and "write" your first article - but do a very thorough reading of the forums BEFORE actually submitting it - it will probably save you a LOT of grief...

That said, I do have a few questions.

1) When I submit an article for "usage, unique and full" rights and the article sells for "usage" I understand I can continue to sell "usage" rights, but can the article still be sold for a "unique or full" sale?

2) On my original article (which I deleted) I used some of the MS Word graphics to make some small "boxes" - when I loaded the preview of the article, those boxes "disappeared" (when I looked at the "preview" of the article) Are those graphics "usable" when we create an article?

3) I have a habit of using "..." in my writing (sometimes to excess) Is there a "name" for this "punctuation"? and is it something I should avoid? Maybe Ed could comment... <example

4) I tend to use two (sometimes three) spaces between sentences within a paragraph. Is this correct or should I just be using one space?

When I first started reading about the rejections and banning of people, I started asking myself if Ed was just a "perfectionist/bastard" but then started seeing why he does what he does - CC would be nothing more than a "zoo" if he were to back off (Thank you for making CC the "professional" site it is Ed...) I sincerely hope I'm able to meet CC's requirements.

Thanks again,

Dennis Martz

Hi Dennis,

Welcome to CC! I'm really glad that you decided to resubmit your first article. It must have been pretty tough to delete it after all your hard work and waiting, but you will feel GREAT about your decision when your article gets accepted! I still get occasional rejections because of carelessness on my part and I always feel terrible to have wasted Ed's time (and my own)! As you get more comfortable with writing for CC and are submitting on a regular basis, you will always have something in the pipeline so that every day brings an acceptance or sale. I know I am telling you what you already figured out on your own, so I'll quit going on about it now and answer your questions...

1. Nope, usage only. This is because if someone purchases unique or full rights, they are paying for the privilege of being the sole published of the article.

2. The preview on the submission page does not show graphics or special characters, but your uploaded document will show everything as long as you use a format others can read. (Don't use docx--that will get your file rejected.)

3. I think the "name" for this "punctuation" is "using quotation marks" to "excess." I don't know just how much you are using them...hopefully not every sentence...but IMHO I would use them sparingly to avoid making the reader think that you are implying the "opposite" of the "quoted words or phrase." (That was "fun.")

4. When content is published online, only one space will show up between sentences because HTML does not automatically recognize extra spaces. Also, the 2 spaces rule is an outdated tradition from the time of ancient printing presses when an additional space was needed for readability. Nowadays, one space is correct and preferred although many people still use two spaces. (And hey, sticking to one space will conserve finger energy!)

Again--a very warm welcome. Good luck on your first article...and if it does for some reason get rejected, let us know the reason and if you need any help proofreading. This is a fantastic, supportive community and when someone takes as much time as you have to learn the guidelines and familiarize yourself with the way things are done here, it is a pretty good sign that you will succeed in the long run! Cheers,

"antonia" (couldn't resist)

DennisMartz wrote: 3) I have a habit of using "..." in my writing (sometimes to excess) Is there a "name" for this "punctuation"? and is it something I should avoid? Maybe Ed could comment... <example

It's called an ellipsis. See http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/ ... lipsis.htm . There are occasions when this punctuation comes handy.

DennisMartz wrote: When I first started reading about the rejections and banning of people, I started asking myself if Ed was just a "perfectionist/bastard" but then started seeing why he does what he does - CC would be nothing more than a "zoo" if he were to back off (Thank you for making CC the "professional" site it is Ed...) I sincerely hope I'm able to meet CC's requirements.

I think it was Celeste who wrote in another post that Ed doesn't arbitrarily reject submissions -- and I completely agree! If Ed rejects an article, there is something wrong with it and you'll do well to go back to your article and give it a thorough reading.

Welcome to CC, Dennis!

~Sherry

Dennis,

The use of the dot-dot-dot is an ellipsis (plural: ellipses). Unless it indicates truncation within a quote, is usually isn't appropriate for articles submitted to CC because otherwise, it indicates unfinished speech. Writers should always complete their thoughts. If a pause or connection between thoughts is required, more appropriate punctuation should be used. They should be written dot-space-dot-space-dot-space.

Most sources discuss the ellipsis when it is used to indicate ommission from a quote. The following is a long-winded but potentially useful discussion about the ellipsis as it is used in other situations, like email:
http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ellipsis.aspx

Usually a full space between paragraphs is plenty. This is important because the reader must be able to tell where one paragraph ends and where one begins. More spaces aren't necessary.

The boxes you created should have showed up in your original file, but no, they won't show up in the preview.

" . . . but then started seeing why he does what he does - CC would be nothing more than a 'zoo' if he were to back off."

Thanks,
Ed

Once an article is sold under the usage license, it can continue to be sold under that license, but it won't be able to be sold under any of the other licenses.

Sorry Dennis--I completely misunderstood your question 3 (as was obvious from my answer)--just one of those wool-headed days! *blushing* I'm glad that Ed and Sherry were able to give you the answer you were looking for.

Antonia,

Not to worry - the whips and chains have all been put away for the night...

Dennis