Author Topic: Archive of Our Own usage and tips  (Read 3761 times)

Yuuago

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Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« on: April 28, 2022, 01:16:46 PM »
I’ve noticed people occasionally have questions about how to do certain things on Ao3. The threads where this comes up aren’t always the best place for this digression.

The Ao3 FAQ can be impenetrable at times, so let’s help each other figure things out. All questions related to Ao3 functions can go here, as well as things like filtering, tagging advice, etc.
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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2022, 01:24:54 PM »
Great idea Yuuago! Thanks!
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dmeck7755

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2022, 02:41:44 PM »
Thank you!  I think this will be most helpful
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Yuuago

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2022, 08:33:20 PM »
To start, I'd like to share one filtering feature that isn't immediately obvious:

OTP:TRUE - This is a trick for the Sort and Filter bar. If you're browsing within a fandom and put "otp:true" into the "search within results" field, it will bring back works with only one relationship.

More importantly, if you're browsing within a relationship tag and put "otp:true" into "search within results", it will show works where that relationship is the only one tagged.

My top favourite pairing often gets tagged as a background pairing in ensemble works, even if they're only there for a paragraph; but otp:true narrows it down to works that are exclusively about them.
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dmeck7755

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2022, 04:27:42 PM »
Ok second question (The first was answered in prompt of the week ;) )

I tied to make a collection, it would not let me select stories on A03.  (Some were not mine, but the error stated they already existed on A03)
I tried to make a work, figuring I can add stories individually to the work.  I do not know if it would let me add someone else's stuff.

I also tried to make something and add every one as co-authors.  That did not work very well also.  I'd like to make a singe group title to allow other people's work and that allows me to connect different stories to one idea.

Thanks
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lwise

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2022, 05:39:29 PM »
Did you try just adding bookmarks for existing stories?  It looks like you should be able to do that.  Although I don't know what the results would look like.

Actually, I can't even figure out how to add a bookmark to a collection, or even set the fandom.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2022, 05:50:28 PM by lwise »

lwise

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2022, 06:25:52 PM »
I think the way to add a bookmark to a collection is to create a bookmark for your account, then edit it, go down to Add to collections, and type the collection name there.

wavewright62

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2022, 03:06:54 AM »
I tried Yuuago's otp:true tip, which was a new one to me that I was eager to try.  It does work, but I tried it first with a search that I have bookmarked, finding all works for SSSS and some other custom filters.  the Sort and Filter box does not appear in that view, and cannot be used there.  I had to start afresh, selecting the fandom, so I had a Sort and Filter box to work with.
My experiment used the otp:true and F/F category (relationship marker), since I know it's not as widely written for and would have a smaller pool.  It did pick up every work marked F/F (or multi, where F/F was one of the tags given), and picked up works with only one relationship tag.  However, it did not discriminate between & or / relationships, and also included tags like 'Everyone's Paired Off in a Pretty Conventional Way'.  That is only one relationship. 
The otp filter would work best for your actual OTP, where you select that particular relationship as part of the categories.  It worked a lot better, for example, when I unticked F/F and selected Sigrun/Agneta under the Relationships instead.  Bang, 6 works featuring Agenta/Sigrun Eide (hey! including one of yuuago's!).

tl;dr Thanks Yuu!
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Yuuago

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2022, 09:14:57 PM »
Ok second question (The first was answered in prompt of the week ;) )

I tied to make a collection, it would not let me select stories on A03.  (Some were not mine, but the error stated they already existed on A03)
I tried to make a work, figuring I can add stories individually to the work.  I do not know if it would let me add someone else's stuff.

I also tried to make something and add every one as co-authors.  That did not work very well also.  I'd like to make a singe group title to allow other people's work and that allows me to connect different stories to one idea.

Thanks

I think, for what you're trying to do, the easiest option would be to have an open collection (like you have already created) and then get the authors in question to add their works themselves using the "edit work/add to collection" function. But here are some options to add other people's work to collections:

---

To invite someone else's work to a collection:

- Go to the work you want to invite, and scroll to the bottom. Above the comment box, next to "Bookmark" and "Comments", there is a button that says 'Add to collections'. If you select it, a box will come up for you to type the name of your collection in.

- This should send an invitation to the collection, and then the author can either accept or reject it.

Note: Some people always reject collection invitations. This is because having works added to collections gives up a degree of control; collection owners have the ability to hide works or make them anonymous. Obviously in this case you don't need to worry about that, but it's something to keep in mind.

I'm not sure about the error you received saying you couldn't add stories on Ao3 - do you remember anything more about what the error said and which screen you were looking at? I can try to replicate it and see what went wrong.

--

To make a "bookmark collection":

- First, create a regular collection (you already did this).

- Go to the work that you want to add to the bookmark collection. Click the "bookmark" button to create a bookmark.

- At the bottom of the bookmark creation options, there is a section that says "Add to collections". You type in the collection name here. Then save the bookmark as normal.

- This will show up in the "bookmarked items" section of your collection.

A lot of people like this option because it allows collection maintainers to add whatever works they want without requiring action/approval on the author's part, and it doesn't give the collection maintainer any control over the work (so, the work can't be hidden).

--

Co-author function: To my knowledge, you can't add an existing work to another existing work; you can only add authors to one work and then add new material to it as new chapters. It looks like you've already figured this function out.

I think that covers everything, please let me know if there's anything that is unclear or if I misunderstood the question!
« Last Edit: April 30, 2022, 09:18:13 PM by Yuuago »
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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2022, 09:03:43 AM »
Yuu, would you like to repeat the instruction on how to add pictures on AO3? It was just answered elsewhere, but adding it here would make it much easier to find in the future. Just as you planned when you opened this thread :)
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Yuuago

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2022, 11:53:11 AM »
Yuu, would you like to repeat the instruction on how to add pictures on AO3? It was just answered elsewhere, but adding it here would make it much easier to find in the future. Just as you planned when you opened this thread :)

Okay!

Ao3 doesn't host images; it only allows embeds of images hosted somewhere else. So if you want to post art on Ao3, you need to upload it somewhere like PostImages or Imgur first.

To post art as a work on Ao3:

- Upload your art to a site that allows external linking. Then open a new window for Ao3.

- Go to the 'New Work' screen on Ao3 and fill in all of your fandom/character/etc information as normal. I recommend tagging your fanart as 'Art' or 'Fanart', in addition to the usual tags.

- Work Text: This is where your image goes. You have the option of posting with HTML or using the Rich Text editor. Personally, I prefer the HTML editor.

- If you're using HTML: From the Post Image options, copy the coding for "Hotlink for Website" and paste it into the Ao3 box. Or, you can copy the Direct Link and insert it into the Ao3 box using this coding: <img src=DRECTLINKGOESHERE>

- If you're using Rich Text: Copy the Direct Link from the Post Image options. Then on Ao3, select the 'Insert/Edit Image' icon. The Insert/Edit Image box will pop up; the direct link goes into the Source section. Then save.

I hope that's clear!
« Last Edit: May 01, 2022, 12:17:19 PM by Yuuago »
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dmeck7755

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2022, 10:45:05 AM »
i just got a message saying i tried to reset my password in Archive of our Own (Which was not the case)
Is there a way to set up two-factor for this and the forum?
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tehta

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2022, 11:13:29 AM »
dmeck, I got that too! Someone must be trying to hack multiple accounts.
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I don't see any way to set up two-factor. I might file a report with Abuse, though, and see what they say.
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lwise

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2022, 11:32:14 AM »
I got that message too, three times in three minutes.  I did go ahead and change my password to something *really hard* to guess.

Something weird is going on with kudos, too.  In less than 12 hours, 20 "guests" have left kudos on a single work of mine.  While I appreciate the feedback, I'm pretty sure it isn't real, though I can't imagine why anyone would go to this trouble.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2022, 11:39:42 AM by lwise »

tehta

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Re: Archive of Our Own usage and tips
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2022, 11:34:01 AM »
Is it 'MikkelRulez'?

My passwords are always random strings of chars and numbers.

Anyway, it's looking like someone is targeting authors who posted recently?
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