Post by Chloe (admin) on Dec 1, 2021 15:24:19 GMT
Hello!
• What are the origins of Pure Drama, and what was Writers Express?
Writers Express was the previous incarnation of Pure Drama. It was launched on 2nd August 2011, and quickly gained a cult following. The original aim of WX (or as it was sometimes known, WXF - Writers Express Forum) was for members to collaborate on and eventually launch a forum soap opera. This involved a huge amount of ideas and discussion, but ultimately lead to the project, known as Belleview, ending up in 'development hell' and unable to form cohesively. In the end though, this did not prove to be a barrier as forum members had started to launch their own projects, many of which continued for some years. By the end of 2011, an admin team consisting of three forum members had formed, but by early 2012, two of these had bowed out from the forum completely. Through negotiation, the admin of the forum was left solely to Chloe.
Subsequently, Chloe took over all admin duties and renamed the forum Writers Express. WX's peak years were between 2011 and 2016, after which it endured a slow and steady decline. As long-running projects were cancelled or simply ended, they were generally not being replaced on the forum by new ones which endured, further contributing to its decline. In addition, following the launch of a new version of Proboards, the use of various services to support forum images (some of which had ceased to exist) and many revamps and redesigns - including a complete name change to 'Lit' in 2018 before reverting back to Writers Express - the forum had become a complicated mess of errors, broken links and assorted issues. Attempts had been made at sorting it out, but admin Chloe began to feel the task was so monumental - and the problems so deep-rooted - that she half-jokingly thought it might be easier just to restart the forum from scratch...
"I wasn't particularly serious about starting over at first" explains Chloe herself. "It was meant to be just an experiment; playing around with ideas and seeing what they might look like outside of my head. So the first issue was, what would I call it? Whilst the decision to opt for Writers Express was unanimously agreed back in the day, it was originally me who came up with that name. In a way it was a curse and a blessing! It perfectly described what we were about as a forum, and absolutely right for us at the time and in the years that followed. But in time I found that Writers Express was difficult to use in a graphic design sense, because it's quite long and the letters weren't the friendliest from a design point of view."
"Some may feel the content of the forum is more important, but to an extent I disagree. A forum that looks and feels impressive and approachable is more likely to attract people and keep them interested. In any case, I wanted to change the name to something that was graphically more sympathetic, something catchy, something different, but still something that sums up the main purpose of the forum. And after a bit of a think, 'Pure Drama' just jumped out at me, really! It instantly felt right, so that's what I went with."
So with that out of the way, what elements would come next?
"Modernisation. Sadly Writers Express had become quite dated, and what I really wanted to see happen with PD was a much more modern and contemporary approach to things. We're all fans of TV and that idea was explored on a discussion forum on WX to some extent, but never really developed beyond something basic. The Feedback Diary we had was a good idea for a few years but became increasingly irrelevant as projects began to dwindle. The whole model of WX was based on something that worked in 2011, when it was launched, but today seems tired and irrelevant.
So with that out of the way, what elements would come next?
"Modernisation. Sadly Writers Express had become quite dated, and what I really wanted to see happen with PD was a much more modern and contemporary approach to things. We're all fans of TV and that idea was explored on a discussion forum on WX to some extent, but never really developed beyond something basic. The Feedback Diary we had was a good idea for a few years but became increasingly irrelevant as projects began to dwindle. The whole model of WX was based on something that worked in 2011, when it was launched, but today seems tired and irrelevant.
So some of the ideas on PD aimed to remedy that, to be fresh and exciting, and to feel like something fit for today. In turn this would stimulate forum growth and more exciting new concepts in terms of project material as well! But it makes sense to have strong discussion forums, because many of us on here have known each other for years, so there is a bond there. But at the same time we are not cliquey - it's always nice to welcome new members who bring a fresh energy."
• What are the different areas of the forum and where are they?
Pure Drama is designed to be as straightforward and easy to navigate as possible. So, without wanting to sound unhelpful, it is best to just have a look around and find out where things are yourself. Every section is pretty self-explanatory, and usually contains a thread that explains the purpose of that particular section and where to find things. But if in doubt, all our members are friendly and helpful! Either post a thread or ask your question in the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum, and someone will help.
• Why do forum members have their own boards?
Things were organised more broadly on Writers Express, but ultimately this was wasteful and made things more difficult to access than was necessary. So on Pure Drama, everyone has their own personal board, used mainly for projects but they can post anything they like on there, as long as those things adhere to the rules (see below). The only exception is the Teams board, which is for projects only, developed by more than one forum member. In response to member feedback however, the personal boards are more of an archive of inactive projects from the past. All current projects appear on the front page at the bottom of the forum as in the past.
• Why is feedback consolidated into single posts?
Having all the feedback in one post rather than scattered about is more efficient and accessible. It also saves readers having to wade through old feedback in order to access newer episodes, and they can avoid spoilers as they know spoilers will only appear in feedback, unless signposted in other posts by the project author/s. In response to member feedback however, only old feedback appears in the consolidated posts. Recent feedback appears at or towards the end of a thread. Once that post seems unlikely to receive any new feedback, the feedback is then transferred to the consolidated feedback post relevant to the episode.
• Can I suggest a new board or category?
Yes, absolutely! We will always welcome realistic and sensible ideas for new boards or categories. Once one is created, we also welcome ideas for any extra things that could be added to that board or section. In addition, you are free to make rule-adherent new threads in non-project categories and boards any time you like, without prior permission. Please note though that boards that prove to be less popular than anticipated will be demoted to threads. This is to maintain the efficiency of the forum as a whole.
• Why are some members marked as Admins, but others not?
When old projects from the old forum were reproduced to this forum, it created a quandry - how would transferring forum members be able to edit their material anymore, when historical projects had been reproduced by the forum's chief admin (Chloe) rather than them? So Chloe decided to grant admin status to all previous Writers Express members, so that they could still edit their old material. In spite of this however, Chloe generally remains the only active Admin.
This is because with such a small membership, the forum only really needs one admin to run smoothly, but also because other members do not know how Proboards works, and therefore cannot carry out the functions needed to be an admin. They are however more than welcome to seek advice on how to do this. Nevertheless, being an Admin is a trusted status and a privelege, and any members with Admin status must not deliberately or regularly breach forum rules. In response to forum behaviour however, only members with active projects are granted Admin status. This status may be partial or full depending on circumstances, at the discretion of Chloe (admin), in accordance with forum rules. Speaking of which...
• What are the different areas of the forum and where are they?
Pure Drama is designed to be as straightforward and easy to navigate as possible. So, without wanting to sound unhelpful, it is best to just have a look around and find out where things are yourself. Every section is pretty self-explanatory, and usually contains a thread that explains the purpose of that particular section and where to find things. But if in doubt, all our members are friendly and helpful! Either post a thread or ask your question in the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum, and someone will help.
• Why do forum members have their own boards?
Things were organised more broadly on Writers Express, but ultimately this was wasteful and made things more difficult to access than was necessary. So on Pure Drama, everyone has their own personal board, used mainly for projects but they can post anything they like on there, as long as those things adhere to the rules (see below). The only exception is the Teams board, which is for projects only, developed by more than one forum member. In response to member feedback however, the personal boards are more of an archive of inactive projects from the past. All current projects appear on the front page at the bottom of the forum as in the past.
• Why is feedback consolidated into single posts?
Having all the feedback in one post rather than scattered about is more efficient and accessible. It also saves readers having to wade through old feedback in order to access newer episodes, and they can avoid spoilers as they know spoilers will only appear in feedback, unless signposted in other posts by the project author/s. In response to member feedback however, only old feedback appears in the consolidated posts. Recent feedback appears at or towards the end of a thread. Once that post seems unlikely to receive any new feedback, the feedback is then transferred to the consolidated feedback post relevant to the episode.
• Can I suggest a new board or category?
Yes, absolutely! We will always welcome realistic and sensible ideas for new boards or categories. Once one is created, we also welcome ideas for any extra things that could be added to that board or section. In addition, you are free to make rule-adherent new threads in non-project categories and boards any time you like, without prior permission. Please note though that boards that prove to be less popular than anticipated will be demoted to threads. This is to maintain the efficiency of the forum as a whole.
• Why are some members marked as Admins, but others not?
When old projects from the old forum were reproduced to this forum, it created a quandry - how would transferring forum members be able to edit their material anymore, when historical projects had been reproduced by the forum's chief admin (Chloe) rather than them? So Chloe decided to grant admin status to all previous Writers Express members, so that they could still edit their old material. In spite of this however, Chloe generally remains the only active Admin.
This is because with such a small membership, the forum only really needs one admin to run smoothly, but also because other members do not know how Proboards works, and therefore cannot carry out the functions needed to be an admin. They are however more than welcome to seek advice on how to do this. Nevertheless, being an Admin is a trusted status and a privelege, and any members with Admin status must not deliberately or regularly breach forum rules. In response to forum behaviour however, only members with active projects are granted Admin status. This status may be partial or full depending on circumstances, at the discretion of Chloe (admin), in accordance with forum rules. Speaking of which...
• What are the forum rules?
Our forum is a friendly community designed for any member or guest to have a go at creating fiction, maybe with the aim of going further in writing, or just doing it as a hobby. This applies to all areas of the forum, and it is important that everyone on the forum feels secure and happy, and has a mutual understanding of how it all works. In order for this to happen, we ask that you abide by the following guidelines:
• RESPECT
You are free to discuss anyone's ideas, opinions, likes and dislikes, so long as this is done constructively and mutually. 'I think your project could have a little more of this and perhaps a little less of that' is polite and constructive. 'Your project is heading for big trouble, to be honest' etc. is not. Such posts will be removed or amended without warning. If you feel a forumer's criticism has been unduly harsh - rude, pedantic or just generally a bit 'off' - you are entitled to complain to Chloe (admin), but please do so via Private Message and not in a thread, on the Shoutbox or any other area of the forum.
Conversely, it is not your place to tell people you do not like their opinions if their feedback has been negative but constructive. Assume that all feedback, positive or negative, is given in good faith and try to take it the same way. Free speech is most welcome on our forum, but know the boundaries, whichever side of the fence you are on. We are amateur writers, and as such we should all be here to support each other. You may have absolutely hated an episode, but remember there is a human being on the other side of the keyboard who has feelings. Imagine if it was your writing being harshly criticised by someone else.
If you are catching up on a project and need to post feedback about more than one episode, please post your feedback in individual posts or paragraphs for each episode - for example for 'Episode 27' feedback, and one for 'Episode 28'.
If you are catching up on a project and need to post feedback about more than one episode, please post your feedback in individual posts or paragraphs for each episode - for example for 'Episode 27' feedback, and one for 'Episode 28'.
If you have Admin rights, please post a feedback post after each project article or episode you publish using the designated Feedback post template for each episode. This can be found in the second post on this thread. If you need help with this or would like it done for you, please ask. You do not have to add the template immediately, but straight after you publish a project article or episode, please at least publish a feedback post after as a placeholder, which could say something like 'to be added' or 'feedback placeholder' etc. to be updated at a later time.
If you do not have Admin rights, straight after you publish a project article or episode, please at publish a feedback post after as a placeholder, which could say something like 'to be added' or 'feedback placeholder' etc. to be updated at a later time.
Familiarity with other forumers is also something you should consider. Members may be happy to discuss their views and opinions on things, but do not necessarily want to to discuss more personal interests, such as their sexuality or where they live. As our members may occasionally be under 16 (but no younger than 13, in accordance with Proboards rules), we have a duty to look out for their welfare, and they in turn have a right to feel safe. If you are between 13 and 16 and feel uncomfortable in any way about the way you are being engaged with by another forumer - either directly or indirectly - please send a PM to Chloe (admin) as soon as possible and this will be treated very seriously and dealt with quickly.
If you are told by a forumer that they do not wish to discuss personal details with you, nor do they want to receive messages from you, please respect that. If you do not, you may be deemed to be harrassing a member, in which case you may be reported to Proboards and possibly to relevant authorities and agencies as well. Such behaviour is not tolerated, so please give this careful consideration.
If you are told by a forumer that they do not wish to discuss personal details with you, nor do they want to receive messages from you, please respect that. If you do not, you may be deemed to be harrassing a member, in which case you may be reported to Proboards and possibly to relevant authorities and agencies as well. Such behaviour is not tolerated, so please give this careful consideration.
NB: Spambots will be banned immediately and permanently. Please report any spam or spambots you come across.
• PARTICIPATION
As a member of our forum, we ask that you participate actively, either by way of feedbacking people's material, or posting your own material. You do not have to have any projects running though - even just feedbacking other projects is always warmly welcomed, or creating or participating in discussion threads. However, members who join but then never use their accounts (zero posts) will likely be deleted sooner or later.
• PARTICIPATION
As a member of our forum, we ask that you participate actively, either by way of feedbacking people's material, or posting your own material. You do not have to have any projects running though - even just feedbacking other projects is always warmly welcomed, or creating or participating in discussion threads. However, members who join but then never use their accounts (zero posts) will likely be deleted sooner or later.
Feedback is vital to the forum, and we encourage you to give as well as receive feedback at regular intervals. Some people prefer to give a block of feedback every few weeks, some more often. Either way, failure to do so at all may result in people not giving you feedback when you want it. More on this is explained in your Feedback Record, a thread posted to every forum member. To see how this works, simply click on any forum member's personal board and check out their Feedback Record.
• LANGUAGE
In accordance with Proboards rules, not only must members be no younger than 13, but all forum material and language - whether real or fictitious - must be suitable for readers as young as 13. As such, very explicit or sexual language or imagery is not allowed. Mild to moderate profanity is fine, but if in doubt, asterisk it out*. Scenes of a romantic or sexual nature, or involving hard drug use or violence etc., should not be too detailed but descriptive enough that readers understand what is happening. Basically, try and figure out a middle ground; this site is not adults only but 13 is old enough to expect some reasonably graphic material. If in doubt, again please just ask
• DISCLAIMERS
Occasionally, project episodes will come with disclaimers at the top, to inform readers to expect that episode to contain material which some readers may find offensive (because the material covers controversial issues such as racism or homophobia), or else triggering (because the material covers emotive issue such as suicide or eating disorders, or broader factors such as sex or violence).
• LANGUAGE
In accordance with Proboards rules, not only must members be no younger than 13, but all forum material and language - whether real or fictitious - must be suitable for readers as young as 13. As such, very explicit or sexual language or imagery is not allowed. Mild to moderate profanity is fine, but if in doubt, asterisk it out*. Scenes of a romantic or sexual nature, or involving hard drug use or violence etc., should not be too detailed but descriptive enough that readers understand what is happening. Basically, try and figure out a middle ground; this site is not adults only but 13 is old enough to expect some reasonably graphic material. If in doubt, again please just ask
• DISCLAIMERS
Occasionally, project episodes will come with disclaimers at the top, to inform readers to expect that episode to contain material which some readers may find offensive (because the material covers controversial issues such as racism or homophobia), or else triggering (because the material covers emotive issue such as suicide or eating disorders, or broader factors such as sex or violence).
Both guests and forum members will be aware that Proboards is for those aged 13 and over. As a writing forum not aimed at children, readers can reasonably expect material to occasionally be triggering, controversial or in some way challenging. As such, disclaimers are not compulsory but advisory.
If you feel the forum age limit alone sufficiently covers what readers can expect, do not use disclaimers if you do not want to. A compromise option might be to state at the very beginning of your thread that your project will occasionally contain triggering material, without needing to use specific disclaimers in specific episodes. Others will take the view that it is sensitive and empathetic to use disclaimers in specific episodes based on the content.
So this one is up to you. Our advice, and it is only advice, is to always use disclaimers where sensitive material is concerned.
• AVATARS, BANNERS, POSTS & SHOUTS
The same rules apply to all avatars, banners, posts and shouts. When messaging on the Shoutbox (where all Shouts are found), please keep posts efficient, i.e. avoid saying in two posts what could be said in one. The same applies to Posts. Avatars and Banners are sometimes used to promote projects by forum members. In such cases, please keep these up to date and relevant, for the sake of guests and other forumers alike.
• AVATARS, BANNERS, POSTS & SHOUTS
The same rules apply to all avatars, banners, posts and shouts. When messaging on the Shoutbox (where all Shouts are found), please keep posts efficient, i.e. avoid saying in two posts what could be said in one. The same applies to Posts. Avatars and Banners are sometimes used to promote projects by forum members. In such cases, please keep these up to date and relevant, for the sake of guests and other forumers alike.
For example, an avatar or banner promoting a project as if it were still active, when it has long since finished or been abandoned, is not relevant and will be replaced by a generic ID avatar without warning. In any case, all accounts come with generic Pure Drama avatars. You may replace these with any image you wish, as long as that image adheres to the rules already set out.
• PROJECT OUTPUT
We welcome both new and existing projects enthusiastically, whatever form they take, and in that sense all projects are taken seriously. We also welcome and encourage forumers to produce regular episodes, as this encourages loyalty both to the project and the forum. However, we are a small forum and several projects will also want a look in in terms of feedback.
• PROJECT OUTPUT
We welcome both new and existing projects enthusiastically, whatever form they take, and in that sense all projects are taken seriously. We also welcome and encourage forumers to produce regular episodes, as this encourages loyalty both to the project and the forum. However, we are a small forum and several projects will also want a look in in terms of feedback.
For this reason, we advise you not to produce large numbers of episodes regularly. Not only does this put other projects at a disadvantage feedback-wise, but it actually makes it less likely your project will receive feedback, because people cannot keep pace with it. We no longer limit how many episodes you publish, how frequently or how long they are. But too much too often is likely to put people off.
• EPISODE LENGTH
Most project episodes will be intended as being around 25-30 minutes in length as if they were on television. However sometimes there will be 'one-hour' episodes or even feature length episodes. We no longer set any limits on this but bear in mind, however long the duration of an episode is, very long episodes - especially on a regular basis - are likely to put readers off. The easiest way to remedy this is to use more non-verbal dialogue to describe what is happening in a scene, rather than actual dialogue, which takes up the bulk of an episode.
• EPISODE LENGTH
Most project episodes will be intended as being around 25-30 minutes in length as if they were on television. However sometimes there will be 'one-hour' episodes or even feature length episodes. We no longer set any limits on this but bear in mind, however long the duration of an episode is, very long episodes - especially on a regular basis - are likely to put readers off. The easiest way to remedy this is to use more non-verbal dialogue to describe what is happening in a scene, rather than actual dialogue, which takes up the bulk of an episode.
However it is entirely up to you how long your episodes are. Regardless though, even if your episode is long, please do not split it into parts. If there is a special reason you need to do this, please contact Chloe (admin) via PM.
• PROJECT PRESENTATION
Please maintain the presentation of your project so that is accessible to all readers. Missing graphics, broken links and spelling and grammar mistakes set a poor example and should be corrected. In addition to this, your project should be easy to read. Pure Drama is in a long-term process of developing an archive of every single image on the forum, so if yours goes AWOL, please let us know (if we do not spot it first!) and we can supply you with a copy. Additionally, if you can supply historic images yourself, we warmly welcome these via PM!
Colour schemes in the main body of project episodes should be either uniform (one colour throughout) or binary (two alternating colours). You may however use more than two colours in non-episode threads, headlines, sub-headlines, content disclaimers and so on. This is to ensure material looks consistent across the forum, and is easy to read. In addition, do not make text too large or too small; this will be amended by Admin. Equally, images should not be tiny or massive, but an appropriate size for the thread. Again, these will be amended if not.
• PROJECT PRESENTATION
Please maintain the presentation of your project so that is accessible to all readers. Missing graphics, broken links and spelling and grammar mistakes set a poor example and should be corrected. In addition to this, your project should be easy to read. Pure Drama is in a long-term process of developing an archive of every single image on the forum, so if yours goes AWOL, please let us know (if we do not spot it first!) and we can supply you with a copy. Additionally, if you can supply historic images yourself, we warmly welcome these via PM!
Colour schemes in the main body of project episodes should be either uniform (one colour throughout) or binary (two alternating colours). You may however use more than two colours in non-episode threads, headlines, sub-headlines, content disclaimers and so on. This is to ensure material looks consistent across the forum, and is easy to read. In addition, do not make text too large or too small; this will be amended by Admin. Equally, images should not be tiny or massive, but an appropriate size for the thread. Again, these will be amended if not.
non-Main body text, such as headlines, sub-headlines and content disclaimer banners, can be any colour, however they must not be too dark, and the same goes for the main body of episode threads. Please use lighter colours only. Colours which are too dark will be lightened, or if garish will be softened.
Massive paragraphs of text are intimidating! Please split these up at regular intervals. If you use a binary colour scheme, readers will easily be able to discern that you have split an existing scene rather than moved on to a new one. If you use a uniform colour, you can indicate in other ways that you have inserted a paragraph but not moved on to a new scene, such as using a Horizontal Rule line after each scene, bullet points at the beginning and/or end of a scene, or ellipsis (...).
Whatever you do or do not do in regards to this layout however is entirely at your discretion.
Please do not put sub-posts in Episode threads, unless at the beginning or end of that thread. The routine format of Episode threads should be Episode/Feedback/Episode/Feedback etc. For example if you have a post about Spoilers, do not randomly post these in an Episode thread, create a Spoilers thread instead or add them to a pre-existing thread, such as News & Spoilers. Innappropriate sub-posts will be moved or deleted.
Links to music videos should not be displayed as text or hyperlinks without a video; please post the video itself, using the Video tags and Centre tags, at the earliest opportunity in your post after the song is mentioned. If the video contains explicit content, that is not our responsibility or yours as it is from a third-party site. However, it may be sensitive to signpost the video as explicit if you wish to. If the video is removed for some reason, try and find an alternative. If you cannot, you may simply insert the name of the song in a paragraph of your episode instead.
The default forum typeface is called Avenir Next Cyr Light, which is the one you're reading right now! We use this one because its clarity and roundness make it very easy to read. Other fonts we use regularly are Avenir Next Cyr Medium, Antonio and Montsserat. Below is a table of common fonts, and in each cell will be the symbols Y (for Yes) and N (for No). Fonts marked Y can be used, but it may depend on the context.
For example, a font may be Y for headlines but an N for main body text, meaning you can use that font in headlines but not in main body text. This list is not exhaustive; it mainly includes typefaces Pure Drama generally feels is most appropriate for the forum. If you cannot see the name of a font and you feel the font you want to use should be on the list, please say so in a reply to this thread, and it will be given due consideration:
TYPEFACE | HEADLINES ETC. | MAIN BODY TEXT |
Antonio | Y | N |
Arial | Y | Y |
Arial Black | Y | N |
Arial Narrow | Y | Y |
Avenir Next Cyr Heavy | Y | N |
Avenir Next Cyr Light | Y | Y |
Avenir Next Cyr Medium | Y | N |
Bank Gothic | Y | N |
Calibri & Calibri Light | Y | Y |
Comspot (all varieties) | Y | Y (except Black or Medium) |
Consistency Measures | Y | N |
Corbel & Corbel Light | Y | Y |
Eras ITC (all varieties) | Y | Y (except Bold & Demi) |
Georgia | Y | N |
GeoSans Light | Y | Y |
Gill Sans MS (all varieties) | Y | N |
Gilroy Extra Bold | Y | N |
Gilroy Light | Y | Y |
Helvetica | Y | Y |
Helvetica Black | Y | N |
Impact | Y | N |
Montserrat (all varieties) | Y | N (except Light & Medium) |
Nirmala UI | Y | Y |
Open Sans (all varieties except Condensed Light) | Y | Y (except Extra Bold & Semi Bold) |
Segoe UI (all varieties) | Y | Y (except Black & Semi Bold) |
Steppers | Y | N |
Ubuntu (all varieties) | Y | Y |
Verdana | Y | Y |
Walkway (all varieties) | Y | Y (except Black) |
Fonts can be entered manually into your code. Just type the font name you want, using spaces if it consists of more than one word, in a font face tag, in lower case:
In addition, fonts should not be too small. Generally speaking, headlines, sub-headlines and other labels should be around Size 5 or 6, with main body text Size 4.
All project posts must adhere to these basic layouts. We are not trying to interfere or undermine your projects, but instead creating a uniform look across the forum which is consistent and accessible. This is especially important for our neurodiverse members, as we as a forum strongly believe in and endore equality and diversity. We will not amend any of your content unless it breaches Proboards rules, e.g. language that is too explicit for Proboards.
• PROJECT EPISODE NUMBERING ETIQUETTE
Minor variations may be permitted, but generally speaking all project episodes should use the standard Pure Drama format in the Subject bar:
1. UPS AND DOWNS (S01E01)
This is to provide consistency across the forum, and make episodes easy to find. The one exception is if your project is a one-shot, in which case it does not require numbering.
The opening post of any episodes thread should be a disclaimer with the project's title or title card in, which season/series it is and which episodes that season/series consists of. This is to clearly signpost for other readers, but also to avoid confusion between episode numbers and season/series numbers.
• THREAD ETIQUETTE
Please refrain from chaotic boards and keep threads organised and in good order. Try to consolidate threads where realistic and keep them to a minimum. For example, a 'News & Spoilers' thread should not be split into seperate seasons/series or years etc; keep them altogether in one thread.
Please let Chloe (admin) know if you are changing the name of an episode thread or the name of your board. This changes hyperlinks as well which may be significant in other areas of your board. We need to know if you do this so we can update these hyperlinks accordingly; this avoids members clicking on broken links.
• TBPs (Text Based Projects)
Exactly what it says on the tin! If you're not one for fancy graphics, or you deliberately want to create a project that is visually pared down, then try a TBP. TBPs involve little or no graphics - it's all about the content! Whilst the majority of members do use graphics, it is not an expectation or a rule. A number of projects in the past with little or no graphics have been very popular, so graphics are no guarantee of success anyway. Ultimately, it is the quality of your project that matters most.
• FAN FICTION ETIQUETTE
Please note that on Pure Drama, the terms 'fan fic', 'fan fiction' and 'fantasy' are not the norm. Instead, your username is used as a prefix. For example, we do not have 'Lisa's Fantasy EastEnders' or 'Lisa's Fan Fic EastEnders' - instead we have simply 'Lisa's EastEnders'. If there is more than one person on the forum with the same name, this would be something like 'Lisa B's EastEnders' and 'Lisa G's EastEnders'.
As each forum member is made a moderator of their own boards, it is best to split your board up into several threads - for example, one thread for Episodes, one for Features and one for Cast. NB: you do not need Moderator status if you are an Admin, as mod rights automatically come with that role. Also anyone who is not an Admin is a Mod
• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Projects authored by forumers - whether past or present - are the intellectual property of those individual forumers. You are not permitted to plagiarise them in any way, shape or form. Projects belong exclusively and entirely to their authors, which may consist of one member or a team (more than one member). An exception to this rule is any project which appears on the Archive board. Since such projects are unlikely to return to the forum, their authors have sacrificed those projects as their own intellectual property, and therefore that content has become the intellectual property of Pure Drama by default. As such, you are entitled to use any material from that board and do with it as you wish. No authorisation is needed, but please ask if you are unsure.
In some cases, a project may have been authored by more than one forumer (team project); one of those forumers might still be active, whereas one or more of the other forumers may be inactive. So whose intellectual property are such projects? One example is 'Y Stryd O Straeon', a defunct soap opera. This was authored by two forumers, Lem and Ross. However, Lem left the forum years ago and is uncontactable. Therefore, 'Y Stryd O Straeon' is now the intellectual property of only Ross.
In some cases, you may be able to adapt or remake a defunct project that belongs to specific forumers. However, you must ask their permission, and they must consent. Chloe (admin) will check with both parties in such instances. If the project you want permission to remake or adapt was authored by a team, contact those who are still active forumers for consent. Projects in the Archive by authors who are no longer forum members are completely fair game.
• POSTING IN THE RIGHT PLACE
Please read board, sub-board and thread titles carefully to ensure your posts are put in the right category or on the right board. They may be moved without warning if they are not. If you are not sure, ask any member of our famously friendly forum and they will happily assist you. In most cases, posts or threads in the wrong place will simply be relocated. If in doubt, ask in the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum.
• MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS
Multiple accounts are not allowed. Members found to have created a second/alias account will be warned and the alias account deleted. Repeatedly posting multiple accounts is spamming, and will potentially result in a permanent ban. We check IP addresses and such so save yourself and us all the effort, please!
• GOING OFF-TOPIC
Please try and keep your discussion relevant to what you are discussing.
• TEAM PROJECTS
Please note that, in the case of projects in which more than one forumer is involved, all characters, storylines, spoilers and related paraphernalia, are the intellectual property of the team, and not of an individual (unless the team themselves agree for this to be the case). Should a member of that project be asked to leave, or choose to leave, they may not then remove their characters and plots from the project because those ideas now fall under the responsibility of its remaining members.
• PURE DRAMA: EXTERNAL ELEMENTS
Pure Drama has several external elements, which are hotlinked on the navigation bar at the top of the forum. These are a Twitter account, a wiki and a chatroom. Please note though that the same forum rules apply to all these elements as well. However, rules about bad language and mature content do not apply to external elements of Pure Drama, as these are only applicable within the constraints of Proboards' own rules. We are in no way responsible for third-party content of any kind
• TROLLING
Please note, we are a warm and friendly forum. Rudeness, off-handedness and general unpleasantness is not acceptable in any way, and may result in a ban in the worst instance. This includes a wide-range of disruptive behaviour, such as the following:
1.1 | 'Deliberately' trolling people with inflammatory, abusive, intimidating or offensive language or behaviour. This may not include the subsequent responses of the 'victim', unless their response is deemed to be excessively abusive. However, their emotional state at the time will be taken into consideration
1.2 | Direct or indirect plagiarism - direct meaning obvious and deliberate, indirect meaning you appear to have plagiarised material, as observed by one or more forumers. Whilst plagiarism of real-world material (such as a real-world soap opera like Coronation Street, excluding fan fics) will simply be deleted without warning, Admin takes a particularly dim view of plagiarising other, completely original Pure Drama projects. This shows a lack of respect for other forum members and projects, which is why it is considered 'trolling'; and also infers that you do not take your writing seriously, which is at odds with this forum's general integrity. 'Plagiarism' on this forum means of written material. Some projects may have similar imagery, layouts or colour schemes, which is generally not an issue unless very obviously trying to look or otherwise be exactly like something else
1.3 | Unclear, unfriendly, humiliating sarcasm
1.4 | Poll rigging
1.5 | Pure Drama operates under an equality policy. The race, religion, sexual orientation or mental health of forumers is not in any way a factor in their status. As such, queerphobic, xenophobic, racist or any other kind of bigoted or discriminatory behaviour or language is not acceptable under any circumstances, and is likely to result in a permanent ban.
In short, trolling is categorically unacceptable on this forum. If you are thought to have trolled, you will receive a Private Message from Admin, asking you to explain and/or apologise for your behaviour. That apology must be accepted by Admin. If it is not, you may be banned. The length of this ban is at the unquestionable discretion of Chloe (Admin.) Banned members will also be banned from using the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum, as the Shoutbox itself is linked to the forum. You may also have your account terminated.
• THE RULES & GUIDELINES THEMSELVES
Some of the guidelines may be open to suggestion, so if you have any ideas for amending or adding to them, feel free to discuss them on this thread. Alternatively, you can always send a Private Message to Chloe (admin) if you prefer. Your suggestions will be considered with an open mind and without bias, but any formal decision over guideline amendments will ultimately rest solely with Chloe (admin). We are happy to explain any guidelines, and all rules and guidelines are created with good faith, to create and maintain a forum that is consistent, fair and pleasant.
• POSTING IN THE RIGHT PLACE
Please read board, sub-board and thread titles carefully to ensure your posts are put in the right category or on the right board. They may be moved without warning if they are not. If you are not sure, ask any member of our famously friendly forum and they will happily assist you. In most cases, posts or threads in the wrong place will simply be relocated. If in doubt, ask in the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum.
• MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS
Multiple accounts are not allowed. Members found to have created a second/alias account will be warned and the alias account deleted. Repeatedly posting multiple accounts is spamming, and will potentially result in a permanent ban. We check IP addresses and such so save yourself and us all the effort, please!
• GOING OFF-TOPIC
Please try and keep your discussion relevant to what you are discussing.
• TEAM PROJECTS
Please note that, in the case of projects in which more than one forumer is involved, all characters, storylines, spoilers and related paraphernalia, are the intellectual property of the team, and not of an individual (unless the team themselves agree for this to be the case). Should a member of that project be asked to leave, or choose to leave, they may not then remove their characters and plots from the project because those ideas now fall under the responsibility of its remaining members.
You may request that certain plots and characters you have created be removed, however the final outcome of that request is at the sole discretion of the existing project members, and they are under no obligation - nor must they be pressured - to act out your wishes. If they decline your request, your plots and characters will remain under their control. If you are not happy with this, please do not work on projects with other forumers.
A total breakdown in communication between collaborators about who owns what will likely result in the total and permanent deletion of their project from the forum, or the seizure of that project by Chloe (Admin), so please do your best to sort it out amongst yourselves without intervention. In some cases, Admin can act as a mediator if possible. If a team project is abandoned by all who work on it, but one person wants to resurrect it at a later date, it is first come first served.
A total breakdown in communication between collaborators about who owns what will likely result in the total and permanent deletion of their project from the forum, or the seizure of that project by Chloe (Admin), so please do your best to sort it out amongst yourselves without intervention. In some cases, Admin can act as a mediator if possible. If a team project is abandoned by all who work on it, but one person wants to resurrect it at a later date, it is first come first served.
Several versions of the same project is not out of the question, however that project's title would have to be assigned to whoever works on it. For example, 'Jenny's East Street' and 'Robbie's East Street' etc. This has never happened, but theoretically could!
• PROJECT CONSULTANTS
The role of a project consultant is to offer guidance, support and advice to a project's author/s. They may also offer support in terms of videos, visuals and features which promote the project. However, in spite of this, a project consultant is considered to be an independent role, and therefore they are not and must not be credited as part of a project, other than as a Project Consultant. As such, they may vote for a project they consult on at the PUDRAs (Pure Drama Awards), and give feedback impartially, the same as anyone else.
• PROJECT CONSULTANTS
The role of a project consultant is to offer guidance, support and advice to a project's author/s. They may also offer support in terms of videos, visuals and features which promote the project. However, in spite of this, a project consultant is considered to be an independent role, and therefore they are not and must not be credited as part of a project, other than as a Project Consultant. As such, they may vote for a project they consult on at the PUDRAs (Pure Drama Awards), and give feedback impartially, the same as anyone else.
This is not a 'conflict of interest' as they may still vote at the PUDRAs independently and anonymously. The rules put in place by the PUDRAs state that forum members cannot discuss nominations with each other, or influence each others voting intentions. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest in project consultants voting for projects they have consulted on. Also, project consultants may assist with any project, and any number of projects, at any one time, at the sole discretion of the project consultant themselves.
Project author/s may discuss characters, plots and continuity with project consultants, and project consultants may even influence continuity. But any final decision about any aspect of project continuity is exclusively that of the author/s. However, anybody who writes episodes of a project or in some other way formally contributes to it - e.g. characters and storylines - will not be considered a project consultant; they must be formally credited as either an Episode Writer, Production Assistant, (co-) Executive Producer or some other such title. Forumers who write episodes of a project may not vote for that project at the PUDRAs. If they leave the project between PUDRA periods, they will not be allowed to vote for that project at the upcoming PUDRA ceremony, instead having to wait until the following ceremony (unless they rejoin before the following ceremony).
Project author/s may discuss characters, plots and continuity with project consultants, and project consultants may even influence continuity. But any final decision about any aspect of project continuity is exclusively that of the author/s. However, anybody who writes episodes of a project or in some other way formally contributes to it - e.g. characters and storylines - will not be considered a project consultant; they must be formally credited as either an Episode Writer, Production Assistant, (co-) Executive Producer or some other such title. Forumers who write episodes of a project may not vote for that project at the PUDRAs. If they leave the project between PUDRA periods, they will not be allowed to vote for that project at the upcoming PUDRA ceremony, instead having to wait until the following ceremony (unless they rejoin before the following ceremony).
• PURE DRAMA: EXTERNAL ELEMENTS
Pure Drama has several external elements, which are hotlinked on the navigation bar at the top of the forum. These are a Twitter account, a wiki and a chatroom. Please note though that the same forum rules apply to all these elements as well. However, rules about bad language and mature content do not apply to external elements of Pure Drama, as these are only applicable within the constraints of Proboards' own rules. We are in no way responsible for third-party content of any kind
• TROLLING
Please note, we are a warm and friendly forum. Rudeness, off-handedness and general unpleasantness is not acceptable in any way, and may result in a ban in the worst instance. This includes a wide-range of disruptive behaviour, such as the following:
1.1 | 'Deliberately' trolling people with inflammatory, abusive, intimidating or offensive language or behaviour. This may not include the subsequent responses of the 'victim', unless their response is deemed to be excessively abusive. However, their emotional state at the time will be taken into consideration
1.2 | Direct or indirect plagiarism - direct meaning obvious and deliberate, indirect meaning you appear to have plagiarised material, as observed by one or more forumers. Whilst plagiarism of real-world material (such as a real-world soap opera like Coronation Street, excluding fan fics) will simply be deleted without warning, Admin takes a particularly dim view of plagiarising other, completely original Pure Drama projects. This shows a lack of respect for other forum members and projects, which is why it is considered 'trolling'; and also infers that you do not take your writing seriously, which is at odds with this forum's general integrity. 'Plagiarism' on this forum means of written material. Some projects may have similar imagery, layouts or colour schemes, which is generally not an issue unless very obviously trying to look or otherwise be exactly like something else
1.3 | Unclear, unfriendly, humiliating sarcasm
1.4 | Poll rigging
1.5 | Pure Drama operates under an equality policy. The race, religion, sexual orientation or mental health of forumers is not in any way a factor in their status. As such, queerphobic, xenophobic, racist or any other kind of bigoted or discriminatory behaviour or language is not acceptable under any circumstances, and is likely to result in a permanent ban.
In short, trolling is categorically unacceptable on this forum. If you are thought to have trolled, you will receive a Private Message from Admin, asking you to explain and/or apologise for your behaviour. That apology must be accepted by Admin. If it is not, you may be banned. The length of this ban is at the unquestionable discretion of Chloe (Admin.) Banned members will also be banned from using the Shoutbox at the bottom of the forum, as the Shoutbox itself is linked to the forum. You may also have your account terminated.
• THE RULES & GUIDELINES THEMSELVES
Some of the guidelines may be open to suggestion, so if you have any ideas for amending or adding to them, feel free to discuss them on this thread. Alternatively, you can always send a Private Message to Chloe (admin) if you prefer. Your suggestions will be considered with an open mind and without bias, but any formal decision over guideline amendments will ultimately rest solely with Chloe (admin). We are happy to explain any guidelines, and all rules and guidelines are created with good faith, to create and maintain a forum that is consistent, fair and pleasant.
• This post was last verified on 2024.06.08 •