  Noticing Newbies
This week: Learning Linking Edited by: Brooklyn  
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The Noticing Newbies Newsletter's goal is to make the newer members feel welcome and encourage them with useful information and/or links to make navigating Writing.com easier. Writing.com members of all ages and even veteran members can find useful information here. If you have specific questions, try visiting "Writing.Com 101" and/or "Noticing Newbies" .
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Learning Linking
Let's say you've found a contest you're ready to enter. You have your item written and edited to perfection, what do you do next? You head to the forum and find out you have to link it in something called Bitem format. Here at Writing.com it's important to learn the "language" of the site so you can participate in all the activities and communicate effectively with other members. There are many places that require you to "link" items, so let's take a moment and learn the basics.
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Have you ever found a wonderful new author and wanted to share them with friends? The easiest way is to link their username. Did you know there is actually three different ways to link a username? The basic link creates a direct link to any Writing.Com member using the username. It displays handle, community recognition, portfolio, email and favorite/fan icon. To try it yourself, just replace "storymaster" with the member's username you'd like to link.
 Example of raw WritingML:
{user:storymaster}
Example result:
The StoryMaster 
The other forms to link usernames are:
Link to Member in "Short" Format = {s-user:XXXXX}
Link to Member in "Recognition" Format = {r-user:XXXXX}
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 Next is a type of link you will use very often here. This code creates a direct link to any Writing.Com item using the title. It's called the "Basic" link for a reason. Looking at the example below, just replace "303715" with your item's ID number. Don't know where to find your item's ID number? Check out the recommended items listed at the bottom of this article for more help.
Example with raw WritingML:
{item:303715}
Example result:
"Technical Support Forum"
Can you believe there are actually twelve different ways to link an item here? All of these have different functions and show different information. I recommend practicing so you're familiar with all of them so you can use the most appropriate links for your purpose. For example the last one, the 'Titem" link will show the last time the item was updated which can be helpful for forums and items that update frequently. I use them in my staff forums so my staff members can easier see which items have been updated recently.
The first five link in similar fashion and all create links larger than the rest.
Link to Item in "Clean" Format = {C-item:#####}
Link to Item in "Big" Format = {B-item:#####}
Link to Item in "Genre" Format = {G-item:#####}
Link to Item in "Time" Format = {T-item:#####}
Here is an example of a B-item link that many activities require.
Example with raw WritingML:
{b-item:303715}
Example result:
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Maybe you're looking for a link that takes up a little less space than the Bitem type format above. Five of the remaining seven links result in a "one line" formatted link but show much of the same information.
They are as follows:
Link to Item in "Line" Format = {l-item:######}
Link to Item in "Line Rating" Format = {lr-item:######}
Link to Item in "Line Time" Format = {lt-item:######}
Link to Item in "Line Description" Format = {ld-item:######}
Link to Item in "Rating" Format = {r-item:######}
Here is an example of the L-item link format:
Example with raw WritingML:
{l-item:303715}
Example result:
"Technical Support Forum" by Writing.Com Support 
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The last two remaining link formats add slightly more information while still keeping your link compact. They are as follows:
Link to Item in "Double Line" Format = {dl-item:######}
Link to Item in "ID" Format = {id-item:######}
Here is an example of a DL-item link
Example with raw WritingML:
{dl-item:303715}
Example result:
"Technical Support Forum" [13+] by Writing.Com Support
Members help other members with technical questions and problems using Writing.Com!
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As you can see, there are so many links available at your disposal here, it can be hard to choose.  Along with all the item links above we've discussed, there are also ways to link to many other types of things such as the following:
Link to Review
Link to Forum Post
Link to Book Entry
Link to Interactive Story Chapter
Link to Survey Form Response
Link to Product Review
Link to Slider Snapshot
Link to Newsletters
Link to a URL
Link Words to a URL
Linkable Location
Link to a Shop Product
Link to an Amazon.Com Product
That's enough talk. Ready to start learning about linking? Just click the link below and have fun!
[Related Items]
 "Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor
"Invalid Item" by A Guest Visitor
Until next time, Write and Review On! 
Brooklyn
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Here they are, our featured new authors! Take a moment, share your thoughts with them and welcome them to the community.
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Excerpt:
I ordered it several months ago,
Yellow I said, three tiers or so.
But tragedy struck this very happy morning,
The bakery burnt down with no prior warning.
My thoughts: Need a laugh? Check out this piece. Just try to keep from smiling!
~ ~
Excerpt:
My neck began doing the creepy thing again and, in annoyance, I looked up. And there he was.
He was immaculately dressed. A retrograde black suit and tie, with a starched white shirt; and he was standing right in front of me. His eyes were the deepest darkest eyes I have ever seen, and in them were the secrets of men and women.
My thoughts: I like a character I can root for, someone I can believe in, someone that keeps me reading because I genuinely care to see how it turns out. This was that kind of story for me.
~ ~
Excerpt:
As the winner, he sang the final song of the Hometown Idol Concert on stage at the State Theatre and was awarded the opportunity to make a demo tape with Brown and Brown Studio in Kalamazoo. Paul chose to record a song he wrote, titled "Candlelight" for his demo tape.
My thoughts: A great idea for a small town paper. It reminds of what we do here - highlight our neighbors so we can learn more about them! 
~ ~
Excerpt:
The leaves move, dance, create
haunted streets, empty wind filled with so much unspoken
lace cannot keep the chill away
when blankets are what is needed..
My thoughts: A very visual piece with a wonderful tempo.
~ ~
Excerpt:
No more obedient than the righteous few
Believing beneath the masks of treeless valleys
Listen amongst the deaf in your pew
My comment: A haunting visual accompanies this dark tale. Let the author know what you think - he's waiting to hear from you
~ ~
Excerpt:
Stand up for yourself, stand up for your culture, your background, stand up for who YOU are. Its not about what others think. Its about how you feel about yourself.
My thoughts: An admirable essay that I hope many young people read.
[Submitted Items from Authors]
davidfernandez writes ...
I'm new to the site and I'd love to get more feedback...
"Invalid Item" [] by A Guest Visitor
velvetdreamz writes ...
I would love for it to be featured! (:
"Invalid Item" [] by A Guest Visitor
J.W. Knight  writes ...
I would love a review of my story, if you have the time.
"Invalid Item" [] by A Guest Visitor
~ ~
[Special Items]
Celebrate the tenth birthday of this wonderful site!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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I received some wonderful feedback to my last newsletter [#3918] "Three Stars = Average" and I'm proud to share it with you.
From sarahreed
My two cents on ratings - it reveals people's emotional response to the piece. Which is helpful sometimes, but I focus more on what a person says in the review. On some pieces, I turn off ratings altogether because what I want is comments, something more solid than how many shiny stars alight the top of the review.
Hi Sarah, I couldn't agree with you more. Thank you so much for writing in!
From blade_x
How can I get my interactive story seen by others scince I can't afford the premium membership?
There are plenty of ways to get your work seen here. Participation in the community is the best way to get your name out there and find like-minded authors that share your interests. Here is a helpful item also: "Invalid Item"
From Joy 
Brooke, thank you, thank you, thank you for clearing the most misunderstood fact.
To repeat it once more, the three-star rating means the item is average and not bad at all. Yet, it can be improved.
Thank you Joy! Perfect wording and exactly my point. Thank you for writing in.
From atwhatcost
I received a 2.5 star a few months ago. My only review under the famouse 3. It motivated me to get better. That 2.5 star review has converted the story drastically, and I've now been motivated into making it a novel to be published. It changed my life.
In like kind, I've given some "negative" reviews. But, most of the time, they are in the same vain. I'm a newbie novel writer learning to cater to what publishers demand, and share that knowledge to those who have a good story, but don't know the new demands.
I hate to think my help, through the negative, is only seen as bad. It seems like much of this site is devoted to assuming just that. I often end my reviews asking the writer to e-mail me, if they want me to check out their improved version. I know a good story when I see it. I also know my goose doesn't lay gold eggs most the time. Isn't that true for everyone? Shouldn't we be helping to change the egg to gold?
Wow Lynn! Now that's something I don't read everyday and it's very inspiring to hear. Reviews can change an author's outlook and maybe even their lives. Great advice and I'm glad you wrote in. Yours is a valuable story and I thank you for sharing it. 
From krayvenheart
hi everybody, i really wanna thank the staff and moderators for helping me with my work. I also would like to thank some authors that i think have helped me as well:
Spyro123,
Drakin,
Skitty-Girl,
Dragonlord,
Dragonpuppy,
Bamao,
Eddo36,
and Caliglith.
These authors helped me alot with the development of my stories.
And if it wasn't that, it was the fact that their stories inspired me to write.
Spyro123, with the use of his Avoid the Preds story, encouraged me to join this website. How niave i was when i thought that the 'preds' were the ones trying to get me to join this site. LOL! well, thanks to all who helped me even if you don't realize that you have helped me. THANK YOU! GRACIAS! (My spanish aint that good so, sorry.)(I hope this comment can be posted to a newsletter.)
There you go, in print for all your mentors to see. Thanks for writing in!
From Kaya
Good newsletter! I've handed out an average rating a time or two and no one I've ever given it to seemed to realize that I wasn't being insulting. Whew! Some of the reactions were less than civil. It's great to see a Newsletter that takes the ick out of average!
Thanks Kaya! I hope it did just that! Thank you for writing in - good to know people are reading
From Adriana Noir
Awesome NL, Brooke!
Thanks! I really appreciate the vote of confidence.
 Do you have an item to share or a comment about today's newsletter? Feel free to use the comment section below to send me your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you!
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Noticing Newbies: September 08, 2010 Issue [#3953]
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