Issue X - Planning

Congrats all! We successfully published an issue! Now the break is over, let's get back to work!

We currently have an interview with WL and Plemby lined up, but I believe Praetor showed interest in covering this. So, if the rest of you had an idea of what you wanted to write, please do approach me with ideas! I loved how last issue was written about topics that each of you enjoyed. I'm currently discussing with Kondratev on when we want these issues due, so I will keep you all informed.

Remember though, articles should be 400 words or more, but not novel length! So I know you are all excited about your topics, but let's make sure we're keeping our articles quick and simple, especially since they're hearing from us every two weeks or so!

Finally, if you have a title you want on the article, put it on or in your draft. Anything you don't add or specify in your draft waives your right to add them later, and will be decided by the Editors.

I hope to hear from all of writers soon!

If anybody wants to do the interview, by all means, you can do it. I just want somebody to get it done.

I would also be happy to write something this time around.

As far as the release schedule is concerned, I do wonder if people will get burned out on a biweekly cycle. There have only been nine issues in TNP's history, but we would be on schedule to produce seven more by the end of the term.

I think it would be best to go monthly on TNL, with four to six articles at 400-900 words each. Thoughts?

Back when I was a young whippersnapper in TNP, I applied for Communications Minister advocating for more frequent issues of TNL. I don't believe that we need to change the number of issues because of the historically low number. However, that doesn't mean we need to do one every 2 weeks like clockwork. The difference between my position then and now is that I've seen what goes into the process, and I don't think we can get one out every 2 weeks. However, if something comes up, if there's a big event or occurrence, I think we should be ready to get an issue out sooner, even if it means we have one sooner than a month after the last one. I think if we're dealing with some current events, the nations and regions of the world who will see TNL won't mind the fact we got another out so quickly.

If the articles are shorter, we should have more of them, and vice versa. We should determine this by what articles we get back, I think we should build the issues around the material we have to work with. I think the biggest challenge is a simple one: what specific content will we include? The reason these come out so infrequently, in my view, is because we rely on regional elections as a big source of articles. When these don't happen we have to scramble to find some other big event in the region. We have one coming with Cultural Affairs, so obviously that's going to get an article. Depending on when we release this though, it may be too early.

Can we get SillyString to bring back the Silly Advice column? That was cute and I think regular features should be a part of TNL. I also advocated strongly to Bootsie that we get Nasania to write something. Many of Nasania's posts could all be features in TNL, I find that kind of political analysis in a NationStates setting to be a really cool idea and honestly impressive. Plus, it spurs a ton of discussion and I think that better engagement with TNL from our readers is another gateway to better engagement with TNP. So I'm picturing an issue that headlines with the cultural event or the interview, features SillyString and Nasania. Since Nasania can be wordy, we may give more space to that submission, which would mean we'd either have a solid issue right there, or need one more small piece.

I agree, I'd always keep the door open for special issues. I do still think we need a regular release schedule, so that's why I suggested one month intervals. I very much agree that two weeks is expecting people to do too much work when the newsworthy content is spread too thin.

I disagree about length or the number of articles, though. This recent issue of TNL was the longest ever. The publication is designed to be pasted into embassies on other peoples' forum. They don't want to sit there and read long essays. Even for a feature, there's no reason for it to be over 900 words. Tomb's feature from the last issue was 815, and yours was just shy of 900.

I wasn't around for the advice column, but it sounds like it was really popular. If anyone else has a clever idea for a column they'd like to do, I'd very much like to hear it.

I love reading Nasania's posts too. He does a lot of work on his posts. He approached me a while back asking me to do some of the number-crunching, and I was honestly a little taken aback. I think it'd be great for his work to be seen by a wider audience.

Well, you said 4-6 articles with 400-900 words. I figured it made sense if you have shorter pieces, you can have more of them. Greater variety makes the final product more interesting. If you have longer pieces, though, you would obviously need shorter pieces to accommodate them. I just want to be clear, I am not advocating we write even more, even longer articles. But if we have a good piece, and it happens to be long, we should be willing to adjust the length of other pieces. Obviously you don't play that card too many times or you get a bloated issue.

I agree with much of what has been said here. Two weeks is a time crunch for publishing a TNL issue, especially considering that many of our writers currently hold other government posts (and RL).

With that said, I would be happy to do a piece about the NPA. It's been a while since we've published one of those.

[me] leaves offer for interview with Plem and WL open.

I have to third the suggestion that we get Nasania to right something, (I believe tSP is holding elections and their forums are visible to guests) his articles are incredibly polarizing. They always get a lot of comments and I think it would be really interesting to have politics discourse added.

I'd add that a lighter schedule might be nice.

I personally don't mind what kind of schedule we use for releasing issues, but I can see that others may have difficulties with getting issues out so it is probably better if we stick to the majority's view on this.

As for the article I am hoping to write for this issue, I haven't quite decided. I have some very vague ideas floating around in my head, but none of them are defined enough yet for me to want write on them. I'll think it through and make a decision soon. If I get a good enough idea, I'll be able to finish mine today and publish the first draft. Chances are though, I probably won't considering I may not have the time.

I supports everyone suggestions Here, but the problems i have is how to put my articles down, if i can get a mentor for this I have a good article to write this time around,though am new.
I can make an interview for anyone you want.

If we were shooting for monthly releases, we should probably start writing now. Anyone have something they want to write?

As I said, I can do a piece about the NPA and its recent operations.

If no is willing to conduct the Interview between Plemby and WL, I would also be happy to do it. Both of their terms are about to be half-way over, and so we need to take care of this soon.

I have a question.
Can I put down some joke articles, or everything is all about TNP only?.

If no is willing to conduct the Interview between Plemby and WL, I would also be happy to do it. Both of their terms are about to be half-way over, and so we need to take care of this soon.

Click to expand...

If will wants to make this more interesting, will need to make the topic of the interview as ""Plembobria's 30th day in office"".

In addition, I will soon produce an article about The North Pacific Super League. I think that will also boost the issue.

First of all, sorry for a delay in my response, I've been pretty sore this week. All of the ideas for articles sound great, so let'a shoot for October 28th for them to be done, shall we?

Pallaith, I will reach out to both Asta and Nasania about writing for TNL.

Praetor, I'd prefer you write the Writinglegend-Plembobria interview, given your Foreign Affairs experience.

Let's get to work!

nvmd

I was thinking about writing an article about a particular aspect of roleplay. Either something to do with developing your RP or something to avoid in RP. This could even become a regular column. This doesn't relate directly to TNP news, but I know we talked about trying to get some RP content into TNL and I think it would boost TNP's visibility as an RP region.