Half a decade ago (as of this writing), I entered my first NYCM contest. The interaction with other authors was incredible, but I found the forums impossible to navigate. Finding things in them was impossible. I got annoyed, and – like many NYCMers – started keeping a list, and saving bookmarks so I could find posts and stories again. That annoyed me too. So I created a single post, and saved my list and links there.
Other people saw that post and started using it. The group took up the job of adding comments to keep it ‘current’ and at the top of the list. And from this, the Master List was born.
As the contests have grown larger, this tool has become more essential, and participants in each of the NYCM contests has picked up the flag – now everyone has a Master List. After five years, though, the FFC Master List has got to be too much for me to keep up. This year, I am stepping back, and others are picking up the task (thank you!). For those who take this task on in future, I’ve compiled what I know about the making of a Master List. I hope this reference helps others move forward quickly, without having to re-learn the things I screwed up the first few times around.
Thanks, Nixie, for doing this so faithfully for the past five years!
It was a great way to get to know the folks in the forums, and I have had a good time. As the contest has grown, though, I reached a point where I had to choose between reading/critiquing other writers’ work, and maintaining the list. For the last couple of years I have chosen the list, and this year I am happy to return to reading and interacting with the writers! So glad others were willing to carry it forward!