Testing Story Formatting

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Check how your story will look on Lit before submitting it.
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This tutorial is in response to a thread on the Bulletin board regarding formatting problems with a story where the author had included the HTML codes for Italics in the text to save Laurel time in preparing the story for posting.

What follows is a way for authors to preview stories on their computer before submitting them. If you follow the checklist step by step, you should get an accurate preview of how your story will look on Literotica, down to the line lengths and font. The test file does not even require that you have an active Internet connection to test your story.

Requirements:

In order to use this process, you will need a word processor than can do the following:

A: Global find and replace on "Special Characters" (Paragraph marks and manual line feeds.)

B: Save files in "pure text" or ASCII format.

C: (optional) Find changed formats i.e. Italics and Bold face.

D: An Internet browser.

The steps:

1: Cut and paste the following HTML code into your word processor and save it as a text only file. Use a name that is simple to remember, and in a place you won't forget where it is. On my system, It is in My Documents as Story Test.txt.

----------- Cut Here ----------

<html>
<head>
 <title>Story Formatting Test</title>
</head>
<body text="#000000" vlink="#0000FF" alink="#FC0000">
 <table cellspacing="5" border="0" width="564">
  <tr>
   <td align="left" colspan="3">
    <font size="2" face="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica, sans-serif">
***
    </font>
   </td>
  </tr>
 </table>
</body>
</html>

----------- End Cut Here ----------

2: Prepare your story for submission by placing <I> at the beginning of Italics and </I> at the end of Italics. (Also add whatever other other HTML coding you plan to include.) If your story has no special HTML formatting needs, you can skip this step.

NOTE: If you are using HTML code in your story, the story should NOT include left carets or right carets that aren't part of HTML commands. Use the HTML commands "&lt;" and "&gt;" in their place.

3: Copy both the text file created in step one and your story file to create working copies you don't mind messing up irrevocably.

4: Open your story file and do two global find and replace operations

 a: Find all paragraph marks and replace them with "<br>"

 b: Find all manual line breaks and replace with "<br>"

Note: Do not include the quotation marks.

5: Select the body of your story (without the title and byline, but including any copyright notice or author's comments) and copy it to your clipboard.

6: Open the copy of the text file created in step one.

7: Select the three asterisks near the middle of the text, (They're on line ten,) and paste the body of your story in their place.

8: SAVE the combined text AS a text file named 'TEST.HTM' (or whatever you want to name the HTML file.) NOTE: The file name must end in '.HTM' or '.HTML'

9: Close the combined file.

10: Open TEST.HTM with your browser and examine it for formatting errors.

Repeat steps Two through Ten as required to remove any formatting problems.

(One potential formatting problem that this process can't expose, is a block of Italics that overlaps the webpage break inserted by Literotica's scripts. It occurs somewhere around 3000 to 4000 words or the middle of page eleven the way I have my fonts and margins configured.)

Some potential problems:

Smart Quotes that don't display properly.
Characters with Accent, Umlaut or Tilde.
Single character versions of ellipses and long dashes
Foreign characters like Pound and Yen signs, and the German Essen.
Fractions and Exponents or superscript and subscript characters.
"White Space" (multiple spaces or tab characters.)

Most of these problems can be corrected by adding the HTML codes for the characters that don't display properly. Listing all of the possible codes you may need is beyond the scope of this article, however lists are readily available online or in books on HTML.HTML for Dummies has a fairly complete list.

One final Caveat before I send you off to play: This process will insure that your story properly formats with YOUR browser. There is no guarantee that it will not have problems with other browsers or even the same browser on another system. It will give you a bit more confidence that you haven't missed an HTML command or 'special' character somewhere.

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The author would appreciate your feedback.
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katieJ70katieJ70over 9 years ago
A Fun Weekend

Its raining, winds howling and Jared and I, are stuck in a cute studio cabin. No electric, but a fire place and running water.. He can barely contain and pulls me into a kiss, that leads to a deeper one.. Air doesn't mater, time, space just drift away.. "I'm yours!" Jared whispers, " Mine, my love you're all mine"! The bed is centered in the middle of the room. He guides me to it slowly taking off my clothes piece by piece till we are standing there just staring at each other. I, take his shirt off running my hands and lips up his chest. Slow aching kisses set us on fire, "Ah Linda" his voice strains out.. I stop look his in the eyes and don't move my gaze as I, remove his pants.. We don't breathe the whole time, pulling me to him he kissing my lips one at a time.. We fall to the bed as I lay on top of him , I reach down stroking his body to that lovely cock. As he sucks on my breasts rolling to the side his fingers find their way to my slick hole. There is no holding back as he plunges two fingers in and out fast making me burst with an orgasm, soaking his fingers I, moan into Jared's, mouth. "Fuck me Jared." Not another word is said except passion filled moans of ecstasy.. We turn over with me on my back, and he goes deep in me as waves of orgasms fluid out of me! Jared, smiles and pumps hard and deep, spreading my legs further apart, its like he can't get close enough... He pulls out right before the next wave hits and puts his tongue in me lapping up all my juices, while stroking his thick cock I, scream out and at the moment he pushes into me cumming hard!!

We both breathe heavy, happily and can't wait for round two! I head to the bathroom, and think I, hear a knock. No can't be we are out here alone, must be the wind.. I finish up, still naked from some pretty great sex! I, walk out only to be greeted by the Park ranger! "Oh my God"! I squeal, " You couldn't tell me"? I say. My breasts are perky and I, am sure he got a full view.. The Park ranger smiles, a dimpled smile, nice teeth, and some stubble on his chin. He's just 6'4" solid with great tanned arms, wavy black hair pokes out through his ranger hat and his eyes are the prettiest blue I, had ever seen. The men laugh a bit as I, reach for anything to cover me up... "Well", he says " Seems everything here is in order and looking... Fine".. As he gazes my way... Jared and him say there good bye's.. I, was to embarrassed to say anything at all...

"Well that was embarrassing"! I, say as Jared stands laughing at me. " Oh baby, its ok, I, do think he enjoyed his view though. Did you see his dick? It was sticking straight up"! "Wouldn't mind sharing him with you! " Jared, was bi, my ideal match! I, just have to catch him in the right mood. It seems like today was one of those rare days! I, have given him every mans fantasy of two women multiple times.. I, was ready for some mmmm, fun pay back. I tell Jared, we need fire wood and that I'll, go get it if he starts the fire. The rain let up for a bit, so since it was my families cabin I, knew where it was. I, got dressed and headed out, the day was nice and cold perfect for a fire and some fun! As I, continued to walk out to the leanto (a three sided structure with a roof) I, spotted a rabbit and a duck. Not seeing the Ranger who came around the corner knocking me down. "Ouch!, hey" as I'm being picked up by very strong arms. "You alright"? Stammering I, say that I am, as he has not let me go and my breasts are pressed against him and getting harder by the minute... " Sorry I, didn't see you" I say,"Its ok , I'm glad I, ran into you. I, wanted to apologize for earlier, I, did not mean to embarrass you. " he says still holding me to him, at this point I'm barely breathing and feel myself getting wet! Great, that's all I need. "You didn't not really, you can let me go now by the way, I'm fine" I, smile up into to those eyes. When something, comes over us and he moves to not let me go,but kiss me deeply, our tongues intertwining, heat rising, God, he kisses great! He reaches down cupping one of my breasts, and rubs my already erect nipple through my shirt. " Rick,my name is Rick" he moans.. As we part, he says "I, wanted to do that the moment after you came out of the bathroom, God you're sexy'! " Thank you " I whispered.. His hand was still caressing my nipple.. I, tried to back up, only to be turned around, and have his hand grabbing my ass. He has great hands, long thick fingers, perfect for what he is doing. Which is, reaching between my legs and finding my wet hole.. "Mmmm I, knew it! You want me don't you"? " Yes, please yes". My legs are a little shaking from what his expert fingering, is doing to my soaked pussy. I, bend over pulling my pants down, Rick puts his hand on my back saying stay there. No not cock not yet. I, want more of this! I ,can't believe I, am cumming so much. Jared, gets me great,but damn. "Don't worry I'm not going to fuck you here,but I've got to taste you"! He gets on his knees and spread my ass cheeks apart licking me while putting in a second finger. I, spread my legs as far as the fabric allows. Damn this is great! I now, am wishing to have Jared's, cock deep in my throat.. As if on cue he, comes around the corner to find Rick's, tongue burried deep in my ass and fingers in my pussy. " Well now"! He says giving me that look he gets when he wants something.. "I was beginning to worry, but I, can see Ranger Rick, here has things.. In hand. " I, do think LindaLinda, is missing something, don't you Rick"? Rick, raises his head licking his lips, to say " I, think she might enjoy a good cock in her mouth. Want to help out"? Jared, pulls down his pants and I,take all of him in. He holds my head, fucking my throat. I'm getting my fantasy, outside in the wilderness.. I, am cumming back to back, Rick, then goes into my pussy tonguing my wet hot hole til I, cum! He's up and in me before the wave ends. Damn! Jared, is gagging me and the more I, struggle the more he pushes his cock in my mouth... He is wildly turned on, I, know cause he has leaned over me kissing Rick! Jared's, about to cum, Rick, keeps him in the kiss as Jared, starts shaking his orgasm. Oh God, this is so hot, I'm about to orgasm as I, feel his cum go down my throat. Rick, breaks the kiss, grabs my hips and fucks me hard with deep strokes. I, can barely take all of him. I, squirt hard for the first time! My legs are shaking and it feels so good! Rick, pulls out and shoots his load across my ass.. "God Damn! That was intense" I say. Both men are smiling looking at each other like they want to fuck. So I, bravely say "Round two after dinner gents"? Both agree, as we all head our own way. If this quick trust, is any indexation of what to expect tonight. I'm happily in trouble!

dldavitodldavitoover 11 years ago
Help with uploading Word (.doc)

I am trying to get my MS Word to post on Literotica, I keep getting a message that the document can't be read. Instructions were to download a file, convert it and resubmit. I did that and tried my best to have the doc match the other ones on Literotica.

My story contains two pictures (.jpg) that are embedded within the text at different places.

I got this to post on Amazon, B&N and Smashwords with no problem. Any help appreciated.

LesLumensLesLumensover 15 years ago
Good one.

Excellent, detailed instructions and suggestions.<br><br>

I'll add one thing: the Lit text processor isn't perfect between the preview and the final posting. Things that look fine in the Lit preview/this HTML preview may not come out that way upon final posting on Lit. One example is the special character for the diamonds suit ( &diams; ) which appears as a diamond in Lit's preview ( and in public comments, it seems ), but appears as a square upon final posting.<br><br>

The best laid plans of mice and men ;) Dark/Les

fifty5fifty5over 15 years ago
Excellent How To!

Congratulations, Harold. You describe this problem simply and clearly enough for folk to understand, while managing to avoid the inaccuracies that often go with 'simple' guides.

<br /><br />

Turning the HTML Special Characters issue on its head, the World Wide Web Consortium has a definitive list of these codes at http://www.w3schools.com/tags/ref_entities.asp which covers not only the ones you need, but also the others as well. [grin]

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