Guide to Authoring

Taking Responsibility

Authoring is another one of those contemporary words that give those of us beyond a certain number of years a little discomfort... Yet another noun being forced into duty as a verb.  But since we need some new words to describe an activity that didn't really exist 30 years ago, I  suppose its OK.  Computers and the internet have given individuals vast new opportunities to communicate publicly. The tools for writing and publishing online have undergone a metamorphosis that have blurred the line between writer and publisher. So now we have... authoring.

While this article will focus on the actual process of authoring, that is, creating and publishing material on Astrocartography Net, the word authoring actually focuses on another, very important feature of authoring:  taking the credit or the blame for a piece of content.  Authoring means you are attaching your name to a piece.  In fact, you may not have actually written it.  But if you "author" it, you are taking responsibility for its content.

Joining

To contribute comments, articles, links, or any other content to this site, you must first join and establish a member folder and a login identity.  Then everything you contribute will have a byline linked to you. The more credible your online identity is of course, the more valuable will be everything you contribute.  When you join, a member folder will be created for you and an "author" page, which can contain information about you.

Exactly how much you want to reveal about yourself is entirely up to you.  You are only required to give use three pieces of information:  a login name, a  full name, and an email address.  The email address is not made public, so the smallest amount of public information is a login name and a full name.

At the other extreme, there is practically no limit as to how much information you can display.  Your "author" page will have room for a picture, your geographic location, and whatever biographical text you would like to include.  Your home folder can contain endless amounts of information about you.

OK, so if you have read this we can be reasonably sure you are interested in contributing some thoughts to this site.  Let's get on with it!