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PoisonousTiger — How to Submit Literature on DA--Updated 08/2021
#da #tutorialsliterature #editing #pdf #tutorial #tutorials #tutorialhow
Published: 2013-05-30 06:07:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 67478; Favourites: 303; Downloads: 0
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If you want to submit literature on DeviantArt, you have two choices:
(1) Submitting it directly on the dA website as text
(2) Submitting as a .pdf (I tried submitting with a Word doc and it didn't work like it should).
After these two tutorials, I've also created a tutorial how to use Sta.sh Storage feature to edit a work. You can find the link for it in the description (or just go to the next tutorial)
*Side Note for any deviant who's been here for years: DA's latest update prevents veteran deviants (long-time usesrs) from submitting text like we used to a few years ago; however, you can edit older deviations' text the old way by clicking on the pencil icon and then clicking on the pencil icon in the new window and then selecting "edit text" and edit in the text box like you're used to (with all the html code at the bottom to guide you through formatting).
Once you finish, click "Preview" to see if the code worked, or "OK" to submit it, then click the "Update" button at the bottom and you're done.
Okay, side-note over--back to the tutorial:
If you choose to submit it directly onto dA, it’s pretty straight-forward and simple.(I know this looks like a lot of steps, but I had to break them down this way to make them easier to read and understand):
- Type your text directly into this box, or you can type up the chapters on Word or some other word processor (like WordPad, Pages, LibreOffice) and copy-and-pasted the text;
- Note: While it's nice to be able to type right into this text box, I don't recommend it unless you're writing something quick and short.
I can't tell you how many times either my internet connection failed me or DeviantArt was unable to save everything I had typed before I could click on Submit...and I'm not alone. I've had several friends complain about what they wrote getting lost before they clicked Submit and got the message that the website failed to submit their deviations . . . after hours of typing T_T.
So I strongly recommend typing it up somewhere else and copy-and-pasting.
Fortunately, DeviantArt heard all of us veteran Deviants regarding this issue and programmed in a fail-safe of sorts: If you're worried about your internet connection, you can click the "Submit" button and then go back and edit later. DA will also warn you if you accidentally click away from your deviation before clicking on that "Submit" button (think if it as the "save" button for DeviantArt's draft window).
If this happens (accidentally clicking away before saving/hitting submit), you have to intentionally hit the "Discard" button to lose your work. Otherwise, you can hit "Cancel" and go back to drafting on DeviantArt. It's a feature that was a long time coming and will save you hours of working online. (thank you, dA!)
- (1) Indicate whether the submission "Contains Mature Content". This you'll find directly below a thumbnail of the text you just entered;
- (2) Click on and read the Submission Policy link and then click on and read the Terms of Service, Premium Content Terms of Service, and Print Submissions Agreement links. Note: you only have to do this once unless dA updates these terms.
- (3) Then check the two boxes at the bottom that read, “I have read and agree to the Submission Policy and/or contest rules if applicable” and “I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and to the Premium Content Terms of Service, and to the Print Submissions Agreement, if applicable.”
- You have the option of tweaking your title here. Just click in the box and change it.
- To add a description, click where DA has written "Introduce your deviation. Tell the backstory, add some intriguing accompanying text, or simply give deviants extra information you'd like them to know." DA’s text will disappear and your text will start.
- (1) If you use someone else's art, do your utmost to contact that person and get permission...sometimes this isn't always possible if you just grab art from Google Images or similar, but still do your best to get permission! No one likes their art being used without permission. It's the same as art theft to them (it feels the same as art theft even if you post a link back to their art; just get permission. It'll build a great relationship with that artist and all of that artist's friends).
- (2) Use your own art/photos if you can or commission someone else to do it for you. You'll have more pride in the work and you'll also not have to go through the hassle of getting permission.
- (3) Pick artwork that has some connection or association with the content of your writing. Nothing is more irritating or confusing to click on an image of a character and have that character never mentioned once, or for example, to click on a rose and the poem is about slugs. Remember, preview pics are like visual descriptions, so mismatched picture will function the same as if you put gibberish in the description space.
- (4) Finally, I've found that literature that has full-color, well-drawn preview pics seem to get more clicks than poorly drawn/black & white pics or no preview pic at all.
- If you want to “Schedule” your submission time, you’ll need to be come a CORE member to do so, which requires a fee…unless you’re going to be on DA a lot or you plan on using it for commissions or your career, it's probably not something you want to do
- You also have the option of saving your work and going back to edit later, but only select this option if you're not ready to submit the piece yet. You take this option by clicking any of the links at the top or starting another submission. dA will automatically save your work and put it in Sta.sh.
Note: saving to Sta.sh will only work if you've hit the first "Submit" in Step #3. Otherwise, dA will ask you if you're sure you want to discard your work, and trust me, you don't want to do that. Once your deviation is automatically saved in Sta.sh (think of it as dA's cloud), you can only retrieve and/or edit, and submit your saved work through Sta.sh Storage.
Submitting a .pdf is similar. I chose this one specifically b/c it keeps all my original formatting whereas copy-and-pasting does not (interesting fact: copy-and-pasting some basic formatting like hard returns/enter spaces but keeps fancy formatting like bold, underling and italics; weird, I know but there it is).
The main downside to selecting this option is that some mobile devices will not be able to view your work (you'll have to provide them with a hyperlink to FFN or a duplicate that was submitted via the "Literature" option), or they’ll have to click on another screen to preview the file or you’ll have to tell them to go a desktop/laptop to read it, and with the number of mobile phone users out there, you may want to consider the first option over this one:
- In order to drag and drop, you’ll need to “restore down” or tile your windows (it looks like two windows next to each other in a stack) and then drag the icon for your pdf over to the space indicated. Once you drop it, you’ll see a green progress bar start; wait for it to finish before you do anything else. Because restoring down your windows can be a hassle, I prefer to select the Choose a File to Upload” option
- If you select “Choose a File to Upload”, it will access your computer files, find your file, and open it. When you upload the pdf, a green progress bar will appear; wait for it to finish before you do anything else.
Are you using a mobile browser (phone) or DeviantArt's phone app? Well, this tutorial cannot help you. Go to the description for the link to both of my phone submission tutorials--on the DA app and on your phone's browser (I'm not adding it here; this tutorial is already too long as it is).
Also, please note: I've been able to include html or hyperlinks in my test literature but doing so sometimes causes issues, like not saving the literature or dA's bot converting it to a Journal instead of a Literature deviation. Your most effective and easiest way to include links for your readers to click on is to put them in the description of the work.
This tutorial should make it easy to submit literature if you follow it precisely. You shouldn't have issues or end up having your work go to Sta.sh Storage. The only way for that to happen is if you didn't click on the "Submit Now" button at the end of the process (the second submit request). If that happens, dA automatically (and thankfully) saves your deviation to Sta.sh Storage, just in case you didn't mean to leave before clicking Submit Now.
Again, if you unintentionally exited before finishing the submission but after clicking Submit (the first submit request), and you want to retrieve and/or edit, and submit your saved work, you must now use the Sta.sh Storage. You find this by hovering over your profile icon and clicking on Sta.sh Storage.
Below in the description is a link to a tutorial on how to use Sta.sh and how to submit via your mobile phone (I used an Android phone--Samsung Note 9--but I assume it will work similarly with an iPhone or other mobile device).
Hope this helps ^_^
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