[Important: Please Read!!!] Tagging 101: How to Properly Tag Your Threads and Identify Others

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Heeeeyo folks, Hukuna-Sensei here to tell you all about your tagging needs when it comes to the Creative Works forum. First, how about we start with the basics?

Why are we using title tags and, what is their importance?

Title tags are mostly for sorting purposes and to allow users to peruse the sub-forum efficiently. If they are looking for an art thread, they can, at a glance, find the title tag that corresponds and only look for these threads while perusing the gallery. It is important that all threads in this sub-forum follow this protocol to keep threads easy to find and identify for users by just looking at the title, rather then having to click into every thread and determine from there. This will enhance the browsing process for users by cutting down on unnecessary clicks and giving them the information they need upfront.

Where should one place the tag in the title?

Either at the beginning or the end of the title. Both are fine locations as they are clear to see and don't obstruct the title in anyway. However, I do personally suggest putting them at the end of the title especially for creative writing projects. The tags for these projects tend to get very long and it can obscure the title on the recent topics area on the front page. While this is a small matter, it can be a good idea to improve the visibility of a thread here. After all, someone just perusing Reborn could see the title and as a result go check out the thread. It's a lot harder when the tag is taking up the majority of the space in the Recently Posted-In topics section of the front page. Title tags aren't exactly eye-catching in a good way; They are good for organizing but not so much for giving a feel of what that thread is about in anything other than a very broad and general sense.

Basic Title Tags:

These are your bread and butter title tags and will define what sort of thread you are posting in a general sense. This will show the type of media you indeed to post at a basic level. It's nothing fancy and is the most general type of title tag for sure. These are the basic building blocks to a title tag.

[CW]: This stands for creative writing. It is for general works that use the written, or typed, word. Any type of writing, including more formal informational pieces, can find a home under this title tag.

[Art]: This title tag will be used for primarily visual types of media. Anything that falls under traditional art forms, such as drawing, spriting, and painting, find a home under this tag.

[Photography]: This title tag is for the visual medium of photos. It is works that capture an image of objects, people, animals, etc...

[Music]: This title tag will be used by audio based works.

[Misc]: Or Miscellaneous. This title tag is for anything that doesn't comfortably slot into the other categories but is in it's own right a creation of some kind. I don't see this one being used very often but, it's good too have the fail safe in place before you need it. This title tag can also be used by Multimedia based threads or, threads that have more than one type of the tags above that cover its contents.

Specialty Title Tags:

These title tags are more in-depth concept or in some way expand upon what your thread is about. They should be used in conjunction with the other title tags to expand or explain even more in-depth what your thread will entail. For example, a music thread could include what genre of music that it will primarily house if it holds multiple tracks, or simply state the genre of the single piece within.

[Genre/Type of Work]: This title tag has uses with all of the basic tags. It piggybacks onto the tag to give users an idea of what they are getting themselves into. With Creative Writing, things like Horror, Fantasy, and Mystery would go here. For Music, things like rock, jazz, EDM or how technical you'd like to get, would go here. This genre should reflect the genre the piece or pieces most closely resemble. If there is elements of other genres present in the piece but they are not it's main focus they don't need to be mentioned. It can also be used to expand upon the scope of the work, like the length or, type of artwork that one is using. This title tag is not required, but is recommended.

Visual Examples: [CW: Horror], [Music: Rock], [CW: Dark Fantasy], [Music: Power Metal], [CW: Poetry], [Art: Spriting], [CW: Light Novel], [Art: Drawing], [CW: Novel, Sci Fi.]

[Feedback]: this denotes that the creator of the thread is looking and inviting feedback to their thread. This tag can be piggybacked onto a tag for an existing thread for a piece or it can be a standalone thread. This tag is a bit more in-depth then the others so it will have it's own thread. Click here for more information. This tag is more for creative writing based works but can be used by and for any type of work. If a thread doesn't have this tag, use your discretion to figure out if feedback or posting is allowed in that thread. PM the creator of the thread if you're unsure. This title tag isn't required, but it is recommended, as it clearly marks where feedback is to be collected for your content.

Visual Examples: [CW: Type of Work/Feedback], [CW: Type of Work and Feedback], [Feedback],

[Commission]: For threads that are taking work. Typically, they will take requests for some sort of gain. Whether this be trading their work for the work of another, or a something like the exchange of currency for the service. This title tag must be paired with a base title tag. If a thread contains commissions it MUST disclose that fact.

Visual Examples: [CW/Commissions], [CW: Genre and Commission], [Music/Commission],

Disclaimer!!!: There is a built-in tagging system to this forum, HOWEVER, it isn't suited for the purposes of what we are doing here. These tags aren't easily visible as they are only accessible from entering the thread, or via the Forum's search function. So, make sure that you are putting your tags in the title of your thread and not the enter a tag field.

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Here's hoping that you folks found this topic helpful. If you have any questions or think there is something I should add, PM me! I don't bite ((Crunch has better base power.)) . Anyway, until next time, *points at the camera,* Create more works!!! Hukuna Sensei... Out~