Frequently Asked Story Questions
Story Posting
Q. How do you post a story?
To post a story, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Then, click on the a“New Story” button next to the search bar. Clicking that will redirect you to a new page where you can fill in all the information, and submit your story.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.How do you add more chapters?
To add more chapters, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. A tab labeled "Chapters" is underneath the short summary. Clicking on that will redirect you to the Chapter's page. Next to the search bar is a "New Chapter" button. Clicking on that will redirect you to a new page where you can fill in the appropriate information and submit for a new chapter to be published.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing a New Chapter.
Q.How do you change the story summary?
If you want to change the story summary, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Click the "Edit" tab located underneath the short summary. This will redirect you to a new page where you can change your long or short summary.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.How do you change story rating?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Click the "Edit" tab located underneath the short summary. You will be redirected to a new page. From there, go to the very bottom of the page where you can change your story rating in the drop-down list. For an explanation of ratings, read this knowledge base article on story ratings.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.How do you add search tags?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Edit. Scroll down until you reach the very bottom of the editing page, and you can add search tags for your story. Make sure they are appropriate for your story.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.How do I post a sequel?
When you create a new story, under “cover image”, one of the fields you can submit is “This story is a sequel of...”. Select the story this new story is a sequel of and submit. If you are not an author of the story that it is a sequel of, you cannot submit it as a sequel. If you did not do this while creating your story the first time, go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Edit.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.What is my story's status for?
Your story's status is what you would like your readers to know about your story, such as if it is active, completed, the progress of updates, if you have writer's block, etc.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q.What are tags for?
Tags are key words that describe your story. Tags help guide users to your story in a search. Only type in relevant tags when you are creating a story.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q. Can I change my story title?
Yes. To do so, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Find the story that you wish to edit the title of and click on the “Edit” tab located under the story's short summary. This will redirect you to a new page where you can edit your story's title. Some users like to inform readers of the name change in their short or long descriptions.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q. How do you delete a story?
To delete a story, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Find the story you wish to delete and click on the "Delete" tab located under the story's short description. Delete and confirm.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q. How do I add an icon (cover) to my story?
These are considered covers. They can be added from your saved files when you go to: My Mibba >> Stories, find the story you wish to add a cover to, click the “Edit” tab located under the story's short description. This will redirect you to a new page where you can add a cover.
For more information, please read Posting a New Story.
Q. How do I edit a chapter of a story?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Find the story you wish to add a chapter to and click the “Chapters” tab located under the story's short description. This will redirect you to a new page filled with your story's chapters. From there, find the chapter you wish to edit, click the "Edit" tab underneath the chapter you want to modify.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing a New Chapter.
Q. Do you have to do anything once you have posted the last chapter?
Once you have posted the last chapter, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Find the story you have completed and click the “Edit” tab under the story's short description. This will redirect you to a new page where you can change the story to “completed” at the bottom of the page.
Q. Can I post a script?
You cannot post dialogue in script format for a normal story, but you are allowed to post scripts and screenplays.
Q. How do you subscribe to a story?
On the story's page, there is a tab in the top right corner that says "Subscribe." You can click on that and you are automatically subscribed to that story.
Q. What should my rating be?
A full explanation is given here on ratings. If you're ever unsure of what to rate your story, contact a story editor.
For more information, please read Story Types, Ratings, and Genres.
Q. When does your new story become public to the site?
Your new story will show up under your My Mibba stories, however, it will not be publicly viewable on the Mibba Stories page or your profile's story page until you post your first chapter. It may also be viewed if you have linked someone to the summary page. It will be visible on Mibba's Stories page once the first chapter is published, and it will also show up on your profile's Stories tab.
Q. Can an author's note be posted as a chapter?
No. A chapter must be submitted for an author's note to be valid. If you need to tell your readers something and do not have a chapter to post, change your story's status.
Collections
Q. What are Collections?
Collections are groupings of your own stories. You can call them anything, such as "One-shots", "Drabbles", "Fan-fiction" etc. They are a way to organize your stories on your own profile.
For more information, please read Creating/Adding Collections.
Q. How do I delete a Collection?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Collections. Under each description on the collection, there is a tab that says "Delete". Click and confirm.
For more information, please read Creating/Adding Collections.
Q. How do I edit a Collection's title?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Collections. Under each description on the collections, there is a tab that says "Edit". This will redirect you to a new page where you can edit your Collection's title and description.
For more information, please read Creating/Adding Collections.
Characters
Q. Where can I see my characters on my story's page?
When on your story's page, there are a few tabs at the top, and "Characters" is one of them (unless you do not have characters selected for that story). If you do not see the “Characters” tab, but know there are characters assigned to the story, there will be a "..." that indicates more tabs. Click and your list of characters will show up.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing Characters.
Q. How do I add characters?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Characters. There is a button that says "New Character". This will redirect you to a new page where you can fill in the appropriate information and submit the character. From there, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Find the story you would like to assign your character to and click the “Edit” tab located under the story's short summary. Near the bottom of the page is a list of characters which you may add to the story. Find those you wish to add and submit.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing Characters.
Q. How do I delete characters?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Characters. Underneath the character description, there is a "Delete" tab. Click and confirm.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing Characters.
Q. How do I edit a character?
Go to: My Mibba – Stories – Characters. Underneath the character description, there is an "Edit" tab.
For more information, please read Adding/Editing Characters.
Layouts
Q. How do I make a story layout?
Here is a story layout tutorial.
For more information, please read Creating a Custom Story Layout.
Q. How do I assign a story layout to my story?
Go to: My Mibba – Stories, and click on the "Edit" tab. Scroll to the bottom where there is a drop-down list of story layouts that you can apply to that story.
For more information, please read Creating a Custom Story Layout.
Q. How do I delete a story layout?
Go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Layouts. Underneath the layout's title, there is a “Delete” tab. Click and confirm.
For more information, please read Creating a Custom Story Layout.
Q. Can I share the layouts I have made?
Yes. Go to: My Mibba – Stories – Layouts. From there, find the layout you would like to make public and click “Share”.
For more information, please read Creating a Custom Story Layout.
Q. My layout is not doing what I want it to. How do I...?
There is a guide to creating a custom story layout here that can answer all of your story layout creation needs. If you need personalized help, visit the Layouts forum.
For more information, please read Creating a Custom Story Layout.
Story Content and Formatting
Q. Can I post a story that is not written in English?
Yes. When creating your story, simply click the “language” drop-down menu, and choose which language your story is in.
Q. How do I indent a story?
On Mibba, we do not use indented paragraphs. We use block paragraphs. This means that instead of an indent, you start a new paragraph with a space between each paragraph where an indent would normally go. This is the professional way of writing and how manuscripts are submitted to book editors because it is easier for people to read.
Q. What is the purpose of a disclaimer?
Disclaimers are usually in reference to fan fictions stating that you do not own or know the people you are writing about. This means that you did not make these people up and that they are real people, but the events you are portraying did not happen. Including a disclaimer does not protect you from copyright infringement. Other disclaimers are used to warn readers against possible violence, language and sexual content in the event that a reader may be offended by the content.
Disclaimers are optional, but much appreciated by other readers.
Q. What are the rules of profanity in stories?
If you use profanity, your story must be rated at LEAST PG-13. The more severe the language, the higher the rating should be. You can find a list of story ratings and explanations here.
Q. How do you make words bolded, italicized or underlined?
Some sites use html, Mibba uses BBcode. You can find all you need to know about BBcode here.
Q. What is a BBCode?
Bbcode is similar to html. It is used to format within a writing post. Here is a Guide to Bbcode.
Q. How do you get a banner?
You can make your own banner and apply it to your story layout, or you can get someone else to make you a banner and apply it to your story layout. It is okay to post these as pictures in your story's summary. To find out how to post your banner as part of your story's layout, check out this story layout tutorial.
Q. Can I put pictures in my story content/How do I add pictures to my story?
Pictures are not allowed in your story's content or in your summary (with the exception of banners and dividers). If you wish to show what a character looks like, there is a Character's page. To add a character, go to: My Mibba >> Stories >> Characters. If you wish to show what a character is wearing in a specific chapter of a story, add a link to your author's note. To find out how to post a link, see this BBcode tutorial.
Q. Is correct grammar needed for dialogue?
While correct grammar is required throughout your story, you may use your own discretion when it comes to dialogue. If you need to use incorrect grammar to show how a character speaks that is fine. But remember, chatspeak is never allowed in spoken dialogue (though it could be used in text messages, letters, ect...).
Searching for Stories
Q. How do you search for a story?
To search for a story, go to the Mibba Stories page. From there, in the top right corner is a search box. Type in a tag, author or title of a story and hit enter. Stories will pop up. If you wish to have a more specific search, click on the “+” by the search box and this will bring you to a page with multiple search options.
Q. Where can I find finished stories?
All finished stories have a checkmark on the very right side of their link. To search for completed stories, go to the Mibba Advanced Story Search page and check the “Completed” box.
Co-written Stories
Q. How do you become a co-writer/Add a co-writer to a story?
You will get an alert if a user wants you to become one of their co-writers. To add one, go to: My Mibba >> Stories. Click on "Authors" tab underneath your story's short summary. This will redirect you to a new page where you can type in anyone you want to request to be a co-writer for your story. A box will pop up with possible users you may be requesting. Click on the correct one and an alert will be sent to the author to approve.
Q. How do you delete a story with a co-writer?
If you have a story with multiple authors, all authors must delete the story from their stories' page for the story to be deleted from the site.
Subscriptions
Q. Can you see who is subscribed to/reading your story?
No. To protect users privacy, authors cannot see who is subscribed or who has read their stories. However, authors can see who has recommended their stories, by click in the Recommendations tab at the top of the story.
Q. I subscribed to a story but now it is gone, what happened?
If a story you subscribed to is no longer on your subscription list, the story has been removed from the site.
Other
Q. What happened to the star rating system?
The star rating system was disbanded when New Mibba came. A new rating system will be implemented shortly that more accurately reflects story quality and allowed users to actually rate stories according to different criteria.
Q. How do I add a link to my story in my signature?
To change your signature, go to: My Mibba >> Profile >> Signature. From there, add the link to your story using Bbcode.
Q. Can I post one-shots as chapters in a collective one-shot “story”?
No. Collections of one-shots in one story will be deleted. One-shots must be posted as individual stories. If you wish to create a collection of your one-shots, you can do so using the Collections feature.
To learn more, please read Creating/Adding Collections.
Q. How can I get readers/feedback for my story?
The best way to gain readers on Mibba is to be an active member. Interacting with other Mibbians (whether it be talking in the forums, in blog posts, or reading and commenting the story of others) is a great way to get your name out there and to get your story noticed. You can also participate in the many comment-swap threads in Mibba's Tips forum (Comment the Summary | Drabble for Drabble | One Shot for One Shot | Story Review Thread) or sign up for Leave a Comment, Take a Comment.
Q. What do I do if someone has plagiarized my story?
If someone has stolen your story, report it to a story editor immediately with links to the user's profile and the story they have stolen.
Q. Can I post my story on another site? Or is that considered plagiarism?
This is your story to do with as you please. Post it wherever you like.
Q. Do story editors edit your story for you?
Story editors will only edit incorrect titles, rating, genre, or story type. Proofreading and making sure your story follows Mibba's guideline is up to you. If you need help with editing or proofreading your story, you can contact a volunteer in the Editing Hub.
Q. What is the difference between a chaptered story and a one-shot/short story? How short/long constitutes a one-shot?
A chaptered story is a story that consists of multiple chapters. A one-shot or short story is a completed story that only contains one chapter. The length of a one-shot can be as long or short as you'd like, as long as it is only posted as one chapter.
Q. What's the difference between true story, original fiction, and fan fiction?
True Story is any non-fiction piece. This means that the events, characters, and setting of the story actually happened in real life and your telling of the story is truthful and accurate.
Original Fiction is any fictitious story composed of original characters, setting, and plot.
Fan Ficiton is any fictitious story composted of characters, setting, or plot that you did not create. It could be based on a real-life person (for example, a famous musician or actor), a television show, a movie, a published novel...
Useful Links
- Posting a New Story
- Adding/Editing Chapters of Your Story
- Multiple Author Stories
- Story Types, Genres, and Ratings
- Creating a Custom Story Layout
- Creating/Adding Collections
- Adding/Editing Characters
- Story Guidelines
- Frequently Asked Story Questions