19.13.8 Proofreading

This is mostly for crafters, but also useful for anyone writing custom descriptions!

It is vitally important that crafters proofread their work, or better, work with others to do so before submitting. The design approvals team cannot be a basic grammar and spellchecker for everyone with a crafting license and it leads to long queue times and high submission fees.

We have a few resources for you to help make sure your writing is up to scratch!

First of all, you, the community! Join the UUC clan and ask for feedback on your designs!


Second, we have the PROOF command and highlighting system!
  - Once written, view your sketch and take note of any highlighted words
  - Yellow highlights are contextual errors that may be wrong in certain circumstances, but not all.
  - Red highlights are always wrong.
  - Use the PROOF command when your design has highlights to check and see what these reasons are.


Third, the HELP SYSTEM!
See the proofreading guide below in this helpfile, plus HELP CRAFTING GUIDELINES, HELP <craft> DESIGN for craft specific guidance, HELP CRAFTING PUNCTUATION, HELP CUSTOMISATION GUIDELINES, and HELP STYLE for general writing!

Other useful helpfiles will be HELP PUNCTUATION, HELP WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, HELP THAT'S NOT ACHAEAN, and HELP PROVINCIAL ACHAEAN.

PROOFREADING
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ITEM TYPE
   - Make sure that the type/sketch used matches the main noun in all aspects of the design.

APPEARANCE
   - Commas are not permitted in the Appearance of crafted items.
   - This should begin with a lowercase letter and NOT end in a full stop. (Capitals are permitted in the titles of artwork and branding in beverages.)
   - This must feature the name of the item as a main noun.
   - This should not be a full sentence.
   - Do not include actions or reactions, simply what the item is.

DROPPED
   - This must be ONE complete sentence that begins with a capital letter and ends with a full stop.
   - Describe just the item, not possible player reactions or actions.
   - The main noun in the sentence must be the same as the pattern name so that people know what to call it when they want to pick it up, without having to type 'info here.'
   - Things like "A cloak is hanging from a peg here." is not acceptable. If it were dropped on the highway there is no peg to hang from. 
   - "lays" is never appropriate in DROPPED, this is a transient action, you want "LIES".
   - "a pair of ..." is a singular item (a pair), conjugate appropriately.

EXAMINED
   - This should only describe the item, no subjective terms, reactions, opinions, emotions, or responses.
   - Use at least two complete sentences, NO FRAGMENTS.
   - Designs must be suitable for a medieval-ish environment.
   - Do not "evoke".
   - Use appropriate materials.
   - All numbers must be written out in words. "one, two, three".
   - Feet, inches, yards, etc, no metric measurements.
   - Please use a GB English spellcheck, Achaea does not use American spelling.
   - Achaea uses the "Oxford comma" when using lists. This means that when writing a list, a comma should be used before the "and". E.G: a red, white, and blue scarf.
   - Single spacing always and only. Check for double spaces especially after full stops, and if you have copied text from another format.
   - Designs should describe the item, not the wearer, use of "you" and "your" are prohibited.
   - When describing items with obviously OOC regional names or terms, please describe the item rather than using the regional term.