This is in itself is useful, but he also added a column that allows you to mark the ones you have already read. With 491 fics, it can be a bit confusing at times to keep track of them all! This should help a ton!
You can find the Google Spreadsheet below
Fic Reading Checklist
In it's current state, you cannot edit it. This is simply a template. You will need to make your own copy. For those that have no clue how to do this, simply...
1.) Click File
2.) Click "Make a Copy"
3.) Let it finish loading and save it.
Thats it, pretty easy right?
Once you download your copy, the spreadsheet also has other useful features. You can completely filter certain types of stories by clicking the blue arrow in the upper right hand corner of the title box for that column. If you don't like grimdark for example, simply uncheck grimdark.
There are a bunch of other neat things you can discover on your own, but until then enjoy it! I'm adding it to the story archive permanently for those that miss this post.
60 comments:
holy moses that's a lot of fiction. Maybe i should actually write some more of mine to pass the time between seasons...
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that's really helpful, good on you no-name brony!
ReplyDelete5 star really should be it's own boolean column so you can easily find all the 5 star fics by sorting it to show them first.
ReplyDeleteIs there instructions on how to use or am I just really inept?
ReplyDeleteAlso, there should be a validation option for "wrote"
ReplyDeleteIt's easy enough to make, sure, but I can't figure out how ot make the colors associate with the options like that.
and does this spreadsheet update from the main sheet or do I have to manually update it?
ReplyDeleteGlad you all are liking the spreadsheet.
ReplyDelete@Adrian Brony - just made a quick modification to highlight 5 star fics, I'll get to work on a rating column.
One of the best additions to the fandom I've seen, kudos to the creator.
ReplyDeleteThis is EXCELLENT! Thanks so much for this!
ReplyDeleteseriously though, I am gonna be doing SO much more reading thaanks to this.
ReplyDeleteSomehow the fanfiction from this community tends to be of a higher caliber than most fanfiction... and I have no idea why.
I am indebted to you PAge Turner.
ReplyDeleteI once did a fanfic myself for Pikmin way back when, but I horribly derailed it with the inclusion of several other games for lulz, plot points not fully fleshed out, and generally not updating it.
I am sorely tempted to write something for MLP, but I'm not sure if I can keep the commitment. The vague idea I have has definitely not yet been done in this community yet. I'd love to be the first to introduce it, but I'd hate to butcher it...
Is this heaven? 'Cause its snowing fanfics!
ReplyDeleteI tried to make something like that myself, but THIS is pure gold - so easy to manage and use, so useful. It probably took forever to made it, so bravo, because its brilliant. At last I can follow which Fics I already read!
It would be cool if he went farther and included stories outside of the archive.
ReplyDeleteI noticed a missing fanfic.
ReplyDeleteI do not see Cupcake's Day Out.
It's a good one, and has nothing to do with the infamous story.
Just wanted to point out a fic that I heartily commend and don't see on the list -> http://www.ponychan.net/chan/fic/res/1701.html
ReplyDeleteThis could really use an 'author' column.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've been playing around with are ePub documents. I've converted a couple fanfics to ePub so I can read them easily on my Nook. (I tend to get more distracted and take more breaks when I'm reading off of a computer)
I don't know if anyone else has an interest in that sort of thing... if so I'll try to find a way to host them somewhere
Wow! This is awesome! I need all the help I can get to maintain a reasonable amount of organization.
ReplyDeletesorry to bother but i'm not seeing "Derpy's Bebop" (one of the april friend-off entries)
ReplyDeleteHuh. I'm incapable of making a copy or downloading. Anyone else have that problem?
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteyeah, I'm having that problem too. Don't know why.
@Sorrowful I'm doing the same right now, maybe we could contact and help each other? Drop me a mail if you'd like :3
ReplyDeleteWhat? Why is Cupcakes only rated 3 stars? Also, I'm pretty sure that it's the most referred to fanfic out of any of them.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteThere is such a thing as infamy. Most only refer to it as messed up, mind molestin' fan fiction.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteBeing referenced to =/= being actually liked. For other examples along these lines, see Scrappy Doo, the Twilight/vampire books, and politicians.
To everyone having trouble copying, I'm not sure what the problem would be. The most likely reason is that you aren't signed in to google though. Check that and let me know.
ReplyDeleteTons of great suggestions here. I'll get to work on adding the stories not in the archive, but I'll still be sticking to EqD stuff. I'm actually a bit inexperienced with the other fanfic sources out there. If you wanna suggest any though, go ahead and email me at [email protected].
I'm a little over half way through rating. I decided to only include a rating if it's had over twenty votes to simplify things and encourage reading the less reviewed fics.
Thanks for the suggestion Sorrowful. I think I'll start on an author column after the ratings are done.
Well, I guess I have my summer reading list. I wonder how many of these I could shove into my phone...
ReplyDelete@Sorrowful, @Kennet Brent
ReplyDeleteSame here, actually. You guys want to make this a team effort? What I lack is somewhere to host . . . though I suppose we could always use Mediafire.
@Shellsh0cker
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me!
And for future reference to all the bronies: If anyone wants to collaborate just drop me a mail! Contact info on my profile :3
Should I start setting up a web? Or maybe it's too soon? Damn, I always get carried away with this kind of projects xD
Huh, odd. Can't select the Save As... function, only Download. :/ I'm signed into Gmail and everything. Too many people viewing, maybe?
ReplyDelete>mfw 'The' is not sorted correctly
ReplyDeleteThe spreadsheet: Very good. Thank you for all your hard work doing this! This works so much better than hitting the "Older Post" button 200 times and trying to remember which Rainbow Dash story I stopped on. I needed this. Thank you for making it.
ReplyDeleteUpdates: I'd imagine that you update the master list and I copy/paste into my local version, right?
All the stories that I liked but I'm STILL waiting on a second chapter: C'mon, writers. Write more please.
How do you do to get the new version with the fanfics without overwriting everything you already did on it?
ReplyDelete@Shidoshi
ReplyDeleteI also want to know this. It's hard to remember all the fics in progress I'm reading and I don't want to lose my list every time something new comes out.
@Shidoshi
ReplyDeleteI also want to know how to do this. It's hard enough to remember all the fics in progress I'm reading let alone redo the list every time a new update comes out.
Otherwise I love it. Great product and one that was sorely needed.
I agree, we need a way to update from the master file.
ReplyDeleteWish I could figure out a way to keep a master file that updates to everyone else's lists. I talked with a friend majoring in compsci, but he couldn't think of an easy way to do it.
ReplyDeleteFor now we'll just have to do it the complicated way. I made this doc showing how I've been updating my list. Hope it helps.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10BytaCjdATpb7YjeFmGKEMrvWsWwob9x_AX_cTsxx_I/edit?hl=en#
I can't seem to figure out how to filter in more recent versions. Anyone care to help?
ReplyDelete@Pageturner This is just a suggestion for an easier way to update. Instead of updating the entire sheet, you could instead do an "update" CSV text file and have this post bumped with a link to that file (and instructions to import into Excel/LO/OOO for those that aren't familiar with them).
ReplyDeleteWhen is the next scheduled update? It hasn't updated in over 2 weeks, and given the nature of the herd, the number of stories has probably increased by at least 20%
ReplyDeleteUpdated so far to 6/26/2011, if you're still looking here.
ReplyDeleteThis is very cool, haven't really gotten into reading fanfic yet, but I'm sure this will be very useful for when I have some time to :D
ReplyDeleteSorry for sporadic updates, I can be a bit absent-minded and forget to update the list. But I plan on being much more regular and update at least twice a week from now on.
ReplyDelete@Twinkle Sparkle, Thank you for the suggestion, it might be a good idea to get this bumped when there are new updates. Your method is actually similar to how I do things already. I build a spreadsheet in google docs of just the fics that will be added in the next update, then add them to the main spreadsheet. I figured people could just copy-paste the rows they need, but publishing the update file would make that easier. There are things I update in the main doc though (e.g. ratings, tags, characters, authors) that changed after the original update or I missed at the time. Most people don't really need that though so sharing the update files would simplify things.
I think it would be helpful for the status column to have category for stories one plans to read but hasn't yet.
ReplyDeleteNot to pile on the suggestions, but it might be nice to include an "Incomplete" or "Work-In-Progress" tag along with Unread, Reading, etc, for those stories that are still being updated by their authors. I do this for my own copy of the spreadsheet, and it helps me keep track of the stories that I'm actively following (so that I don't read 75% of a great fic and then forget to ever finish it).
ReplyDeleteJust a thought :)
@ Anonymouses Thank you for the comments. I meant for the 'Reading' tag to be used for situations just like both of these. It's mainly meant to show you have some interest in the story and want to keep an eye on it. So if a fic is still updating, you're keen on reading it soon or you had to stop half way through at some point, 'Reading' should cover it.
ReplyDeleteHere's a couple fields that may be helpful to some. I would use it, but I'm not sure whether anyone else would.
ReplyDelete1)A format field(Google, DA, FF.net)
2)# of chapters
The reason I think these would be helpful is for downloading for reading on the go when internet isn't available.
and thanks for all your work in keeping this neat and up to date!
@pageturner1988
ReplyDeletehey really great idea and glad to see it's still going strong, can i offer a hoof somehow to help out?
Many hoofs and all that ^^
@EpsillonXD
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for the suggestions. Those would be interesting additions, but like you mentioned I don't know if they would get enough use to be necessary. I try to keep the number of columns down- unsuccessfully-to keep the size down. I'm am curious though how they help with downloading for reading offline. If you could explain a bit more, that might make the updates worthwhile. Feel free to contact me at the email below.
@The Ferret
Thank you I'm glad I've been able to keep it going for everyone who's using it. I could always use help with this. The best way you could help is keep your eyes open for mistakes I've missed. As you read fics, check that everything looks right and most importantly, check the character listings. I go by the tags Seth puts on the post, but many add new characters as the story continues or it slipped by him when he made the post. If you find anything, let Seth know so he can fix it on the blog and let me know so I can fix it on the spreadsheet. That will be a big help in improving the list, since it's a bit too much for me to read all the stories myself.
If you notice anything just send an e-mail my way at [email protected]
@pageturner1988
ReplyDeleteI'll just reply here, in case anyone else is curious, on how it would be useful. Google docs and deviantart are hard to download unless they're are single chapters, whereas there are multiple downloaders for huge stories on fanfic.net.
But yeah, I understand keeping the size down, and I imagine it probably wouldn't be used enough to warrant the larger size.
However I did think of a field that would more than likely be widely used, status of the story(complete,incomlete,on hiatus, discontinued[if there are any that fit that], etc.), thus preventing MUST READ MOAR RAGE!!!
p.s.Another small suggestion that might be useful to people who are new to google docs, how to update their own copy, so nopony wastes valuable reading time on copying the whole thing and relabeling everything that they've read.
OMFG, 948 fics as I am writing this and I was going to write a fic of my own... it will never get noticed amongst this huge clutter of fics!
ReplyDelete@Anonymous Honestly don't let the fics out there discourage you! Seth and EQd do an amazing job of helping make sure all fics get their time in the spotlight.
ReplyDeleteHow do you change a story so it reads as read? BEcause I know Ive read at least one of them and I dont know how to change the box :/
ReplyDelete@graypawdeputy you click the box that says read and a small blue arrow will appear on the top right, click that and select read from the dropdown menu.
ReplyDeleteHow do I copy paste a new spreadsheet addition to to my current spreadsheet?
ReplyDelete@Landon Very confusingly.
ReplyDeleteBasically you can either transfer over your statuses to the new update or you can add the update to what you're currently using.
If you pick b) then start copying over statuses and if you sort both lists the same way it'll be easier to handle. If you sort by "Title A-> Z" and then sort by the "date column Z->A"
If you pick option a) then open the new spreadsheet and count how many new rows there are and then add that many to your list then just cut and pasta the new data in. you also need to format the rows by clicking a row that was already there and selecting the format paint button and then click the new rows to be formatted. After that just turn the auto filter off and on again so it recognises the new rows.
For those who are still reading i'm working on making a website for this thing so it's not so confusing.
@The Ferret Thanks for the advice, but I don't entirely understand, and I'm still having trouble figuring out how to do it.
ReplyDelete@Landon
ReplyDeleteNo worries, what exactly aren't you following on? Maybe I can give you a hand.
...Why is the list missing a few stories in the new version? For example, White Tail Woods is in the 7/13 version, but not the 8/7 version.
ReplyDelete@Heireau
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, High-Fructose Porn Syrup took down all his stories that were in GoogleDocs. Because of this and since Sethisto told me the EqD pages for these stories would be deleted eventually, I took them off the list. It's a real shame too, I liked a bunch of those stories.