The Writers' Block

[Trotterdam]

And is @@NAME@@ City just a variant for nations who don't have a capital yet, or are there issues that only cite @@NAME@@ City?

#345 has an explicit @@NAME@@ City, even if it's not your capital.

[Terrabod]

Not saying you need to add this - and it is a somewhat silly option, but this is a political satire, so I think it'd be fitting -
would you be including an option where someone's upset because they think the fact that you think there's that big a physical difference between men and women makes you a misogynist?

Be sure to mention this in the forum post when I'm at that stage so we can discuss this in depth! I've already got something of an extreme option but it may well be that your idea would work better or could be incorporated as an extra option.

On a completely unrelated note, are there any issues about freeing the nipple? I'd like to write a draft on that, although I'm not sure if I'd focus on breastfeeding in public or just the double standard of female toplessness in general. The former may not be an issue worthy of Leader's attention (thoughts?) but the latter surely is. It might have to be "adult", but I still think it's a topic worthy of an issue, and could be quite funny too.

[Baloo Kingdom]

Be sure to mention this in the forum post when I'm at that stage so we can discuss this in depth! I've already got something of an extreme option but it may well be that your idea would work better or could be incorporated as an extra option.

On a completely unrelated note, are there any issues about freeing the nipple? I'd like to write a draft on that, although I'm not sure if I'd focus on breastfeeding in public or just the double standard of female toplessness in general. The former may not be an issue worthy of Leader's attention (thoughts?) but the latter surely is. It might have to be "adult", but I still think it's a topic worthy of an issue, and could be quite funny too.

Coming from an Issue Rookie this might seem out of place, but yes, I believe there is in fact an already existing issue on breastfeeding in public. I can't recall the name at the moment, but I remember coming across it a few times while card farming. Either you or I would have to do a more in-depth search of the issues list to find its name, but it was something along the lines of "Breastfeeding in Public?", or something similar to that. Anyway, that's all the information I have to give.

[Terrabod]

Coming from an Issue Rookie this might seem out of place, but yes, I believe there is in fact an already existing issue on breastfeeding in public. I can't recall the name at the moment, but I remember coming across it a few times while card farming. Either you or I would have to do a more in-depth search of the issues list to find its name, but it was something along the lines of "Breastfeeding in Public?", or something similar to that. Anyway, that's all the information I have to give.

Thanks for the info! I took a look through the archives and found #197 - I guess that's the one you're talking about. So there is an existing issue about breastfeeding in public, but I can't find anything on the female toplessness double standard myself. At least that's one question answered, cheers!

EDIT: Bad link, sorry!

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

Just curious: Is @@ANIMAL@@ City in Northern @@NAME@@?

1. Yes.

Can someone cite the issue number?

[SherpDaWerp]

1. Yes.

Can someone cite the issue number?

I searched, but I couldn't find anything that implied @@animal@@ city was in North @@name@@... It's appearances so far are:

• 178, subject of false claims by the media,
• 223, subject of a zombie attack,
• 592, target of some pipe bomb attacks,
• 869.1, "2 hours drive away from @@capital@@",
• 874, passing reference,
• 911, consumed by fire,
• 1135, passing reference,
• 1237, has a beach and some archaic laws,
• 1252, drinking too much ale,
• 1256, as a marginal seat of parliament,
• 1273, their university has biased curriculum

It doesn't look like we've got any geographical details about it except for the fact that it's kinda far from @@capital@@. It does have a North Beach, as mentioned in #1256, but that doesn't imply it's in North @@name@@, merely that it has at least 2 beaches, one of which is called "North Beach".

[The Sakhalinsk Empire]

What issues tackle rampant heart disease in @@NATION@@? I'm certain there's at least one, but it would be best if I knew the issue number.

[Trotterdam]

What issues tackle rampant heart disease in @@NATION@@? I'm certain there's at least one, but it would be best if I knew the issue number.

#1138 is about defibrillators, but doesn't mention what condition defibrillators are supposed to help with until option 3. Apparently you're supposed to know that already.

Besides that, there's some issues that address factors that are correlated with heart disease, particularly obesity, without ever mentioning heart disease directly.

I would also heed this advice:

there might be other disease-based issues that are largely similar, even if they use a different chronic illness as the framing

[The United Artherian Federation]

The idea for this chain literally came to me in a dream last night. The basic premise is that Leader's ageing grandfather is in poor health, and begins writing letters to them, outlining some changes he would like to see in the nation before he passes. This chain would serve as a way for nations to get rid of policies they have and would like to get rid of (such as no prisons, no judiciary, euthanasia, geronticide, etc.) Each issue would be a different letter from him, and have three to four options, one of which would preserve the status quo and not remove any policies. Right now the idea is in it's infancy and only a few hours old, so any feedback is appreciated.

[Flanderlion]

Dumb question, especially as it was only a couple of days ago, but trying to remember which issue this effect line is from:

"1 day 3 hours ago: Following new legislation in Flanderlion, drivers regularly pull over for nonexistent police cars"

Tried to check the issue spoiler thread, but as always it never contains the effect lines.

[Trotterdam]

Dumb question, especially as it was only a couple of days ago, but trying to remember which issue this effect line is from:

"1 day 3 hours ago: Following new legislation in Flanderlion, drivers regularly pull over for nonexistent police cars"

Tried to check the issue spoiler thread, but as always it never contains the effect lines.

According to http://www.mwq.dds.nl/ns/results/issues.html, it's #947 1.

[The Free Joy State]

The idea for this chain literally came to me in a dream last night. The basic premise is that Leader's ageing grandfather is in poor health, and begins writing letters to them, outlining some changes he would like to see in the nation before he passes. This chain would serve as a way for nations to get rid of policies they have and would like to get rid of (such as no prisons, no judiciary, euthanasia, geronticide, etc.) Each issue would be a different letter from him, and have three to four options, one of which would preserve the status quo and not remove any policies. Right now the idea is in it's infancy and only a few hours old, so any feedback is appreciated.

Firstly, we would discourage writers with little issue-writing experience from attempting chains. Chains are a huge amount of work, even for the most experienced of authors. We would always advise you to begin with a single, strong issue.

Second, the purpose of chains -- indeed, the purpose of all issues -- is to tell a strong, cohesive and focused story, never just to remove/add policies. When you think of an issue, your only thought should be: is the story strong, is it interesting, is it something the leader of a nation would respond to? This contains things you should think about when considering a new issue.

Leave the stats to the editors.

Dumb question, especially as it was only a couple of days ago, but trying to remember which issue this effect line is from:

"1 day 3 hours ago: Following new legislation in Flanderlion, drivers regularly pull over for nonexistent police cars"

Tried to check the issue spoiler thread, but as always it never contains the effect lines.

That would be #947 "Imitation Station".

[Flanderlion]

Dumb question, especially as it was only a couple of days ago, but trying to remember which issue this effect line is from:

"1 day 3 hours ago: Following new legislation in Flanderlion, drivers regularly pull over for nonexistent police cars"

Tried to check the issue spoiler thread, but as always it never contains the effect lines.

According to http://www.mwq.dds.nl/ns/results/issues.html, it's #947 1.

Dumb question, especially as it was only a couple of days ago, but trying to remember which issue this effect line is from:

"1 day 3 hours ago: Following new legislation in Flanderlion, drivers regularly pull over for nonexistent police cars"

Tried to check the issue spoiler thread, but as always it never contains the effect lines.

That would be #947 "Imitation Station".

Thanks to you both, yep, I remember answering that one as well. Thanks for the quick response.

[Merni]

"The Issue" in issue 161:
"After the vast fortunes of a recently deceased oil tycoon in Merni were left to a small cactus plant, citizens nationwide have been asking the same question: should the inheritance tax laws be changed?"
Can someone with a better English understanding explain how the question follows from the situation? It seems like a complete non sequitur from a rich (and possibly eccentric) oil tycoon naming a cactus plant as his heir (without mention as to how much of the fortune the inheritance tax took up), to citizens discussing inheritance tax. I would understand it more if it was saying that, after paying inheritance tax, only a small cactus plant was left.

On that subject, are there any issues existing dealing with forced heirship? This is the rule in most civil law systems that a certain portion of the estate must be left to the children -- they cannot be disinherited entirely (with exceptions).

[The Sakhalinsk Empire]

"The Issue" in issue 161:
"After the vast fortunes of a recently deceased oil tycoon in Merni were left to a small cactus plant, citizens nationwide have been asking the same question: should the inheritance tax laws be changed?"
Can someone with a better English understanding explain how the question follows from the situation? It seems like a complete non sequitur from a rich (and possibly eccentric) oil tycoon naming a cactus plant as his heir (without mention as to how much of the fortune the inheritance tax took up), to citizens discussing inheritance tax. I would understand it more if it was saying that, after paying inheritance tax, only a small cactus plant was left.

On that subject, are there any issues existing dealing with forced heirship? This is the rule in most civil law systems that a certain portion of the estate must be left to the children -- they cannot be disinherited entirely (with exceptions).

The people are clamouring because the money is practically being wasted. A tax would redistribute some of this otherwise useless wealth to the government and thus the people.

I don't know about the latter.

[Merni]

The people are clamouring because the money is practically being wasted. A tax would redistribute some of this otherwise useless wealth to the government and thus the people.

Ahh, that makes sense. Thank you

[Trotterdam]

On that subject, are there any issues existing dealing with forced heirship? This is the rule in most civil law systems that a certain portion of the estate must be left to the children -- they cannot be disinherited entirely (with exceptions).

I cannot find any, and it seems like a valid issue to me. Go for it!

[The Sakhalinsk Empire]

Is there an update list of needed issues? I'm not sure the one in the front page is updated, and I have a bad memory so I don't remember if someone mentioned an updated list.

[Candlewhisper Archive]

Is there an update list of needed issues? I'm not sure the one in the front page is updated, and I have a bad memory so I don't remember if someone mentioned an updated list.

I've changed the date. The list remains unaltered.

[The Sakhalinsk Empire]

Is there an update list of needed issues? I'm not sure the one in the front page is updated, and I have a bad memory so I don't remember if someone mentioned an updated list.

I've changed the date. The list remains unaltered.

Thanks. That'll mean I'll repost my upper house reversal, which for some reason I've saved on a text file in a folder hidden in my desktop.

[Frieden-und Freudenland]

Would it make sense to have an issue about the cultural fabric of a certain area changing due to landlords demanding unreasonably high rents and well-established businesses having to leave the area?

Something like this is currently happening where I live, and though I heard that this trend had been continuing for the past decade, it only got worse during the pandemic. I mean, there are certain businesses that come to be deeply engrained in a certain neighborhood - the old bookstore around the corner, the cafe with the amazing almond cookies that was run by the same family for 4 generations, the taqueria across the street... etc. etc. These businesses provide the backdrop to the memories many people have about a neighborhood and they are presumably even more important if that neighborhood is kinda touristy. But the "touristiness" of the neighborhood makes the landlords greedy, they raise the rent, the original businesses that helped contribute to making the neighborhood 'trendy' in the first place end up leaving.

Perhaps this could be a reason to suggest that the government intervene to regulate the rents? This is more or less what I have in mind.

[Chan Island]

Would it make sense to have an issue about the cultural fabric of a certain area changing due to landlords demanding unreasonably high rents and well-established businesses having to leave the area?

Something like this is currently happening where I live, and though I heard that this trend had been continuing for the past decade, it only got worse during the pandemic. I mean, there are certain businesses that come to be deeply engrained in a certain neighborhood - the old bookstore around the corner, the cafe with the amazing almond cookies that was run by the same family for 4 generations, the taqueria across the street... etc. etc. These businesses provide the backdrop to the memories many people have about a neighborhood and they are presumably even more important if that neighborhood is kinda touristy. But the "touristiness" of the neighborhood makes the landlords greedy, they raise the rent, the original businesses that helped contribute to making the neighborhood 'trendy' in the first place end up leaving.

Perhaps this could be a reason to suggest that the government intervene to regulate the rents? This is more or less what I have in mind.

That is the phenomenon known as gentrification, or at least this is an outgrowth from it. I know we definitely have a few on that, though I don't think there's one on specifically the businesses.

[Kedvesh]

I noticed in the Issue Little Pizza History that one of the selectable choices talks about a person that lead your nation during its revolutionary phase, an option I believe breaks the rule that issues should not make assumptions about your country. I'm not really sure where else to complain about it, so I'll put my concerns here

[Outer Sparta]

I noticed in the Issue Little Pizza History that one of the selectable choices talks about a person that lead your nation during its revolutionary phase, an option I believe breaks the rule that issues should not make assumptions about your country. I'm not really sure where else to complain about it, so I'll put my concerns here

Not the right place to address current issues with issues. Use this thread if you see any problems with current issues: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=158858

[Outer Sparta]

Here are other ideas one could use for sports issues (provided of course it's still of national importance)

- Controlling corporate influence in football leagues and prevent a bubble from bursting such as the recent CSL crisis (I could build off of #1372)
- Scandals in your own domestic league (corruption, match-fixing, Calciopoli-style scandals, etc.)