I will admit that this is a tall order, so I'm not expecting to see it implemented, but I want to post the suggestion anyway.
I would like to see an option where people can assign a particular style to a story (or to individual chapters.)
People could create custom themes using CSS code (I would assume with limitations to avoid potential security risks) and then apply those themes to their written works. Themes people create could also be set as either private or public, thus allowing people to utilize themes they like without having to learn how to create them.
Ideally, this should apply to readers and authors, so readers could select default themes to use so that the site displays stories in a manner pleasing to them (similar to selecting a dark mode or light mode, but with more options,) and authors could use custom themes to display stories how they want, or just add additional formatting options as needed for a story.
To help people unfamiliar with CSS/web-design, here's some relevant information about how this would work:
A given style will only override specified qualities. eg, if you only specify a change in the font used, that is all that changes. Thus, styles can actually be stacked, as the "top level" is used whenever there is a conflict. If a user prefers a "dark mode" theme that changes the background to black and the text to white, then it has no compatibility issues with the theme that just changes the font. However, there should be an easily-accessed option for the reader to change overrides "just in case" something does clash.
What this means is: We can have authors specify styles they want for formatting their story, AND we can have readers specify themes they want for how they want to view their story.
CSS also allows for assigning styles to specific paragraphs or arbitrary spans, which authors can use to make certain parts of their text formatted differently.
This should be something that authors can apply to whole stories and individual chapters. When reading, users can specify a desired theme and also specify if their desired default should try to override an author's style.
I have seen this kind of option used on other sites to display stories in a screenplay format. Personally, I'd like to employ a "printed book" theme that uses paragraph indentation with smaller paragraph spacing, along with a gentle gray background instead of a glaring white. But if people aren't a fan of that, they don't have to view it that way.
On top of that, this could be used to create all kinds of formatting options that authors may want to use in their story, but do not currently exist. No one will need to request a change to the system; they can just make the change themselves.
I would like to see an option where people can assign a particular style to a story (or to individual chapters.)
People could create custom themes using CSS code (I would assume with limitations to avoid potential security risks) and then apply those themes to their written works. Themes people create could also be set as either private or public, thus allowing people to utilize themes they like without having to learn how to create them.
Ideally, this should apply to readers and authors, so readers could select default themes to use so that the site displays stories in a manner pleasing to them (similar to selecting a dark mode or light mode, but with more options,) and authors could use custom themes to display stories how they want, or just add additional formatting options as needed for a story.
To help people unfamiliar with CSS/web-design, here's some relevant information about how this would work:
A given style will only override specified qualities. eg, if you only specify a change in the font used, that is all that changes. Thus, styles can actually be stacked, as the "top level" is used whenever there is a conflict. If a user prefers a "dark mode" theme that changes the background to black and the text to white, then it has no compatibility issues with the theme that just changes the font. However, there should be an easily-accessed option for the reader to change overrides "just in case" something does clash.
What this means is: We can have authors specify styles they want for formatting their story, AND we can have readers specify themes they want for how they want to view their story.
CSS also allows for assigning styles to specific paragraphs or arbitrary spans, which authors can use to make certain parts of their text formatted differently.
This should be something that authors can apply to whole stories and individual chapters. When reading, users can specify a desired theme and also specify if their desired default should try to override an author's style.
I have seen this kind of option used on other sites to display stories in a screenplay format. Personally, I'd like to employ a "printed book" theme that uses paragraph indentation with smaller paragraph spacing, along with a gentle gray background instead of a glaring white. But if people aren't a fan of that, they don't have to view it that way.
On top of that, this could be used to create all kinds of formatting options that authors may want to use in their story, but do not currently exist. No one will need to request a change to the system; they can just make the change themselves.
