Every so often I am going to release a post like this. These posts will give an overview of all the features that are active, how well we are pregressing with getting everything working the way you would want it to and which features we have planned but not yet gotten out of the door.

Profiles

Create a profile

This is possible but the link is well hidden. That’s a problem I am working on.

Edit your profile

Once signed up you can make all the changes you want.

• Avatar
• Banner
• Real Name
• Bio

Activity streams

These are already in place. They are not necessarily the most good looking right now but they fully work.

• Status updates
• Activity updates
• Blog post updates
• Writing published (not as pretty as blog posts but available)

Missing activity streams features

• Writing via WriteShare UI not showing up (this only affects bloggers currently).

Friend others

Implemented and functional. Let us know how well this feature works for you.

Follow authors

Not yet implemented.

Create an Author Buzz Blog

The features exist already but we are still figuring quite a bit out so this is currently only available to Super Admins and Developers. If you want a blog, please ask nicely.

Special profiles for publishers and agents

Currently, there are no special agent or publisher profile options. This is something we want to do but we need to get a whole bunch of other stuff taken care of first. See “Books” for more on what we need to get done.

Passive profiles

The idea is to allow publishers and agents to create profiles for authors or for API discovery to list authors that you can “follow” and that an agent, publisher or author could alter claim if they wish.

Not yet implemented.

Groups

Private chat features where people interested in similar topics can chat and share things.

Free Group Creation

Disabled while we test and fix stuff

Group logo

Enabled but there are some theme/plugin clashes that make the crop not work.

Group banner

Enabled but there are some theme/plugin clashes that make the crop not work.

Joining Groups

Fully functional. Let us know how this works for you.

Books

We did look at using a book based plugin but as we were not ready to test any of its features it added a great deal of confusing complexity that was only slowing us down. Thus these features while available have all been disabled for a while.

Add books you have written

Not yet implemented.

Edit books

Not yet implemented.

View an author’s books

Not yet implemented.

Read some (or all) of a book for free

We’d like the option for authors or agents (or publishers) to add some chapters from a book so you can read them.

Not yet implemented.

Book cover pages

Each book should have its own page with an overview and so forth.

Not yet implemented.

Featured books

Not yet implemented.

Promote my book

Not yet implemented.

Books can appear on front page like posts

Not yet created.

Books appear in activity stream

Not tested.

Members can write book reviews for on Author Buzz

Ideally, these reviews would exist as posts and be available on the front page (if highly rated). They would also appear with the books in question.

Not yet.

Retailer Database

Ideally, this would allow us to list all the sorts of places (like Amazon, Barns and Nobel, etc.) where you might be able to buy a book. Thus once a book is added you can click through to your preferred retailer and buy a copy.

Implemented but not tested.

Writing

We want writer groups and cooperative authors to be able to write together. This would also allow more experienced writers to use the site to tutor others. The features exist and are in private testing.

Custom books

In the private testing stage

Group writing projects

Please stand by for announcements

Teaching area

Not yet enabled.

Writing can appear on front page like posts

Not yet implemented

Blogs

Custom blogs for individual authors or for group projects

Blog creation form

Not yet implemented.

Plugins

The following plugin features have been added

• Anti-Spam
• WordPress.com integration (JetPack)
• Creative Writing customisable writing types (WriteShare)

Themes

A handful of nice themes have been added and are being tested out. Currently, it looks like the best use of these themes would require us to do some customisation to make things play nicely. We are working on this.

If you have experience creating WordPress themes please get in touch. We could use some more support.

Content promotion

Currently, the following content promotion methods exist for blogs.

• Posts appear on Author Buzz regardless of blog they are posted to
• Posts appear in the author’s activity stream
• Common social sharing features