Tutorial:  Editing Sims 2 Pictures
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The following tutorial is the second of the top two questions I'm asked by fellow simmers.  How do I create stories and upload them to the exchange.  This will give you a step by step process so that you can share your stories with other simmers.  The pictures are large & detailed, so if you have a slow connection, please allow time for them to come through.  Thanks!
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1.  Load up your Sims 2 game.  Go to the neighborhood where your story is taking place.  In this case, I'm in Pleasantview.  Notice I have a lot for every episode of "The Goth Ascendancy" as it is a mini-series and I want to keep my uploads separate.  

You can use the same lot repeatedly, but each time you upload, only the current story and pictures will be displayed, ERASING your previous story.  So if you don't want to save over your previous story I'd suggest setting aside land plots like this.

Once you have the lot you want to create the story on selected, enter it.
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2.  Once in the lot of choice, click on the story book icon (or hit your F4 button) located on your tool bar.  This will take you to story mode.
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3.  Welcome to story mode.  This is where all your operating and creative processes will take place.

You'll come into the ORGANIZE STORY screen.  Here is where you can see all the pictures taken on the current lot you're on.  In this case, since I only use the lot for putting stories together, you'll notice the screen is blank with instructions on how to take a snapshot (C button or press the camera icon).
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4.  Next to the family icon is a plus symbol.  If you click on the button that is labeled more, you'll suddenly have access to ALL pictures for your current neighborhood.  This is where I'll be drawing from.
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5.  As you search through your pictures, if you find one that you want in your story, simply click on it until it is highlighted green, then click on the ADD TO STORY icon to push the slide into your picture line up for your story.  You'll be able to see in the far right column all the pictures you have coming in.

As you load pictures into the story column, make sure you organize them as you want them, as it places them in backwards if you're not paying attention.  The two arrows at the bottom will move the selected picture up or down in the story according to where you need it. 
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6.  If you place a slide in that you do not want, simply click on it in the right column and hit the REMOVE ENTRY FROM STORY icon.  This will place the slide back into your household or neighborhood collection as it was originally.  NOTE:  If you remove a slide from the line up, all of the text you had typed with it will disappear as well, so make sure you don't want it in the story before hitting the button.

To permanently DELETE a slide, click on it and hit the trashcan icon.  NOTE:  This will only remove the slide permanently if it is the actual lot where the picture was taken, with exception to only a few neighborhood shots.  You can also delete the pictures from your Storytelling folder, but make sure you are out of story mode before you do or your game will crash.
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7.  Once you have your desired slides selected, and organized into the correct order from top (story starts) to bottom (story ends) then hit the EDIT STORY icon.  From here you'll run through the story and can enter text in to narrate the pictures you've selected.  You have the option to delete slides from here, but it may not be a permanent delete...see above.
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8.  You can also type in your text in the Edit Blog section if you so choose, I prefer the other myself so you can scan the pictures for mishaps, such as green diamonds, trash on the ground, a sim in the background is picking their nose etc.

You're also supposed to be able to upload just blogs to something, but I don't mess with it since it's not what I need.  
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9.  When you're done creating your prize winning novel and are ready to upload it to the exchange, go to the story mode from before.  Below is a flower like icon that says Package to the Sims2.com.  This is what you'll press if you're ready to share your album with others.
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10.  You'll get a prompt double checking that you do in fact wish to upload this album.  If you're positive you're done with it, simply click on YES.  If you have more changes you wish to make, simply hit NO and go back to upload later when you really are ready.
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11.  If you say YES, you'll be prompted for a Log In screen.  Enter in the name & password you signed up for with EA Registration and use for the Sims 2 Exchange site.  In this case Aysen08 and my password.  I avoid the auto log in mode as a personal preference, but you can if you want to.

If your password and login name are both correct, hit the check mark and proceed.
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12.  Give your story a nifty tag-line to identify it to other simmers who are browsing through the exchange.

My personal favorite is from my story "Thicker Than Blood" with Anya Van Helsing.

Accustomed to the strange and unusual, what happens when she encounters a real neck-romancer.

In this case, I'm demonstrating with my Goth story, so it's the one listed in the picture.

Or if you just want a simple one, you could do "Sappy Clowns Raid Pleasantview (Chapter 3)" or whatever the current story is.

Once you have your catchy tag-line or basic description hit the check mark icon again.
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13. Now you have the option to place your story into it's appropriate categories.  You can check up to three.  In this case, my Goth stories, to me, are considered Comedy, Romance, & Sims Life Stories. My Anya stories are typically Mystery, Fantasy, etc.  Just place it where you think it belongs, or with a theme that's most prominent.  When done, hit the check mark again. 
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14.  From here your story should begin uploading to the exchange automatically if you have an internet connection.  I have DSL so mine has always been on, not sure about a Dial Up, sorry.

Now you wait.  Depending on how large the story is (how many total slides, if you edited any pictures with a program that made them weigh down a bit more, etc.), your connection speed, and the reception of the exchange (sometimes their bogged down and it takes longer, so be patient) will depend on how much time it takes to finish.

Should you get an error talking about Idle Time Outs I think it's error 6 or 06, I get it a lot, especially with larger stories, simply keep trying to upload until it says SUCCESS!  Your story has been uploaded to the Sims 2 Exchange!  
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15.  Technically you're done if you want to call it that, but here are a few extra rules of thumb to insure your story made it.

Once the upload success sign shows, you can immediately head to the sims exchange site, to your own sim page.  The story should show up under your Uploads section.  If it's not there immediately, the site may be slowed down, check back in about 15 minutes.  If it's still not there, upload again, sometimes if they're making repairs or changes, your uploads will take a bit to show up, so don't panic.
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16.  I always go to the story I just uploaded immediately after I see it's on the exchange.

Notice the tag line is there, also the date created.  You also have a Last Updated line, so because I uploaded the first Episode again, it lists it for todays date.  Notice it also now lists your number of slides.  In this case, 74.

You'll also find your rating stars to watch the stories progression.  Please don't cry if you don't hit 5 stars, it's not necessarily a jolt at your writing skills.  Below that you'll find a place to rate stories and book mark them when you read others.

Once your web browser says all the pictures are downloaded, enter into your story as if you were a regular reader.
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17.  Make sure that each text page has a picture with it.  If you have red x's instead of actual pictures, upload your story again until it all shows up properly.  Nothing aggravates a reader more than to be several slides into a story and suddenly *POOF* the pictures aren't there for the rest of the story.  You can either do this slide by slide, but I find the full view mode like this is quicker.

Also a good chance to check your spelling one last time along with other mistakes.
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VOILA!  That's it, you're done.  You're now an author on the exchange.  Hope the tutorial helped and was easy enough to follow.  Best of luck to all of you creating and publishing your own stories.
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You may post a link to this tutorial, but you may not copy or redistribute anywhere else.  Thank you.