Comicality Posted August 22, 2005 Posted August 22, 2005 About a year ago, I thought about having a 'collaboration' type story on the website, where a different author could contribute a different chapter as the story progressed. With different people, different writing styles, different ideas about how things would go. Originally, I was going to make it a spinoff of "GFD", telling the story of a vampire 'hunter' that had suddenly lost his memory during the battle, and now had to find his entire life all over again. (Leaving a lot of open opportunities for an author to interpret the character anyway they want to, and build a history through short flashbacks and memories) And all this while battling feelings of love for a new vampire newblood that he has fallen in love with since waking up in all this confusion. All of your fave authors would be invited to join in, and anyone new who wanted to jump in as well. I started writing the first chapter a long time ago to set the stage and let everyone else sorta run with it. But I dropped it to work on other stuff. Whaddya think? If I picked it back up and posted that first chapter, would you guys be interested in reading or writing on something like that? Of course, the whole 'vampire' thing was just the original idea. We could always do a more traditional teenager in high school idea as well. Or we could do both. Or we could do something entirely different. Whatever it is, if you guys have some ideas, let me know. I'd love to get working on this and post it on the Shack. Afterall, you guys are the life's blood of the place, so why not be posted right along with all the other stories on the list. Any thoughts writers/readers?
JamesSavik Posted August 22, 2005 Posted August 22, 2005 I'm in the middle of a collaborative project called Collision. It's a round-robin mystery and it runs at a bunch of sites. Collaborations are difficult unless you set up some ground rules and stick with them. If you would like, I can email you some insider documents that we used with our project to help keep the wheels from flying off.
Freefallen Posted August 22, 2005 Posted August 22, 2005 It sounds like a fascinating idea to me. I'd be very interested in reading such a collaboration. There are many talented writers who have posted in the Library who could make this a very engaging experiment , not to mention any established authors or others who might participate. I hope this project gets off the ground, the possibilities could be very exciting. I give it !
Dezlboi Posted August 22, 2005 Posted August 22, 2005 Well, we were just discussing it in the IRC chat and the consensus seems to be that it's a good idea. -Dezl
jalaki Posted August 22, 2005 Posted August 22, 2005 Hmm...I suppose I should like, dig out that old pen & pencil & paper, eh? *searches around for writer's hat* I know I left that blasted thing here SOMEWHERE!
RTJ Posted August 23, 2005 Posted August 23, 2005 Run-on projects are alot of fun and add depth and flavour to stories. I'd def. like to read whatever you all put out.
Comicality Posted August 24, 2005 Author Posted August 24, 2005 Ok...I think we should actually go for it then! Maybe I can put out an APB for all of the writers out there who want to contribute to the story or something. If we can get a good five to ten who want to do it, that would be awesome. Now, Jamessavik, you mentioned a set of ground rules? Can you give me a hint of what to think about when setting things up? I've never organized one of these myself (although I participated in one, and wrote the 2nd chapter of "Robin" on Nifty), so any help would be...um...helpful. Yeah... Hehehe! Anyway, I like this idea. I just looked up "Collison" online, and I hope to get a chance to read it sometime soon. Seezya soon!
viv Posted August 24, 2005 Posted August 24, 2005 Com, I would love to read this!! All the best authors in a collaborative peice would be awesome!! If you need a proof reader, I will definately volunteer!! Also, I can be a cheer leader as well... Gimme a C - 'C' Gimme a O - 'O' Gimme a M - 'M' Anway I guess you get the idea Oh, and the new chapter of A Class By Himself was ... OUTSTANDING!!! Thanks, Viv
wildcard Posted August 29, 2005 Posted August 29, 2005 This is great! I love that you guys are going to be working together on this. That is so awesome, especially if it is the vampire hunter idea I wish you all best and I can
JamesSavik Posted September 4, 2005 Posted September 4, 2005 A note of caution about collaborations: Some authors think that if you write about a subject, you are somehow advocating it. This makes it very difficult to come up with a villian. For example: we needed a motive that would arouse a great deal of ire in a character's older brother. A lot of things were discussed. Drugs? No, nobody wants to sully their rep by writing about drugs. Date rape? You're evil for suggesting such a thing, I quit the project- after stringing you on for six weeks while promising you a chapter. Make sure that you've got authors on board that can deal with adult matters in adult ways. Fiction is exactly what it says it is: fiction. Addressing a subject is very different from advocating it. Does Agatha Christy advocate murder by writing about it? JEEZ!
Bubba Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 I quit the project- after stringing you on for six weeks while promising you a chapter. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey James, I'm sorry to hear you quit the project. I thought you did a marvelous job setting it up. Bubba
Ender Posted September 5, 2005 Posted September 5, 2005 I quit the project- after stringing you on for six weeks while promising you a chapter. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey James, I'm sorry to hear you quit the project. I thought you did a marvelous job setting it up. Bubba <{POST_SNAPBACK}> He's not saying he's quitting this proposed project. He's talking about the problems enountered by previous collaborative efforts, where you had people quitting because of petty disagreements.
JamesSavik Posted September 6, 2005 Posted September 6, 2005 I quit the project- after stringing you on for six weeks while promising you a chapter. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hey James, I'm sorry to hear you quit the project. I thought you did a marvelous job setting it up. Bubba <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I thought hard about it but I didn't. It wouldn't be right to start something and then leave the poor hardy souls who signed up to to suffer through it. I was referring to the person that quit- hence the italics. Collaborations are difficult because, to borrow a phrase from Trent Lott, getting authors to work together is like herding cats. They all have their own mind and will and some refuse to compromise.
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