Cooperative fiction interest?

[RD!]

On the boards I've visited it's almost seems like a tradition to start one of these, and the story board doesn't have one yet so this is for anyone willing to try something which is usualy fun.

For people who haven't done one: A cooperative fiction is sort of like an RPG and sort of like your own story. Everyone involved decide/mold a general world (or universe) which your characters will play and well, write what you'd like. The fun comes from the option of interacting with others; if there's a storyline by one character you find particularly interesting--write your character in to it. As you go on you shape the world yourself and everyone's story is important.

There are always rules, of course, but the only two that really matter upfront are that it is in third person and that no matter what the actual writing caliber is; it's written in understandable English.

I'd love to start one here, so I guess if you're interested post so and give any ideas that you may have.

[Condiment King]

I'm game. Is it RPG-like in that you write your character in third person to participate in the same world as the other characters or is it simply third person omniscient from various viewpoints?

[RD!]

I'm game. Is it RPG-like in that you write your character in third person to participate in the same world as the other characters or is it simply third person omniscient from various viewpoints? Omniscient. You are writing the story of your character and anyone he may come across. If say it were a political kind of thing, your character was an assassin and my character was an aide to the figure you were assassinating, you would very well be likely want to write my character too. I'd probably be writing yours in the following post.

[Vekou]

Yeah sure ok.

[Red X Unmasked]

I'm in. What type of genre should it be? Horror/comedy/action/etc.
I could come up with some ideas for the RPG once we decide on how it's gonna go.

[Phantasm]

I would also like to join if its okay with everyone...but what will it be about exactly...

[RD!]

I'm in. What type of genre should it be? Horror/comedy/action/etc.
I could come up with some ideas for the RPG once we decide on how it's gonna go.I'd prefer some sort of action-drama or whatever, you can write it however you'd like: action heavy, suspense heavy, comedy heavy or whatever if you'd like. It is your story afterall. You don't really need to stick to any one thing.

I think it's best to start out with a broad genre. Some examples are fantasy, space 'opera', western or whatever. I'm most partial to a fantasy setting because the possibilities are for the most part endless (though I suppose the same could go for a space opera).

[Phantasm]

Okay...sounds interesting...who's going to start?:)

[Red X Unmasked]

How about this for an idea:

They say that when you survive a near death experience, you gain a somewhat connection to the paranormal and or dead. Well, our story could be about a group of people that have all had these experiences, and now they are teaming up to help one another cope with their paranormal experiences and fight them off.

I just thought about this idea while coming up with plots for a dark comic book, and I think I'll do just this for my comic. So expect it to be copyrighted soon.

[RD!]

I don't know if starting out a story where we're all in a group is too wise. It'd take some time for everyone to fully grasp your character and that takes you fleshing them out on your own.

Though I could go for a paranormal story, but I'm not totally sure about something as thin as a near death experience.

[Red X Unmasked]

I don't know if starting out a story where we're all in a group is too wise. It'd take some time for everyone to fully grasp your character and that takes you fleshing them out on your own.

Though I could go for a paranormal story, but I'm not totally sure about something as thin as a near death experience.
Actually, it wouldn't start out with us as a group, we would all tell our own pasts and stuff of our characters and tell how we meet up and then start the story. It'll be like our prologues and then when we write about when we meet up and we continue from there.

[TheVertigo]

I think that if a bunch of us are going to participate, it would be a lot more fair if those who have ideas voiced them and then we could take a poll with which storyline we'd like to go with.

Also, before we unanimously decide on the RPG-esque writing method SJ has described (which is more formally known as "Freeform Roleplaying" by the way), also consider that there is one other way to write a collaborative fiction.

That is, where all the writers involved on the project come up with the main characters right from the beginning together. Then, the authors draw straws (or a roll a dice) and then whoever wins, does the first post as the intro. It doesn't matter what they decide to write in the intro, it's their vision. From then on, it's a free for all for all the other authors to pick up the story where the previous author left off.

Both methods are equally enjoyable, but the Freeform Roleplaying method has the drawback that it would be limited to only a few key writers. From experience, I can tell you that anymore than eight players/writers (not including the game master or the head narrator, if we choose to have one) becomes a huge mess. Meanwhile, the classic collaborative story telling method (as described by me above) has the advantage in that just about any author can join in afterwards, provided that they read through the story and know what's going on in full.

It really all depends on the people who want to get involved in the project want. If you need a helping hand with organizing this, SJ, I'd be happy to lend you one.

[Condiment King]

Deciding on the characters / plot beforehand is probably the right thing to do. It'd be nice if we could distance ourselves from an RPG as much as possible..

I don't know about a paranormal story, but currently I can't offer up any better suggestions. Hopefully, it would be a more character-driven narrative than having a plot device carry most of the progression.

[RD!]

That is, where all the writers involved on the project come up with the main characters right from the beginning together. Then, the authors draw straws (or a roll a dice) and then whoever wins, does the first post as the intro. It doesn't matter what they decide to write in the intro, it's their vision. From then on, it's a free for all for all the other authors to pick up the story where the previous author left off.

So basically a round robin? I can see the benefits and disadvantages of both. My idea does get jumbled if many people* jump on a story and could possibly drag endlessly if no one jumps on a story. Also there's the disadvantage of say me getting mad and quitting. But it does allow for more creativety and uniqueness for a story.

* In my experience the zeal in which most writers have at the start disappears and many drop out, so the few key writers are usualy key because they're the only one's willing to write still.

Unless I'm mistaken, I'm guessing there is going to be a turn system for us with the latter. You go, then I go, then CK goes and then repeat etc. which I guess would require some patience and also some creative stifling. But it does however create an easier platform for people to leave or join.

Unless I'm just assuming too much; either way is fine with me.


If you need a helping hand with organizing this, SJ, I'd be happy to lend you one.Thanks, help would be greatly appreciated.

[Condiment King]

A turn system would kill it, quick and often, because if a participant never showed again, we'd be stuck in the same place. Whenever you feel like adding is fine. If someone wants to add more and more, then others who would want to participate might have more of an incentive to jump right in, rather than wait their turn. Then when it is their turn, they forget or something. And for that reason, it would be nice if our story's theme was easily accessible. Maybe we are overanalysing this a bit much..

[RD!]

Having it turn based is the only way I could see having a round robin-esque platform work. If the character's are at a MAGIC GAS STATION when you write your ten page response and when you go to send someone has already posted that they've left and are now dancing with deer in the forest, problems are going to rise. But I think if there were turns, a time would certainly be imposed. But I agree, I don't like the idea of turns, but I think doing it that way is also impossible without them.

[Condiment King]

So, basically, a loose rule of like...a post a week?

[RD!]

Meh, a week is too short, but it's also too long if you have an idea all planned out and are waiting patiently.

[TheVertigo]

Or better yet, if you intend to post, just reserve a spot and then edit when you're done writing your bit. That way, everyone will know that you're in the process of writing a response and won't waste their time.

Also, perhaps there should be a word limit to how far you can push the story, just so no one author is taking over entirely. Another solution to the 'story-hogging' problem is having no less than x number of posts between one author's set of replies.

[Barb Gordon]

To me this just sounds like a string story where a whole bunch of writers just jump in and start a story. You can post as much or as little as you like, but there's like an unwritten rule of not being a posting hog in the story. Someone just begins a story, perhaps with a paragraph, and then someone else latches on and goes from there. People add characters and shape the story as they post, and you can get together with other writers to collaborate on posts, etc.
That's more or less what this idea sounds like to me...how is it different?
We definitely need to differentiate this from being too much like an RPG, because then it would need to be done in the WFWC board.

~Barb

[Phantasm]

I'm not too fond of the paranormal theme for the story...I'd prefer some drama/action instead...:shrug:

As for how it should be run...it sounds similar to a RPG to me...

[RD!]

That's more or less what this idea sounds like to me...how is it different?
We definitely need to differentiate this from being too much like an RPG, because then it would need to be done in the WFWC board.

~Barb

Because it's actual story writing, at least I see it that way. Looking at the RPGs on the WFWC board, they all have a much different feel than what I'm thinking, it's probably the first person perspectives, but they feel empty.

Both ideas currently in this thread differ from RPGs to me; The former is writing your own storyline just in the same universe, the latter is possessionless story telling of the same storyline. These ideas go against what the RPG rules in WFWC are.

[RD!]

Well, whatever, lets get back in to ideas. I thought this one up trying to think of an interesting backdrop for a paranormal theme. This one is more or less a buildup over the short "Beyond" from the Animatrix. Set in the present day world (or near-future), everything is for the most part the same. The only differences are anomolies; pockets or objects exhibiting characteristics which may defy physics to differing degrees. If you die as a result of these anomolies, your death itself becomes one. You become a shade, free to roam the Earth but invisible to the living. Some pockets, referred to as an oasis by other shades allows you to become visible again and interact fully with the living.

As for actual action, I don't know yet, we could do demons or whatever. This is just a simple idea.


I'm not too fond of the paranormal theme for the story...I'd prefer some drama/action instead..I'd appreciate some ideas, then. Though, a paranormal story can and probably would include plenty of action and drama.

[Condiment King]

I'm not too wild on paranormal as I said before, but that sounds like a pretty good avenue to take it. A problem might arise in that such an intricate universe might not be too easily kept within several writers at once. I'm not sure whether we're gunning more for an accessible plot idea or just whatever's good with everyone.

[Phantasm]

I would like something grounded in reality, plain and simple.Not saying of course that I'll disregard all other options, if paranomal is what all want, I won't mind, I'll just have to adapt then:) How about something...true to reality, with real possible, drama ad action?