Post by Samodean on Mar 30, 2009 21:06:23 GMT -5
What's up?
We're going to create a multi-blog Choose Your Own Adventure story, like those books many of us read growing up.
The concept is quite simple:
You are faced with a snarling Orc.
If you draw your bow and fire, go to (BlogA).
If you try to run to the nearest guardpost, go to (BlogB)
Of course, there will be more story and detail involved, but that's just a rough example. As the story grows, it will continue to branch out, involving more blogs.
How's it work?
We have decided to post on a schedule so everyone is on the same page. This will make things much simpler. Thanks Byaghro for the idea. We will post once a week, with Wednesday being the scheduled CYOA posting day.
Step 0: I decide ahead of time that I will be linking to Byaghro and Syrana (examples) on Week 1. I send them emails informing them that they will be "tagged" for posts for Week 2.
Step 1: I make a wonderful, beautiful, world-changing, cry-your-eyes-out, amazing story. I end it with a choice, linking to Byaghro and Syrana.
Step 2: I email Byaghro and Syrana, letting them know to create the next part of the story.
Step 3: I post a reply to the correct thread on the Story Threads board.
Step 3: Byaghro and Syrana choose their "tags" and inform those authors via email.
Step 4: Byaghro and Syrana create their own masterpieces, in their own style, taking the story in any direction they choose. Once again, they will end with a choice and link 2-3 other blogs.
Step 5: Byaghro and Syrana reply to my original email, letting me know they've created their follow-ups to my post. I edit my original links to lead directly to those posts.
Step 6: Byaghro and Syrana reply to the corresponding thread on the Story Threads board. I update the original post to add them to the tree.
Step 7: Byaghro's and Syrana's links create their posts, link others (perhaps back to me, perhaps Syrana's link will link to Byaghro, until we grow larger, there will be a bunch of cross-linking), email their links, and reply to Byaghro or Syrana's email. Byaghro and Syrana then edit THEIR links. More replying on the forum and more post editing on my part.
And it continues spreading and spreading and spreading. Round and round, back and forth. Please do not link anyone who has not signed up. I would like to avoid the story trailing off into nowhere because someone was tagged who has no interest in this project.
Communication will be crucial.
I will set an ending date for each "saga." 2-3 weeks prior to the end, start wrapping up the stories. Anyone who has been linked for a segment at the end will end the story any way they see fit. This is a group project, there will be no "master" story. That's half the fun, we all get to work together and be creative, working off each others' ideas.
Dead Ends
Every CYOA story has Dead Ends. When the reader makes an incorrect choice, their story ends in failure. Of course, when faced with choices, one won't ALWAYS lead to failure. However, when the opportunity presents itself, feel free to Dead End the story. Link back to the original post so the reader can start over again.
What to do if you're "tagged" by more than one author for the same post date? Well, that's a perfect opportunity for a dead end!
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the Story Discussion Forum. While this may be MY idea, it's OUR project. I would love to see this succeed. Or, we could fail SPECTACULARLY, that would be entertaining as well.
We're going to create a multi-blog Choose Your Own Adventure story, like those books many of us read growing up.
The concept is quite simple:
You are faced with a snarling Orc.
If you draw your bow and fire, go to (BlogA).
If you try to run to the nearest guardpost, go to (BlogB)
Of course, there will be more story and detail involved, but that's just a rough example. As the story grows, it will continue to branch out, involving more blogs.
How's it work?
We have decided to post on a schedule so everyone is on the same page. This will make things much simpler. Thanks Byaghro for the idea. We will post once a week, with Wednesday being the scheduled CYOA posting day.
Step 0: I decide ahead of time that I will be linking to Byaghro and Syrana (examples) on Week 1. I send them emails informing them that they will be "tagged" for posts for Week 2.
Step 1: I make a wonderful, beautiful, world-changing, cry-your-eyes-out, amazing story. I end it with a choice, linking to Byaghro and Syrana.
Step 2: I email Byaghro and Syrana, letting them know to create the next part of the story.
Step 3: I post a reply to the correct thread on the Story Threads board.
Step 3: Byaghro and Syrana choose their "tags" and inform those authors via email.
Step 4: Byaghro and Syrana create their own masterpieces, in their own style, taking the story in any direction they choose. Once again, they will end with a choice and link 2-3 other blogs.
Step 5: Byaghro and Syrana reply to my original email, letting me know they've created their follow-ups to my post. I edit my original links to lead directly to those posts.
Step 6: Byaghro and Syrana reply to the corresponding thread on the Story Threads board. I update the original post to add them to the tree.
Step 7: Byaghro's and Syrana's links create their posts, link others (perhaps back to me, perhaps Syrana's link will link to Byaghro, until we grow larger, there will be a bunch of cross-linking), email their links, and reply to Byaghro or Syrana's email. Byaghro and Syrana then edit THEIR links. More replying on the forum and more post editing on my part.
And it continues spreading and spreading and spreading. Round and round, back and forth. Please do not link anyone who has not signed up. I would like to avoid the story trailing off into nowhere because someone was tagged who has no interest in this project.
Communication will be crucial.
I will set an ending date for each "saga." 2-3 weeks prior to the end, start wrapping up the stories. Anyone who has been linked for a segment at the end will end the story any way they see fit. This is a group project, there will be no "master" story. That's half the fun, we all get to work together and be creative, working off each others' ideas.
Dead Ends
Every CYOA story has Dead Ends. When the reader makes an incorrect choice, their story ends in failure. Of course, when faced with choices, one won't ALWAYS lead to failure. However, when the opportunity presents itself, feel free to Dead End the story. Link back to the original post so the reader can start over again.
What to do if you're "tagged" by more than one author for the same post date? Well, that's a perfect opportunity for a dead end!
Please share your thoughts and ideas in the Story Discussion Forum. While this may be MY idea, it's OUR project. I would love to see this succeed. Or, we could fail SPECTACULARLY, that would be entertaining as well.