Story thread?

[Ameena]

Yeah, probs best to give other people a chance to post rather than just two people alternating it for pages between them .

[Gambit37]

The beauty of this is that we can give Ameena any character we like and it may not be the one you want, Ameena! Don't be so possessive, you may not like the outcome.

[Ameena]

Lol you what?

[Gambit37]

You may have 'claimed' a character, but I feel that is not what Beowuuf had in mind, and it's very presumptious of you. This is a shared story that we all have free reign on. Therefore, do not be surprised if her character develops in ways you don't like.

I might give her warts.

[Ameena]

Um...that was the original idea yes, but in the "pen and paper RL PG check" thread thingy it's sort of bene decided that this will become an RPG instead. In which case everyone is free to nab a character (or more than one) and play them as they like. I'm not gonna interfere with anyone else, only do stuff from my char's PoV as you do in an RPG . Oh and I also think I accidentally slipped into present tense in that last story post. Whoops.

[Gambit37]

Really? Well I'm not interested in that, so I guess I'll have to sit out of this.

EDIT: I read that thread and nowhere is it implied that the story thread is now an RPG thread. Please respect Beowuuf's original idea and don't hijack it for your own ends.

EDIT AGAIN: Oh you meant this thread where you stated how YOU would 'play' it.

[Ameena]

Dunno what you were expecting...If you want a silly story we can start one of those too and play that separately or something .

[Gambit37]

Um, no , I don't want a silly story, I want a story we can all develop together as Beowuuf suggested. I'm not interested in owning a character and 'playing' it, I prefer imagining how different characters interact in prose.

If you want an RPG thread then start one too I guess. Can't we simply leave this one as it was intended?

[Ameena]

I'm not really sure what you're getting at...you CAN imagine how different characters interact...just have them do stuff, you know, play one or whatever...it's just how I prefer to RP - play one char and have them interact to everyone. Where's the fun in an RPG if you're controlling everyone??
Sure if some people want to play it like that then why not but if some of us want to RP our own char then there's nothing to stop us from doing so, is there? If you want to write for other characters then just invent them and do what you like with them...

[Gambit37]

No, that's not what I'm saying. You have decided to "own" a character already and have implied that that is the end of the matter. That's unfair. If someone wants to write something about your character that you hadn't intended, they should be free to do so.

Where's the fun in an RPG if you're controlling everyone??

That's my point exactly. This isn't an RPG.

[Gambit37]

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Night night all!

[Ameena]

But it sort of is...I dunno fi you've read the thread where we were talking about doing some RPing and someone pointed out (was it me I can't remember...) that this story is sort of like that and someone else said that would be cool and ermm stuff. I don't see the problem with me playing ONE CHARACTER. I'm not exactly gonna be butting in with what other people want to do .

[Ameena]

Btw I just noticed an inconsistency - in Beo's first post they are described as being in a room. Yet in Zyx's it has suddenly become a glade.

[Zyx]

argh! I misunderstood room for "space". Mayday, we've got a situation here!
The simplest way would be that Beowuuf edit his first post. Sorry for hijacking the place of the action, Beo... I can delete my post of course, but it ould mean rolling back everyhing.

As for the current discussion...
I'm interested on the collaborative effort of creating a story, and understood the proposal of this thread this way.
I don't want to play a RPG.

The big difference is that I expect eveyone to try to make the whole story interesting, caring about the coherence, the drama, the ambience, for the sake of a good narration.
I fear that a RPG-like thread would quickly dissolve into pointless narcissic notes and flat dialogs. With 10+ characters it would require so much time to describe each one - add to this that each player wants to define his character by interacting with others -, that no action could ever occur, unless badly told, in a chaotic and uncomplete fashion.

Having said that, that Ameena prefers to specialize in one character doesn't bother me, as long as this kind of contribution remains in minority, that is, most of the writters prioritize the story.

Of course Ameena, since you confessed your link with one of the character, prepare yourself for subtle and tickling attempts of subversion of your character. For instance, I may, or may not, precise that she was renowned in the whole empire for the beauty of her blond beard...

In summary, owning a character seems unacceptable to me. Too extreme. I'm ready to let it happen in a passive way, but I feel with the right to own it sometimes too, in a respectful manner.

[Ameena]

Of course, I'm not JUST gonna be playing her. I'm gonnna add some scenery description and stuff too. I just have an RP frame of mind (through years of experience) and prefer to have a character to myself and not to interfere with the characters of other people. I like to RP but I like to write stories too so I'm not gonna make it go all pants by trying to centre everything on my char all the time. That would be stupid. But it's just that I like to have a character I've built up as my own. If someone else writes that that charcter suddenly does/says/thinks something that I wouldn't want them to do then I feel like my writing's been intruded upon and sort of changed. Or something. Bah, I know what I mean. You can all just ignore her if you want and let me play her reacting to stuff all the time as I like .

[Zyx]

But I don't want to ignore her and to be deprived of acting her if I feel she should be the one I must write upon for the following paragraph!

I think we should start another thread just for plot discussions. Otherwise inconsistencies will mutliply.

------------------------

If someone else writes that that charcter suddenly does/says/thinks something that I wouldn't want them to do then I feel like my writing's been intruded upon and sort of changed.

I think this is the crucial point.
As I understand the idea of this thread, it's all about our mind being intruded by others. Except I would call it as enhanced. Yes, I 'd like my monologuous writings to be changed, and I'm eager to have to adapt myself.

I saw you working with Rachel, Ameena. I have no doubt that you can do it perfectly. But this is another way of building a story here.

Everyone can post a paragrah and keep building this story. Help craft a plot[...]

[Ameena]

Hmm...so it seems I can't make a case about maintaining control over a character in this instance because it's "not within the rules of the story" or whatever...but that doesn't mean I'm gonna like it if someone does. While having a good scene set with descriptions of the area and such is obviously a major aspect of storytelling, so is character development. If a character's going one way and then someone else suddenly has them do something totally out of character, then that's an inconsistency.
Incidentally, that post you've started, Zyx (with the descriptions of characters/events so far etc) is a cool idea and I'm sure will save us from slipping up and forgetting certain details hehe .

[Sophia]

<cynic>
When you take a bunch of people who all have their own ideas, most of them inconsistent with other people's ideas, and, probably most of them bad (and I include myself why do you think I haven't posted anything), and just haphazardly throw them together and try to write a story, you might as well just do it one word at a time, because it'll probably make more sense.
</cynic>

[beowuuf]

What a time to go to bed. Manybe Gambit is right, rules DO regulate the fun

1. The intent of this was to see what happens when people contribute to a story. It could have just been silly and random and fun, but it is interesting (and quite cool, as it's the way I would prefer) that people are treating it as a more serious fantasy story. It could have, especially given the set up (originally eight charatcers seemed right, but I did wonder in the context of a multiple person story telling arc if that was a bit much) turned into the RPG idea. I only said that the RPG idea cows mentioned could easily come about, and that to start with the story telling supported it (Gambit created a charatcer, Ameena did, zyx hinted at one, and I got stuck with Sam). But if zyx and Gambit have both stated a categoric preference against, then there you go. It's a story thread not an RPG thread. I can't say I'm not happy with that : )

2. In my mind they were in a room with a fire. But I deliberately tried to wash out all traces of that, to see if it would turn into a glade as zyx had it, or maybe even people standing around the burning ruins of something! So yes, that 'room' reference needs to come out and be replaced by 'space' as was my intention.

3. Don't be cynical Sophia! I agree in a way, the christmas thread and this are in a way no differnet. To succeed, people need to be flexible and only think a paragraph at a time (no getting too invested and thinking of how the sentence should go) while always looking out for the larger plot (sentence). Everyone needs to get a feel for when to dare a total plot twist (use stupid word) and when to go with the flow, even if it's not what they invisioned (use a 'the' or 'a') We have an intelligent, creative and fairly tolerant crowd here, so hopefully this will all be successful with the occasional intense discussion here! : )

4. Ameena said she likes to own her charatcers in writing, so it's up to everyone (including Ameena) how to handle that. Sorry if people confused that with the RPG idea, that was not what I meant, I was acknowledging the fact that I know that's how she writes. This is why you won't see me mentioning any charatcers or using idea I want for my stories here, nor ever really offering to do a joint writing thing starting from my personal ideas, btw!
Zyx said it best "I'm ready to let it happen in a passive way, but I feel with the right to own it sometimes too, in a respectful manner." Sound a good compromise? It's how I planned to handle it when she grabbed a charatcer.

5. I haven't read the story thread yet, just the summary - good idea, it will get referenced at the start. This is exactly what I imagined, the plot going completely where I didn't expect, and why I didn't post again yesterday! I'm very interested in seeing what comes about, then letting it fire my imagination to either embelish, at a flavour, or when it seems right try out a plot twist or somehting unexpected. Usually when you are writing you can't surprise yourself too often with an idea. I'm hoping to be constantly surprised, in a good way!

6. Anyway, have fun people! Come back Gambit! Go with the flow Ameena! Post sophia!

Edit: I see cows, MonFul and Ameena had already started treating it as the RPG...oops, ah well, I'm gunna post and break that, sorry guys! Hope you still contribute in a story aspect. Nothing to stop you paralleling it in an RPG thread (lol, could even have your charatcers wander off to do a sub-plot we don't write about, so the story thread is feeding the plot of the RPG while stuff you do might feed back, who knows) As I said, it's an open idea and I am sure not going to dictate anything...except when I do!

Edit2: Oh yes, rules. I said post a pararaph. I think that is a good unit of measurement. It's not a dictation, its just something to stop someone posting a full page themselves and hijacking the story too far. Basically, your post should be long enough to feel you managed to contribute somehting. If you are writing huge swathes of dialogue or multiple scenes, chances are your have gone too far and are hogging it though! I'm replying on good judgement etc, and hope people aren't too harsh if there is no reason.

[Gambit37]

This was an interesting catch up by others and further supports the notion that this is a shared story that EVERYONE should have equal access to. I therefore do not agree that Ameena should have the right to "own" one character and say "stuff you" to anyone else who might interfere with her plans for that character. That path shows selfishness and inflexibility and is not what a TEAM story is about.

While having a good scene set with descriptions of the area and such is obviously a major aspect of storytelling, so is character development

No one is disagreeing with that. However, it seems as if the rest of us can handle writing for multiple characters and are willing to see how the story progresses with each new addition, where you already seem to have a fixed idea of how one particular character will and should behave. That immediately limits the scope of that character and is unfair on everyone else.

If a character's going one way and then someone else suddenly has them do something totally out of character, then that's an inconsistency.

That's a very fixed view in my opinion. This is a joint effort and the fun of it is NOT KNOWING how a character might develop based on people's input. In my opinion you need to stop seeing this in terms of how you would normally write stuff for yourself, but try and open up to the bigger idea of a mass authorship.

[beowuuf]

I think zyx's position was probably the best stated on the matter. I think a point is that a character developed by one person, or choosing to have an author tell a story from one person's perspective is fine. I seem to recall the thieve's world series of books/short stories (which Robert Asprin was one of the authors) each author obvious had a charatcer or set of characters they wrote for, but they interracted with the whole world, so they would use the other author's characters. THis couldbe how certain charatcers become. Ameena is ameena's charatcer, and she might include the persona thoughts/history more in her sectiosn, while she has to accept that in order for her charatcer not to be a black hole in the story that will have to simply follow the pull of the plot, words and actions are goign to be passively thrust on her.

This sharing extends to the plot, of course. Someone could have a brilliant idea for where this story should go, but then it can all change with the next paragraph... characters and plots are not expressly owned, but as a group we can agree to allow someone for a while to drive their idea and we take a back seat, or to manage t olesh out their character if they would like to 'own' one. For example, I haven't stipulated who the 'chieftain' is, or the exact nature of the auburn heaired beauty as these seem to be characters zyx and gambit have hinted at. I may add hooks (could the two infact be one in the same, is the furred obvious man the chief) but until aspects of plot etc become firm I'm not going to write to those.
On the other side, MonFul's Yexx charatcer, being the driving force of the story so far, is completely fair game to be grabbed and written forand moulded by the group, and indeed if everyone just sits back and lets him write for that charatcer, he is in effect writing the whole starting plot! And I have no caring about any charatcers I am introducing, as for the moment I am more interested in helping cratft a plot.

Anyway, no need to lecture here! Let's just see how it all goes!

[Trantor]

I agree with Gambit and Zyx here, when the idea of s serious fantasy story written by everybody who is interested came up, I was all for it; when the idea of turning it into an RPG emerged, I didn't bother to look at it again. My image of this thing is very similar to the ones of Beo and Zyx, and if we keep it that way, I might add something as well.

[beowuuf]

That ship is sailed, as far as I am concerned this is a story not an RPG - though a parallel RPG could be interesting!

And yesa, add soemthign while the rest of us are work! Go on!

[Gambit37]

OK, I'm being pedantic, but Zooom said "best described as that of a sickly green. He was clad in a blue robe of similar hue..." that doesn't make sense. Blue isn't green. You need the word "tone", hue means colour.

I found your post quite hard to read.

[Zyx]

Good or bad, Zoom's text is bad timed. In fact, it seems randomly inserted, just when something was about to happen in the previous scene. It's gonna be hard to resume a coherent thread.
We have too many things occuring at the same time, too many questions raised . I think we should focus on answers, and solving situations for the next few paragraphs.

EDIT: as a personal advice (take it or ignore it!), I think you use too many useless words that slow the flow of your sentences.
For example, you should rewrite:
"would've been best described as that of a sickly green."
by
"was of a sickly green."

"a frown was visible on his gray brows"
by
"a frown on his gray brows"

Well, let me know if you appreciate the critic, Zooom, since there are more advices from whence they came. But I don't want to get heavy on the subject.

[Sophia]

*whistles innocently*

Oh... can't.. hold... back....

TOLDYA SO

[Zyx]

"Foreseen it, and done nothing", answered Gandalf.
Oops, wrong thread.

We won't get more than we put. Let's try to fix mistakes and learn how to avoid them. I think we need a moderator (like Gambit) and some loose directions to help focus on the needs of the narration (like the need to solve the conflicting situation between the two men)

[beowuuf]

Why badly timed? Did this myself in my DM story. You take the characters to a point of tension, then you divert just when readers go 'noooooo' for something that seems random.

The logical flow back to the glade would now be to centre back on Ameena, who is then somehow trying to deal with the 'hostage situation', possible slightly out of charatcer because as well and getting vibes from the glade would be getting the prickles of being watched personally, and who wouldn't try to do something to shake that feeling. That would be how I would do it.

I would also make sure that then this interjecion has a pay off, such as the person scrying or items in his area are also going to be a target that must be reached, somehow (and they are at least say five timezones away) in three days and back before the glade does...whatever it will do...

There is already some loose direction in ideas from gambit, me and trantor on the plot page, but personally I don't yet want it to force direction on anyone...as it stands the plot is still quite simple. Would you keep reading to find out if eight people not yet fleshed out will stand around a glade for three days to earn money? This way we have a personal jeapordy on one character that can now be focused on, and also we can start setting some impossible-ish tasks for these people to try and surmount.

Anyway, I like that zoom posted, and let's face it we have a long way to go to have a prolgue/setting up 'chapter one' that needs edited. Post people, I'm holding back until there are a few more voices.

And sophia, I'm gunna change all your posts to 'eggplant'!

[Sophia]

Change all of them?

You'd only have to change half of them, and people might not even notice!

And, zyx, what am I supposed to do when I see a ship sinking? Jump on board?

[beowuuf]

If it's a submarine, why not? Before it's too late!