dorkelf
Active Member
Recently I asked you guys to let me know what you wanted this group to be and to do, and Tek brought up the idea of doing a collaborative writing project. My opinion right now is that we're probably not yet ready to commit to something quite so time-consuming and challenging, considering that we're getting zero participation in my very low-key and non-time-consuming writing assignments. Some of you are still writing in other venues though, and like Tek you might be itching to do some 'real' writing of a collaborative nature. So while there's a lull we might as well go ahead and get the ball rolling on brainstorming what a collaborative writing project would be, and how it would be accomplished.
What would we write?
Personally, I would be inclined towards something that is specifically oriented to be published. That way those who participate will become published writers if they are not already. Also the group will be well-focused by whatever guidelines, restrictions and deadlines it may face, which minimizes the chances of the project stagnating over a long period of time, or people dropping out for lack of motivation after much time and effort has already been invested.
To that end, I think we'd be looking at doing a gaming module, a piece of fan fiction to be entered into a contest or marketed to be published, or a non-fan-fiction short story to be submitted to a science fiction or fantasy magazine or other publication.
Who would participate?
The number of participants would obviously have to be limited, so we'd have to have some way to determine who would be allowed to participate. In general, these are the guidelines for participants that I'd want to see:
1 - Participants must have demonstrated a desire and will to write by participating regularly in discussions and writing contests on this forum, or alternatively writing for another forum or an online blog on a weekly basis. REGULAR WRITING should be the number one requirement of participants, because it is the best guarantee that a writer will be able to contribute regularly and has developed appropriate writing skills through regularly exercising them.
2 - Participants must commit to regularly checking in on the project and regularly contributing to it, spending at least a minimal amount of time on the project every week. They must also be willing to step aside and allow an 'alternate' to take their spot in the group in the event that something comes up and they're no longer able to participate fully, or if they find themselves unable to fully contribute or meet whatever deadlines the group must meet.
3 - Participants should not be required to be 'published' writers, or have any writing credentials or background in a writing field.
Those are just some of my preliminary thoughts, let me know what you think.
Paul
What would we write?
Personally, I would be inclined towards something that is specifically oriented to be published. That way those who participate will become published writers if they are not already. Also the group will be well-focused by whatever guidelines, restrictions and deadlines it may face, which minimizes the chances of the project stagnating over a long period of time, or people dropping out for lack of motivation after much time and effort has already been invested.
To that end, I think we'd be looking at doing a gaming module, a piece of fan fiction to be entered into a contest or marketed to be published, or a non-fan-fiction short story to be submitted to a science fiction or fantasy magazine or other publication.
Who would participate?
The number of participants would obviously have to be limited, so we'd have to have some way to determine who would be allowed to participate. In general, these are the guidelines for participants that I'd want to see:
1 - Participants must have demonstrated a desire and will to write by participating regularly in discussions and writing contests on this forum, or alternatively writing for another forum or an online blog on a weekly basis. REGULAR WRITING should be the number one requirement of participants, because it is the best guarantee that a writer will be able to contribute regularly and has developed appropriate writing skills through regularly exercising them.
2 - Participants must commit to regularly checking in on the project and regularly contributing to it, spending at least a minimal amount of time on the project every week. They must also be willing to step aside and allow an 'alternate' to take their spot in the group in the event that something comes up and they're no longer able to participate fully, or if they find themselves unable to fully contribute or meet whatever deadlines the group must meet.
3 - Participants should not be required to be 'published' writers, or have any writing credentials or background in a writing field.
Those are just some of my preliminary thoughts, let me know what you think.
Paul