Writers' Ideas

[Land Of Confusion]

Eh, I suppose I'll try, I'm not the best writer in the world, but I'll try it, might turn out quite well.

[Pat]

 

Right, so who is in on the collaborative story?

Sign me up. I'm a little rusty when it comes to crime-related themes, but I can probably pull something out of my ass.

[Coral_City]

Only if Em' would step in for the collab!

[Oxidizer]

That would be just beyond awesome.

[saltinespike]

I'm in, I suppose.

[TonyZimmzy]

Count me out of the collab. story. I can't write on que, and I'm a lonewolf.

[TubbyJ]

Only if Em' would step in for the collab!

If only, if only...

 

We're like a Fellowship without a Gandalf if we don't have Eminence. Someone needs to contact Eminence, perhaps through some kind of ritual sacrifice to the god of constructive critiscism?

[Cubanwhip]

Eminence? Most like Feminist! Oh snap! Come on, he's a good writer, but don't worship him. If he doesn't do it, oh well. Now Tony on the other hand.

 

 

Cubanwhip drops to his knees.

 

PORQUE!??!

[saltinespike]

Eminence? Most like Feminist! Oh snap! Come on, he's a good writer, but don't worship him. If he doesn't do it, oh well.

Well put. Listen to the broad. ^

[Pat]

If and when we start this project, who's going to start the topic? It'll have to be someone who knows their way around tables, and is on frequently. Plus, someone we trust.

 

I'd vote Oxidizer, personally. I know a lot of you would probably vote Eminence, but think about how much he's online; not very often.

[saltinespike]

I could do it. Been here almost a year and am here every day, multiple times a day.

[Vercetti21]

Doesn't matter to me. Considering I suggested the idea, I was thinking about doing it, but as long as most everyone is involved it won't matter who starts it.

 

EDIT: ^ I second it being saltinespike. He's online almost every time I come here, and I get on at least twice a day.

Edited January 17, 2008 by Vercetti21

[Chickstick]

Right, so who is in on the collaborative story?

Count me in.

 

I'd have a go at the tables, but for the fact that I'm useless with most BB codes. We'll find somebody to do it, though, so no worries.

 

[TubbyJ]

What if we made the story about a bank heist? It would narrate how the leader formed the "team" to pull off the job, how the prepared for it, the heist itself, and maybe we could throw in a surprise or twist or something (someone's a cop and they get set up, someone gets greedy and starts offing some of the people, etc.). It would give us a chance to create diverse and interesting characters, it wouldn't fall into some of the crime drama cliches that EmoPat suggested, and it gives us a chance to flex our drama, suspense, and maybe even comedy muscles. How 'bout it?

 

About our 'leader', or so to speak, Cubanwhip's right, we shouldn't be counting on Em to show up, and even so, that shoudn't affect if we do it or not just because he doesn't show. We have plenty of other amazing writers on here, so we're still good.

 

EDIT: I'm in as well, and I third Salt being the topic starter, he's on all the time, but I don't know about how good he is with BB codes, because the topic itself needs to have a clean, tidy look about it. That means a table of contents, character bios, etc.

Edited January 17, 2008 by TubbyJ

[Vercetti21]

^ I like the bank heist idea... a lot actually. Sort of a mix between Crash and Ocean's 11. That would be perfect with Oxi's idea of using one character from each of our original stories, meaning that every writer is assigned their character, and each character is apart of the 'team'. At the end, someone could end up being an undercover cop, etc.

 

EDIT: I think we need to hurry and create the topic soon, as I'd hate to take over the "Writer's Ideas" with all this speculation. On that note, what are we going to name this project? I think it needs to be something writing related (obviously), but something flexible in which we can plan the plot out after the thread is created. For example, our other collab. writing project was "Finish the Story". I think this could be something like "Writer's Story" or something more creative than that.

Edited January 17, 2008 by Vercetti21

[saltinespike]

EDIT: I'm in as well, and I third Salt being the topic starter, he's on all the time, but I don't know about how good he is with BB codes, because the topic itself needs to have a clean, tidy look about it. That means a table of contents, character bios, etc.

Not a problem, man. I get bored quite a bit, and have experience with html. It's basically fill in the blanks. No problem for me.

[TubbyJ]

 

^ I like the bank heist idea... a lot actually. That would be perfect with Oxi's idea of using one character from each of our original stories, meaning that every writer is assigned their character, and each character is apart of the 'team'. At the end, someone could end up being an undercover cop, etc.

That sounds very RPG-ish, and plus I think it would complicate things. I think that instead of exclusively only writing for one character, we each think up our own character, but we still write the story from a third-person narrative, not limiting ourselves to just writing for one character.

 

By the way, when we start our topic we need to start laying out the skeleton of the plot (i.e. beginning, intro of characters, major plot points, end, etc.).

 

@saltinespike: Awesome. So is it agreed, all those involved, that Salt will be the topic starter and manager? Secondly, who else is on board with the heist idea?

[Vercetti21]

That sounds very RPG-ish, and plus I think it would complicate things. I think that instead of exclusively only writing for one character, we each think up our own character, but we still write the story from a third-person narrative, not limiting ourselves to just writing for one character.

No, I should have explained myself better. Seeing as how this is going to be like Crash with several different characters coming together, each writer creates a character (or uses one from their own stories). Then, when we start writing, everyone writes in third person form, introducing their character and such to the story. As the characters start to come together, we start including other people's characters in to our writing and move to a Finish the Story-type collaborative thing, where someone writes from point A to point B, the next writes from point B to C, and so on.

 

So yeah, it's basically what you said. We each start off with our own characters, but we move away from that as the story comes together.

[saltinespike]

But once the story comes together, if Johnny uses Jake's character in a way Jake does not like, there will be an uproar.

[TubbyJ]

Oh, that's cool then! I'm down.

 

 

But once the story comes together, if Johnny uses Jake's character in a way Jake does not like, there will be an uproar.

 

That's a good point, but I'm sure we'll find a solution or a compromise if needs be.

[Love.Life]

Why don't you instead off doing

 

point A to Point B another Writer starts B to C you make up a universe with your own stories going on but certain writers can talk and tie in characters together

 

much like Sin City or Pulp Fiction

[Vercetti21]

Maybe before someone posts writing which includes another person's character, they could PM the "owner" of that character and pitch his idea of how to use that character to the person, and get permission first. So if I wanted to use saltine's character in my post, I'd PM him and tell him everything the character would say, etc. After he makes any necessary changes and OK's it, the writing would be cleared for posting.

 

It would slow the story process, but would also allow time for people to follow along with what is going on. That kills two birds with one stone, if you ask me.

Edited January 17, 2008 by Vercetti21

[saltinespike]

Yes, but it slows it much more than needed. I think that some rules are in order. For example, if you do not log in at least once a week (with the exception of reasons specified), you're no longer in the story. And I recommend everyone who does not have MSN get it (not required), because that is the best way of communicating and most everyone else has it. That way we can consult in a hurry.

[Cubanwhip]

BANK HEIST

 

Alright, now I get to put the ideas together and sum it up. Here it is:

 

Each writer writes about their character they made up. Write background, chapters, whatever, introduce their character.

 

If we all have MSN, this next part will be so much easier. We discuss how each character will meet and what ensues. From there, we write it kind of like FTS, but whoever is writing it, is from their characters perspective, first person.

 

IE:

 

Cubanwhip: I looked over and jake and he shrugged. I knew he was a cop, but he didn't know that I know.

 

Saltinespike: Roberto looked over at me and I shrugged. I had no idea what he was looking at but, that look in his eyes tells me he knows.

 

Get it? It'll be unique and it could be fantastic if done perfectly.

[saltinespike]

I like your idea, all except the first person part. It will get terribly confusing, even if it's pulled off correctly because 10 "me's" and "I's" don't work together.

[TubbyJ]

We also have to make it a point not to have like three of the same 'badass' characters. Everyone's has got to be unique, they've got to have flaws, motives. They also have to have close friends and even enemies, there has to be mistrust, emotion, and, hell, maybe even indifference. This is something that is going to take a lot of, if I dare say it, 'pre-production' work. All I'm saying is, nothing can be halfassed at all.

[Cubanwhip]

Well, it's better and a bunch of he said she said bull. As long as you know what each writer's character is, you can make a table on the first post, then it really isn't that confusing. Plus, first person dominates, third person blows.

[TubbyJ]

I'm leaning towards third-person, too. It'll be to much like a role-play, and those are just nerdy and lame. We need a solid platform for so we don't get confused and the story doesn't get all convuluted and to complex to understand.

[Cubanwhip]

Well, I can't do third person. All you can really express is physical actions. What about what each person is thinking? I think that third person is absolutely not the way to go. You can all do third person and f*ck with the story, but I ain't budging out of my style of writing, which revolves around details and what my character is thinking. I am not going to keep my guy standing in a corner smoking a cigarette, looking like he's doing absolutely nothing, when thoughts about backstabbing and screwing everyone over rush through his mind. But oh no, we're in third person so no one will really know until the moment he does that. No.

[TubbyJ]

You can still express what your characters are thinking in third-person, either by blatantly stating it or just alluding it. No one's against first-person, just in this story.

 

Come on, a bunch of people telling a story through first person using their own self-made characters? It's a RP. gta phil gta will probably lock it, because he's locked a RP before.