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Thread: How would you make a co-written novel?

  1. #1
    Famed Adventurer Kriemedean's Avatar
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    How would you make a co-written novel?

    This stems from http://www.wtfrpg.com/forum/showthre...n-t-it-be-cool . It's been done before by professional writers in their early years, so why not? It is done with comic-books and shows all the time! The only different I see is that it's not a career for the average role-player, but there may be some that want it to be. If you fantasize about it and haven't give up on the actual implementing of it, what would you do? What, in your experience, does not work?

    These are just a few thoughts on possibilities. Would you start off with two-players, complete it and try to include one or two more people for a second novel? Would you start off with an instant group of like-minded, personally favorable and/or personally tested people? Would you start with a version that you and/or another wrote (together maybe) and allow new members to edit, until it is worthy of being published? Do you choose a lead or try someone's idea as the prime basis with plans to have the next be another person's; would new people have theirs put in the forefront to keep their attention and keep from redoing the same stuff again? With or without these suggestions, what would you do?
    "Ew. Did you check to see what date this raw milk expires?"
    "Yeah, what happened?"
    "I found a curd."
    "Did you shake it?"
    "No."
    "It's the cream. The fat floats to the top."
    "Oh, I just thought it was Bridgid's backwash the first couple of times."
    "Wait, why didn't you say 'ew' when you thought that?"


  2. #2
    Elite AlexSilverX's Avatar
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    I think the RP should be made with a story already in mind. Unlike a typical role-play, writing a novel implies having a precise idea of where things will begin and end, not to mention already having a general idea of every plot twist. The amount of people - so long as they are all dedicated - should not particularly matter. Another important detail is that descriptions should be implemented. Unlike in an RP where places have their basic description attached, everything should be written down going with the basic assumption that nobody has a damn clue what the room/item looks like/acts like/does.

    Additionally, things which are normally left unmentioned on the grounds that they are already in the character bio should be instated. In practice, this means pretending that the character biographies are not present, because the reader will likely never get the chance to look at them.

    Another important thing is that everyone should agree on some form of narration. Some editing cannot be avoided, of course, but it can be kept to a minimum if everyone agrees to a person and tense before the RP begins. Finally, posts would have to be significantly shorter. Unlike in an RP when things can occur like this: (please don't pay attention to the post themselves, it is the order of the actions that matters, I was trying to make a quick example)

    Spoiler Spoiler


    A real novel would need things to happen in a logical chronological order. Michael's 3 questions, then Sandra's answer, then his last question, then her answer, then jack's arrival, then Sandra's response. What fit here in 3 posts would end up being spread across 6 different posts (though this would go unnoticed in a novel since there are no "posts" so to speak).
    I freak out about 15 minutes into reading anything about the earth's core
    when I realize it's right under me.

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