New Chain Story?

[Svenskaflicka]

Re: Re: Possible Names

I do have one question about Mr X: Are his adventures going to consist of things that just happen to him, opportunities he takes advantage of, or things he instigates?

Deciding that is going to shape the story line for most authors -- it may even shape whether they're interested in participating.

Mr. X's level of participation needs to be consistent for the chain to work as an integrated story instead of a group of disconnected scenarios.

The idea of a chain story is for each author to fit his part of the plot to a previously defined character -- like "Memoirs of a Lady" or to work his own characters around a pre-defined plot device -- like the "Talisman" story.

Good point. We should be clear on his character, so that it's obviously the same guy we are all writing about, instead of just the same name for 10 different characters.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

well, i have to say, that's quite a list! not all exactly what i was thinking, and i'm sure we should leave some slack for creativity, but basically...yeah, something like that = ) of course I wouldn't make Mr. X write the how to or essays topics...i mean, what fun would that be for a chain story? but yeah...just, a bunch of things by different people written about the same character and what COULD have happened if he'd gone home.

It was just a joke!

 

[Chicklet]

okay

my story idea is sort of like a "run lola run" type of thing...different scenario's that could have happened to Mr. X/ Mr. Mulligan if he'd taken advantage of different things or had different luck.

I want each chapter to adopt the same begining, the same introduction. We have Troy/Charles/John getting tired. The party is dying down and he wants to go home. He wanders around the room. A woman comes up to him, takes his arm, directs him towards the door.

Does he go with her? Does she escort him home?

He's holding on to her but his eyes find his good friend Steve, a buddy from college. He thanks the young woman and walks away from her, greeting his pal with a slap on the back. Steve and Charles/James/Xavier head over to the bar for a couple more drinks. After a couple of shots of rum Steve says it's definatly time to go. The two of them wander over towards the door again.

Does he leave with Steve?

He's almost to the door when his cousin Jamie spots him. Jamie bounds over like the perky 20 yr old she is and begins to chatter away about something or other. Harry/Frank/David apologizes to Steve and agrees to go home with Jamie.

Etc Etc Etc...that kind of thing...Do you get my drift? Hrmm...

Chicklet

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I like your new pic, that's so pretty!

And yes, I understand what you mean about Charles Henry Xavier Abdullah Johnnie Michael Ronald Mulligan.
This is going to be so much fun!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

If it's true that you go from Experienced to Really Experienced at 100 posts, then I'm passing a milestone soon.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Post number 100! *celebrating*

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I'm Really Experienced! Yahoo!

Well, off to sleep now. Time difference, you know. Middle of the nigh here. Will check back tomorrow to see if anyone has any new ideas.

Nighty-night!

 

[Chicklet]

more about the story

I think we should have a basic outline of what is going on in the story.

10 PM what's happening

11 PM what's happening

12 AM what's happening

etc etc

and all try to follow it.

good? suggestions? bad? hrm?

Chicklet (Come on, other people need on this!!)

 

[penguindance]

 

[Chicklet]

Re: more about the story

I think we should have a basic outline of what is going on in the story.

10 PM what's happening

11 PM what's happening

12 AM what's happening

etc etc

and all try to follow it.

good? suggestions? bad? hrm?

Chicklet (Come on, other people need on this!!)

This comment might have been confusing. Let me try to explain.

Adam/Jack/Dennis *always* hears a car screeching outside, no matter where the story is going. At a certain time, Henry/Paul/Lance always sees a prostitute standing on the streetcorner...not that these are what I want to happen...I just want different things binding the stories together so that we can see that they're side by side, the same time going on, just different actions.

Chicklet

 

[penguindance]

 

[Chicklet]

adam

as long as I can still name my gay sex slave adam

 

[penguindance]

Re: adam

 

[Dj_Maximus]

Adam/John/Colin/Peter/Dick/Harry.....etc

Count me in....

But let's clarify one point...

Chicklet writes:
10pm Mr Whatever leaves with hot blonde
11pm He arrives at the corner bar
12pm He is carried away by ambulance...

So does that mean that I would write:
10pm Mr Whatever moves past hot blonde
11pm He looks at the bar and changes his mind
12pm He narrowly avoids a head on collision

Is that what you mean to do?

 

[Chicklet]

YES!!!

DJ - EXACTLY!

I'm so happy you're in! I want this story to be complex, but not too complicated - just complicated enough to be a bit of a challenge and FUN FUN FUN

Chicklet

 

[Dj_Maximus]

Formats

For one....what tense?

Past, present?

As far as the topics....

I would like to do the following:

- Celebrities
- Exhibition
- Audio (he he he, he has to have a voice doesn't he?)

I think I have an ok voice, but if you want an example, I will do so.

 

[Whispersecret]

Saw your invitation on the other Chain Story Discussion Thread, Chicklet. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to pass. It's all I can do to shove aside my "serious" writing, to write my chapter of the Talisman.

I wish you the best of luck with this, though.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: more about the story

I just want different things binding the stories together so that we can see that they're side by side, the same time going on, just different actions.

Are you picturing a "Walter Mitty" type of thing -- where Mr. Milligan walks home, and his imagination runs possible scenarios with every encounter on the way?

OR

Are you imagining an "Alternate timelines" scenario where his life changes at each decision point -- Each person he meets precludes any of the others actually happening, and the next story takes the alternate path to the next encounter where his life changes to follow a different path.

In either case, a prologue about the uneventful trip home is going to be needed as a reference point. Somebody neds to write the framework of what is going on outside of the alternate story lines -- in the real world, so to speak -- so the following authors have a definite reference for what happens when.

Another consideration, especially for the laternate realities scenario, is whether the stories change with the first encounter or the last encounter.

In other words, once the prologue/timeline is established does the first story change with the last encounter, and the next change from the next to last encounter, etc. Or does the first story take one path at the first encounter, and the second follow the prologue to the next encounter?

"Walter Mitty" would imagine what might have happened while moving to the next encounter and go from first to last.

"Alternate realities" would work either way, but better with ending "If only I had made a different choice earlier" -- 'earlier' being the previous decision point where the next author divers our hero's life.

PS: for our younger viewers, "Walter Mitty" was a well known fictional character with a vivid (and extravagant) imagination that elivened his mundane life. I believe his origins are in a novel named "the many lives of Walter Mitty" -- I know Danny Kay played him in a movie by that name. In "real life" Walter was a shy and timid bank cleark with a domineering wife. In his imagination, he was, at various times, a "lost prince," a swashbuckling pirate, a war hero, Casanova reincarnated, a strong, domineering husband, etc.

I think "borrowing" Mr. Mitty as your hero would work well.

 

[WillowPuss]

Hey there everyone!

Pretty_lil_Stranger, Svenskaflicka, and myself are interested in starting a new chain story to keep ourselves in the survivor contest! Anyone else want in?

Chicklet

Me, please.

I am interested.

Now I will read the rest of the thread so that I might get an idea of what is going on.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Chicklet,

this is looking interesting! I'm watching it, but not totally committed yet, as I have other Survivor pieces to write. For my two cents worth, I like the suggestion by Weird Harold, either Walter Mitty or (my preference) alternate timelines.

There's always 'Groundhog Day'?

Alex

 

[Couture]

I'm kind of favorable to the groundhog day bit.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Re: Formats

For one....what tense?

Past, present?

I vote for past tense, it's much easier to write for me.

 

[WillowPuss]

1st or 3rd person?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Re: more about the story

I think we should have a basic outline of what is going on in the story.

10 PM what's happening

11 PM what's happening

12 AM what's happening

etc etc

and all try to follow it.

good? suggestions? bad? hrm?

Chicklet (Come on, other people need on this!!)

Excellent idea! As I've said in some earlier post, I'd like you to write the main frame, sort of like a police report, and have that as a template for the rest of us to base our stories upon.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

ROFL, this comment threw me for a loop, lol. No worries honey, my waist is the only thing on me that isn't expanding....

Wait, yes it is!?!

If you're saying that your breasts are still growing, that is NOT making me any less jealous...