New Chain Story?

[Don K Dyck]

Re: Re: A target indeed...

Quite right = )

Harold - I agree = ) I'm always *trying* to improve. Keyword "trying"

Hi guys! I find about 2,000 words pulls me up. A target 8,000 words sounds like a PhD thesis. But I guess when the whole story outline is determined, then the larger target may be easy to achieve. Keep me posted, please.

Love the new av, Chicklet

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Gone for 4 days, and I miss 3 pages!!!

I have been moving these last few days, and haven't had time to visit Lit. I still don't have a broadband connection at my new apartment, so I'll only be able to come her eonce a day on a public computer.

Please tell me you missed me!

So, this is what we've got so far, right?

Adam Milligan (yuk!) is at a party, where he meets several interesting people and get several opportnuities to score. PLS and Chicklet are writing the first chapter, and once it's done and they've interduced the scene, then all of us choose what happends to Adam, and write our own story, no particular order necessary, 3rd person omniscient, past tense, c. 8000 words, and then we send them in as soon as they are done, but no later than the date that Laurel will set up.

Right?

OK, Chicklet/PLS, we're waiting for you to fire the starting gun!

(Sexy AV, Chicklet!)

 

[Don K Dyck]

Re: Gone for 4 days, and I miss 3 pages!!!

I have been moving these last few days, and haven't had time to visit Lit. I still don't have a broadband connection at my new apartment, so I'll only be able to come her eonce a day on a public computer.

Please tell me you missed me!

So, this is what we've got so far, right?

Adam Milligan (yuk!) is at a party, where he meets several interesting people and get several opportnuities to score. PLS and Chicklet are writing the first chapter, and once it's done and they've interduced the scene, then all of us choose what happends to Adam, and write our own story, no particular order necessary, 3rd person omniscient, past tense, c. 8000 words, and then we send them in as soon as they are done, but no later than the date that Laurel will set up.

Right?

OK, Chicklet/PLS, we're waiting for you to fire the starting gun!

(Sexy AV, Chicklet!)

Ahhh, there you are Svenskaflicka!! We missed you! Have you finished house moving??? It is such a chore!

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Gone for 4 days, and I miss 3 pages!!!

So, this is what we've got so far, right?

Adam Milligan (yuk!) is at a party, where he meets several interesting people and get several opportnuities to score. PLS and Chicklet are writing the first chapter, and once it's done and they've interduced the scene, then all of us choose what happends to Adam, and write our own story, no particular order necessary, 3rd person omniscient, past tense, c. 8000 words, and then we send them in as soon as they are done, but no later than the date that Laurel will set up.

You were missed.

"Adam Milligan" is just a working name. There is still room and time to argue a better name. I just suggested "Milligan" because it made for an alliterative title -- Mr. Milligan Makes his Way Home" -- but "Adam's Alternate Adventures" is alliterative too and doesn't even mention his last name.

We'll have to see the setup that Chicklet and PLS come up with, but I think all of the "decision points" come after the party as he makes his way home. At least that's my understanding -- I've ben wrong before.

Third person and past tense are pretty much settled. Omniscient vs Limited POV hasn't been specifically settled; I think consensus is leaning more to third person limited, though. Personally, I don't think it really matters that much whether every one uses limited or omniscient as long as it's third person.

The authors set the schedule of delivery and posting, so that's something that will need to be agreed on here. Past chain stories have aimed for one new episode every friday, but that's not a requirement. Whatever the authors agree on is the schedule Laurel will use.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Not this time

I'm opting out of this chain, guys and gals. Too many other things to write for Survivor, so little time to do it.

It looks interesting and I wish you all well. I look forward to reading your efforts.

Alex

 

[WillowPuss]

I am a tad worried about 8,000 words as a target.
Thats about 12 pages in word.

If that target number stands, I may have to pull out - not sure that I am capable of writing that much.

 

[Chicklet]

willow, don't stress. Seriously. Personally I am not going to look down on you if you can't write 8,000 words...I wouldn't even look down on a person who wrote a story of about 1,000 words. If your story is less than the "goal" then it's no big deal! I was just thinking that aiming for the sky was a good thing = ) I know I'm not very talented, and I don't expect everyone else to be a pro.

Please don't pull out, willow! I need you! <whimper>

 

[WillowPuss]

Thanks

My usual stories run to around 3,500-4000
so that will be no problem

 

[Weird Harold]

I am a tad worried about 8,000 words as a target.
Thats about 12 pages in word.

If that target number stands, I may have to pull out - not sure that I am capable of writing that much.

That 8,000 word target should probably have a qualifier attached -- 8,000 PLUS OR MINUS 4,000.

The object of the target is to keep a single author from monopolizing the chain with a humongous chapter.

MS Word "pages" is not a good way to compare story lengths, because the size of a Word Page depnds on your favorite font and font size. A typical Literotica page is about 3,500-4,000 words -- 25 or 26 Kb with all of the HTML and Advertising overhead. 4,000 to 12,000 words would put each episode in a range of two to four Lit pages. If you manage one full Lit page, then you're in the ballpark and don't need tostretch all the way to the nominal target of 8,000.

 

[WillowPuss]

Ahhhhhh so the 8000 was more a maximum figure? phew!

I was wondering just how many adverbs and adjectives one could possibly fit into a paragraph! lol

Most of mine stretch to 1 1/2 - 2 lit pages, so should fit in well.

OK ... count me in for the 2 chapters I had previously stated.

 

[Weird Harold]

Ahhhhhh so the 8000 was more a maximum figure? phew!

Most of mine stretch to 1 1/2 - 2 lit pages, so should fit in well.

"Actually it's a median figure -- a target for the average length of the episodes.

2x3,500= 7,000 words = 2 lit pages = you're almost at the target already.

 

[Chicklet]

but keep in mind, if it's only one page, we won't kick you out of the 'club' <wink>

just do your best. good lord i'm so cliche.

Chicklet

 

[pinklipstick]

Just thought I'd point out two things:

Adam saying "God, I wish I could find someone who loves me." to the mirror might put the writer in a quandry with some of the categories. This implies there HAS to be an emotional commitment in the episode and doesn't leave room for the "sex just for sex" type of story. You might do better with him leaving off the "who loves me" part.

The suggestion that the series is rather like "Groundhog Day" where he repeats until he gets it right implies that other than the last episode, it does NOT go right. That forces every episode to end off kilter. Sure you want to do that? Perhaps he could have a little more interaction with the mirror where at the end of each episode he can say, "As fun as that was (or That was horrible), I think I'd like to try again." That allows the writer to make it as fulfilling or not fufilling as they choose.

Just my $.02

 

[JUDO]

Okay, let's review...

We have Adam at a party passed out, sleeping, whatever on a sofa or something. Adam is a "regular" guy, 29 years old (or thereabouts), brown hair, brown eyes, plain clothes (jeans, tshirt, boots and a Roots shirt?).

Questions:

1). What kind of job does he have?
Sugg: He works for a small computer software company as an engineer in support. So, his income is roughly $55K a year.

2). He lives where?
Sugg: In a mid-sized city with plenty of agriculture around it (a la somewhere in the middle of the USA).

3). I guess he's not married? (or is he?)

4) Why is he at the party?
Sugg: Invited by friend to attend party of person he doesn't know. Friend leaves early with someone they meet and he's stranded (no car).

5) Adam is "normally" endowed and not some buff hunk either. (well, maybe a nice butt).

6) Where does he live?
Sugg: Party is close to downtown somewhere and he lives in a condo in the suburbs, twenty miles away. Further??

- Judo

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Let's review

We have Adam at a party passed out, sleeping, whatever on a sofa or something. Adam is a "regular" guy, 29 years old (or thereabouts), brown hair, brown eyes, plain clothes (jeans, tshirt, boots and a Roots shirt?).

A bit older than 29, just at the beginning range for a "mid-life crisis" Say 35-39 or so.

I picture him as more a button down shirt and Dockers sort of guy -- at least when dressed for a casual party.

1). What kind of job does he have?
Sugg: He works for a small computer software company as an engineer in support. So, his income is roughly $55K a year.

Counter-sugg: He's a middle-level cog in a corporate wheel. One of Dilbert's "Cubicle People" -- he has two or three "Bosses" above him and shares a Secretary with several co-workers. He makes enough that money and cost don't generally play much part in his thoughts or actions. He's only got about $100-$150 on him, but enough in the ATM to do anything reasonable -- he's not going to pay cash for a car, but has enough to indulge in impulse buying.

2). He lives where?
Sugg: In a mid-sized city with plenty of agriculture around it (a la somewhere in the middle of the USA).

I would add he's an apartment dweller or Condo-owner, so he doesn't have to deal with yard-work and such, although he may help out the maintenance men occassionally.

3). I guess he's not married? (or is he?)

There have been a couple of references to "tired of the same old boring sex with his wife (SO)" as the trigger for getting into an alternate reality loop. I'd say he's in a long-term relationship but not overly happy with it, but not particularly unhappy either -- sort of just a "habitual" relationship rather than true love.


4) Why is he at the party?
Sugg: Invited by friend to attend party of person he doesn't know. Friend leaves early with someone they meet and he's stranded (no car).

I think the intitial suggestion was a business party -- company mixer or meet the clients sort of "attendance mandatory" stale cocktails and boring people type of thing. He rode with a co-worker directly from work and the co-worker has split by the time he wakes up.

5) Adam is "normally" endowed and not some buff hunk either. (well, maybe a nice butt).

Good features, and reasonably fit, but nothing earth-shaking in any category. A nice butt, but not a great butt.

6) Where does he live?
Sugg: Party is close to downtown somewhere and he lives in a condo in the suburbs, twenty miles away. Further??

I picture him as an urbanite apartment dweller rather than a condo-owning suburbanite. He may not even own a car.

The party is some four-five hours walk from home, the exact distance is irelevant, at the "edge of town." Probably at or near the dividing line between city and suburbs.

 

[cherrylips_au]

I was wondering if I can join?
I'm not in the survivor game but I have been following this thread from the start and if you need an extra I would be happy to be one.
I don't really mind what catergory I write.

 

[Weird Harold]

I was wondering if I can join?
I'm not in the survivor game but ...
I don't really mind what catergory I write.

I don't see why not. While this chain story was proposed as an opportunity for the survivor contestants, there are more than enough categories to go around.

 

[penguindance]

 

[Dj_Maximus]

As long as you don't wish to do the first chapter...that PLS's job....lol...I think...

I think she mentionned that she was going to start it soon...

Not sure, been awhile...lol

 

[Chicklet]

I was wondering if I can join?
I'm not in the survivor game but I have been following this thread from the start and if you need an extra I would be happy to be one.
I don't really mind what catergory I write.

Yes!! Join! Oooh, I'm so excited!

Chicklet

 

[Dj_Maximus]

Recap?

Can someone summorise everything that has been discussed?

Or should we just jump in with both feet?
Or any other body part we care to throw in...lol

A lot of suggestions were made, and I just wanna know if there was any concrete decisions as far as the whole writing part...

Thanks!

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Recap?

Can someone summorise everything that has been discussed?

There are a couple of attempts at a summary on page seven.

In brief:

Adam Milligan, an average everyman sort of person in his mid-thirties attends a party he doesn't really want to and falls alseep.

He wakes up as the party is breaking up (has broken up) and finds he faces a four to five hour walk home because his ride left without him and there is no one left he knows. (no explanation proposed for why he doesn't take a cab, BTW)

On his walk back to his apartment, he sees various and sundry people and places where he makes a conscious choice to continue on towards home.

He reaches his home and has some sort of brief and boring sexual encounter with his wife/long-term SO. He ponders the way his life might have been different had he made different conscious choices on his way home and wishes, "If only..."

He wakes up as the party is breaking up and finds he faces a four to five hour walk home ... And the next author takes him down a different path.


SLG and Chicklet are building the framework of decision points (first chapter) and will provide further details when it's basically set.

The previous summaries concentrate on minor details, like hair color, whether he makes the wish first or last in each episode and episode lengths. (8,000 words +/- 4,000 words -- two to four Lit pages.)

Have I missed anything important or gotten anything wrong?

 

[Chicklet]

Re: Re: Recap?

(no explanation proposed for why he doesn't take a cab, BTW)

Hey, maybe he does take a cab = ) Who knows? he and the cabby could have some fuuun

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: Re: Re: Recap?

Hey, maybe he does take a cab = ) Who knows? he and the cabby could have some fuuun

True, but...

It would have to be AFTER one of the decision points or he's going to miss a lot of potential decision points.

The view through a cab window on a 30-45 minute drive doesn't offer nearly as many chances to change your mind as a walk through a city does.

PS: Maybe the cabs are on strike in the area the party was held or don't work after midnight in that city? That would still let him take a cab at some later point -- when he got to a different companies area or when they re-open at 5:00 AM -- and still have a logical reason for walking home.

 

[Chicklet]

well we'll see how it turns out

you want to write a chapter, harold?