After seeing Pandora's Realm sputter to a complete halt, I couldn't help but think that just too many people posted on it with, too many crazy twists (me included). I could see that people were having trouble telling where the heck the story was going.

My idea is to start another forum story. Although this time, the forum can delegate a maximum FIVE people to write the whole thing. The story can be divided into five segments, each one per author. That way, the authors can communicate with each other more effectivley as to where the whole story is going. The authors can also talk beforehand to make up a basic storyline which all authors are supposed to stick to.

Before we choose authors, I want to hear from all of you whether you think this is a good idea, and also some advice. I would be happy to coordinate the whole thing!

We have so many talented authors here at the forum, one can only imagine the possibilities if they could intimatley work together!!!!!!!

I think 5 is too little, there is much more talent than just 5 people, and I think that we should finish what we started in Pandora's Realm. That story began a while ago and we would all be happy to see it finished, it just needs some revising.

Ta16Uva,

We can add more writers, but not nearly as many as Pandora's Realm. It just seems like everyone in the forum had to put in their little tid-bit. With regard to finishing Pandora's Realm, no one has posted on it for two whole weeks, and there is no end in sight. Maybe you can give it a jumpstart. :)

You're idea is a good one however that story will obviously be very structured and have strict guidelines, Pandora's Realm did not, it was a fun thing for anyone to participate in and I think I can speak for most people who contributed that we had fun adding to it and seeing what new twist was going to come next..and yes fair enough the story doesn't seem to be going anywhere at the moment but people (the main contributor's) have been busy with their lives, I would recommend allowing the story to be finished in it's own time :)

That doesn't mean that a new story cannot be started...you've put your idea forward, now you just need to see the other people who would like to participate and see where it leads ;)

I did have an end in sight for PR but never got around to finishing it.Sandecker Fan(sean) and I were working towards a common ending but we let life interrupt us.I may try adding to it in the near future now that you have reminded me that it's there.

I would love to see an ending Mostly Heep :) :)

We should get some forum administrators to edit or delete some of the more recent posts and then begin where we left off, because we've all been following the story from the beginning, and I think that we have a great story! p:

A buddy of mine once gave me this pearl of wisdom:
There's never time to do it right, but there's always time to do it again.

Fan Fiction troubles me, quite frankly. It reveals that a person has an interest in writing, but not enough interest to develop their own characters. It shows that they want other people to read their work, but also exposes that they don't care enough to hone their craft, or get the finished product as perfect as possible before releasing it for general consumption. And more than anything else, it highlights a need for constant affirmation. We don't want Clive or any other author releasing their book one paragraph at a time, and then waiting for an th: attaboy th: before continuing. Why should it be any different for the rest of us. That's not the same as getting editorial feedback incidentally, but even with that it's better to provide a finished product in order to get everything in context.

If you are serious about writing--and I know that some of you are--do it right. There are only so many hours in the day, and only so many days in your life, for you to waste them on graffiti.

As to forum stories, the whole appeal of them is the unpredictable and chaotic nature of the narrative. I don't find them particularly appealling, but I will say that it can be a helpful writing exercise now and then. By trying to refine and limit the process, you remove the one element that makes them unique.

Just some thoughts from your curmudgeonly neighborhood writer....

The only reason I haven't been able to add toward wrapping up PR is that it is so long now that I don't have time to go back and read all 170+ posts. I'd like to see it finished and I think it would have been fun to be able to help it along.

I also agree with Sean, although I can't add the writing credability to my post. ;)

ummm, Sean, I think your looking too deeply into Fan Fiction. I personally contribute to some stories (when I have time) cause it heaps of fun. I also see members receiving feedback on submitted stories as a reality check for those aspiring to write on a more serious level.

I agree with Tony, we're all just trying to have some fun! This is what Fan Fiction is all about, writing and having fun!

Heck, I remember when there wasn't even a main topic for Fan Fiction, it was a part of General Topics. It became so big that a whole new topic was made for it!

We're just trying to have fun, and I think that's what Pandora's Realm is. It shows everyone how much fun we're all having, and the great story that comes from it.

My vote goes to finishing what we started! p:

Sorry...I was being a bit cranky... :blink:

Yes, Sean, has a point but like everyone else I saw it as a fun thing to do and added my part. It definitely needs to be finished. I at least finished my Mars Fire story with some discipline despite the temptation to let it be a bit looser like the Blue Cobalt and Pandora's Realm stories. Though I admit to taking over the Blue Cobalt story since it too fizzled from input. I am still trying to wrap that up but tempted to keep a loose string for someone to pick it up. w:

Don't feel too bad Sean. w:

My words were perhaps ill chosen, but I was actually trying to defend the "fun" kind of fan fiction, of which I think Pandora's Realm is a good example. The post that started this thread was far more critical of forum style-fan fiction that I was, and that was lit my fuse, so to speak.

It is indeed fun to pitch a new storyline with an old favorite every now and again. I penned (actually pencilled) thirteen Indiana Jones short novels as a kid--that was back before Al Gore invented the Internet of course, so there was no one to read them--so I don't mean to illegitimize this kind of storytelling. Truth be told, that's how I started out.

But I think that all of us feel a little awkward about posting honest criticism in a public forum, and really that's what the aspiring writer needs (notice I don't say "wants") the most. I think what I was trying to say was: Finish a story, then find an editor who will rip it to shreds if that's what it takes. There will come a point where writing fan fiction (and nothing else) will only hold you back.

oops....am I doing it again? disregard all of the foregoing. j:

Good point there Sean. As many people are writing their stories and posting them at the same time, in addition to praise and "good job", add some suggestions to the story or what could be better.

This way the writer can take other people's thoughts into consideration.

I, for one, think I appreciate the honest comments about my story, not just the compliments. I want people's honest opinions, not simple praise (especially if someone is looking to spare someone else's feelings).
If one is going to post his or her work, one should be prepared for ALL critism, whether it be positive or negative.

As for a new story, I'd like to see Realm finised up by those writing it first, before a new story is started. I know I, and others, would like to see how it'll wrap up!! th:

I know my grammar is faulty but appreciate honest criticism. That is why there's an edit button when you make your posts and if my writing still slips by in my initial edits I tend to go back and do more editing. That is what writing is all about. Continual editing. The only thing that slips through are my own grammatical faults. And if I spot something that can be written simpler then I will attempt to do that.

All this talking about finishing Pandora's Realm, but no writing!! Would somebody please post soon on Pandora's Realm!

Get writing j:

Geeezz man what's the rush?

Something exciting gonna happen when it's finished? :unsure:

yike: What have you done with the REAL Kelly? yike:

I could tell you but..... ;)

Foss, do you think that since your the administrator of Fan Fiction you could edit or remove some of the more recent posts to Pandora's Realm so that it can become a little clearer? It seems as if too many unrelated things are happening at once, but that's just me. :blink:

OK I gotta ask why you think posts need to be deleted? Surely if you add to the story you can get the story to go the way you want...if your post is long enough?

That story is a group effort not one person's vision, ya know?

Or am I not making any sense what's so ever?

And I'm pretty sure, Foss is movies - Kick Kismet and Sandecker Fan are Fan Fiction ;)

:lol:

Hi,
I just wanted to let everyone know that my evil twin Kick has had me bound and gagged in the closet for the last couple days. He may have been posting some stuff here; I know he was using my computer to look at... um, better not go into that right now. Anything that he might have said to offend...well, that's Kick for you.

I managed to chew through the ropes earlier and regain control of the computer. Not sure where Kick is right now. Be on the look out for a guy that looks exactly like me doing unsavory things.

Happy AFD! j:

Oh No!!!! yike: Or is this kick posting again?!?!

DOH!!!!

That Kick is so Kean!

I thought I'd reveal myself finally after I found that Nick left the computer on. Nick never lets me out of the house, he just piles paper in front of the typewriter and shouts at me to write books. He says he'll make me famous one day. My last project was The Magic Mirror, I just hope it gets published one day and that I'll get my just rewards.

w:

:lol: j: Happy AFD!

As Giordino13 had said, some of the more recent posts have made the story confusing, and I believe that it would be hard to go from where it is now, but that's just my opinion.

Hypothetically, if I had contibuted to the story and now my contribution was being eyed-up to be removed from the story, I'm sure I'd be somewhat upset--so would anyone who's segment was erased. The idea of the group story is that everyone is encouraged to contibute, that's what makes it a group effort in the first place and what makes it fun! If all of a sudden it's decided to eliminate some contributions, feelings are going to be hurt and no one is going to want to contribute in any future group projects.
I say leave the story as it is, get creative and write yourselves out of any corners you may have been painted into. :)

Just sayin'. Hope none takes this the wrong way!

As I say again, it was just my opinion.

Late last year I tried my hand at editing this masterpiece.With Kelly's suggestions I managed to keep everyones contributions but trimmed some fat and fleshed out some areas.
Now before anyone demands to see it I only got as far as the control room scene.Editing takes alot of time folks.And I got fat and lazy :P

Everything that has been written can be used.It just may not be used at it's present position in the story,Not so sure about the good Generals appearance though :lol:

I'm with Kelly on the rush to end it....why the rush?It will end when it will end.

Thomas,
You should just write in a "Dallas" style dream-scene...

You guys remember Dallas, right? Who shot JR?

Geez, maybe I am getting old.

Let me explain--When I was just a wee sprite, there was a prime time soap opera called Dallas. As is often the case with these extended melo-dramas, characters are always dying-off. One actor, Patrick Duffy (who played the tile character in the short-lived series "Man From Atlantis" --whoa, now I'm really showing my age) left the series at one point, but then realized he had turned his back on the biggest paycheck of his life and came crawling back a year later. To resurrect his character, the writers created a cliff-hanger season finale in which the character steps out of the shower, much to the surprise of his widow. When the next season dawned, it was explained that everything that had happened in the previous year was all a dream experienced by the would-be widow. Boy did that cheese a lot of fans off...

:blink:
I hated Dallas.
Man from Atlantis was cool though for a mid 70's sci-fi show.


BTW Sean you're not old if you can remember all that. :lol:

I never watched Dallas; but it's pop-culture impact was pretty significant (in its day). I seem to recall that Man From Atlantis was pretty cool, but sometimes those childhood memories are sweeter than the reality.

Say, has anyone seen my evil twin?

Didn't Patrick Duffy also play the dad on Step By Step?


I'm for not deleting entries. If I had time to read the whole thing and try to post on it now I wouldn't want my entry being deleted simply because a few people didn't like my idea. It makes it harder to finish, and harder to edit, but I have faith in the forum. det: