Informal Writing Assignment: Ghost Writer
Dec 11, 2013 12:07:45 GMT -8
Ross, Julie, and 1 more like this
Post by Ross on Dec 11, 2013 12:07:45 GMT -8
Hello all,
So this one is quite a bit different from the norm, and requires two people to participate. Put simply:
You write a story using - and which is completely centered around - someone else's character, with their player's full consent and final editorial approval. Thereafter they post your text using *their* board account (to reflect their personal endorsement of the piece), while giving you full attribution for the work therein.
- Maybe there's a character at game that you love interacting with, and you have a scenario for a story that doesn't quite work for your character, but could completely work for theirs
- Maybe a PC mentioned the gist of a tale from their past in passing to you, and you'd love to be the one to help put flesh on those bones for the player
- Or maybe just the nature of the other person's character inspires you to create something unique to add to their PC's little universe
So first and foremost, you have to gain the consent and input from another player to make use of their character in your story. Obviously if they decline the offer, you're out of luck on this one.
But if they agree to the idea, work with them to decide whether this will be a story set in the character's past; something dealing with current events; or merely a "side quest" tale that could fit just about anywhere. Get the details you need to make the story, but only so much as the player is comfortable revealing about their character in a public posting.
As you write, be careful not to take too many liberties with either the character, or the events/consequences that result from the story that might grandly conflict with either the facts of the setting, or the character's current condition/activities (unless the player gives you free reign, of course; they do get the final say, after all). Regardless, as always, the "written in water" rule applies here, as with all story posts.
Once finished, email your story draft to the player for their review. They might accept it as-is; send back edits to make or suggestions to consider; or simply decline to post the entire story outright. It is completely up to them; it is their character.
The most important component of this assignment is that the player of the subject PC be the one to make the posting of the final draft with your byline, using their own board account as verification of approval; both for the sake of any IWA Bounty attempts, and as evidence (now and in the future) that you weren't hijacking someone's PC without permission.
All credit to Julie N., player of Skye, for suggesting this idea as an assignment!
Have fun!
-Ross
So this one is quite a bit different from the norm, and requires two people to participate. Put simply:
You write a story using - and which is completely centered around - someone else's character, with their player's full consent and final editorial approval. Thereafter they post your text using *their* board account (to reflect their personal endorsement of the piece), while giving you full attribution for the work therein.
- Maybe there's a character at game that you love interacting with, and you have a scenario for a story that doesn't quite work for your character, but could completely work for theirs
- Maybe a PC mentioned the gist of a tale from their past in passing to you, and you'd love to be the one to help put flesh on those bones for the player
- Or maybe just the nature of the other person's character inspires you to create something unique to add to their PC's little universe
So first and foremost, you have to gain the consent and input from another player to make use of their character in your story. Obviously if they decline the offer, you're out of luck on this one.
But if they agree to the idea, work with them to decide whether this will be a story set in the character's past; something dealing with current events; or merely a "side quest" tale that could fit just about anywhere. Get the details you need to make the story, but only so much as the player is comfortable revealing about their character in a public posting.
As you write, be careful not to take too many liberties with either the character, or the events/consequences that result from the story that might grandly conflict with either the facts of the setting, or the character's current condition/activities (unless the player gives you free reign, of course; they do get the final say, after all). Regardless, as always, the "written in water" rule applies here, as with all story posts.
Once finished, email your story draft to the player for their review. They might accept it as-is; send back edits to make or suggestions to consider; or simply decline to post the entire story outright. It is completely up to them; it is their character.
The most important component of this assignment is that the player of the subject PC be the one to make the posting of the final draft with your byline, using their own board account as verification of approval; both for the sake of any IWA Bounty attempts, and as evidence (now and in the future) that you weren't hijacking someone's PC without permission.
All credit to Julie N., player of Skye, for suggesting this idea as an assignment!
Have fun!
-Ross
