Plot Idea for Matthew

[Falchion Wielder]

When Worlds Collide. I know its been used but... what would happen if yet another parallel world invaded the world of Merovence? High tech weapons mostly fail but the alternative Earth is populated by a semi-civilization of insects/proto-humans/catlike creatures, whatever. Pick one, or two! These creatures are deadly with only what their Earth's misbegotten caricature of nature supplied their bodies. Magic vs. mayhem.

It then becomes the task of Matt, his teenage children (who are showing signs of power) and friends (human, monster, saint and other) to beat back the invasion (book one), reach out to, and then liberate the nascent human population on 'Other Earth' where magic and technology work (book two), and finally deal with the rogue menace that is behind the 'wurm hole' between worlds that allowed the invasion in the the first place. In doing so they find evil intentions toward the Spider King, Merovence and the children. The children it seems are destined to do great and wonderful things for the Spider King in yet the next series of books for yet another alternative Earth.

[cstasheff]

Good idea, Falchion Wielder, and it sparks a few others in addition, especially since I'm considering moving the series into the third generation. Since it generates so many possibilties, though, it would be only fair for you to outline your own plot -- don't worry theres will be plenty more for me -- and write it as fan fiction. That portion of our websiter is undernourished. Try a first chapter as a short story.

[kf6eml]

I once belonged to a forum of reasonably talented writers who would each write a single chapter of a story and then post it.

Two different ways it worked:One way, each took a turn, building on what had happened previously, and the other way, everyone wrote a chapter and then they all voted on the best one, and that was made "official." Each author had a story line in mind, and wrote toward that end, and each successive chapter made everyone re-evaluate the storyline and occasionally change it completely. Nobody ever shared what their own storyline was beyond the chapter they submitted.

The results were usually quite messy, often hilarious, and sometimes seemed a bit rough, but it went surprisingly well. I wouldn't say it was great literature, but it made us all work outside of our little boxes.

Mr. S, perhaps if you posted some of your fragmentary works; ones that you haven't finished - maybe in a special thread called "The Writers' Block" we could generate some ideas to get them moving again.

[cstasheff]

It all sounds slpendid to me, kf6eml, provided nobody criticizes anyone else's work except by, as you note, saying which one they want to follow up every week or so, and revising as the story develops. I've found that criticism can inhibit the flow of words -- it's better left till the rough dfraft is wrapped up. I do have several ideas lurking about waiting to assume enough form to be worked on, and alas, some probably nerver will make it -- must be arguing with my muse or something. I'll talk it over with Ortho and see if we can manage it.