Forums → Art, Music, and Writing → The Community Novel Project (anyone's welcome!)
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Welcome ladies and gentleman, to the first annual community art project. You may be asking, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING GANTIC'S BEEN MAKING TONS OF PROJECTS LATELY.
You are right, but here's the thing. The projects here involve individual work. Here, is teamwork and teamwork only.
Our goal: To make a community novel requiring loads of helping hands.
Here are the jobs you can choose from
-Writer- This job requires you to write at least one chapter at a time for the book. You may choose this and another job from the list below.
-Illustrator- Drawing some scenes related to the chapter. They must be GOOD. Show us some of your work before signing up for this one.
-Plot Directors- These people will be the main people who plot out the main events in the story. Everyone will be able to suggest, but these people will have the last say and will contact the writers with their ideas.
-Specialist- This person will be the creator for any miscellaneous items needed in the story. Ex1: There's a band story, you write the songs. Ex2: Two pen pals write letters. You write the letters. Note: You may not get as much jobs as you want, maybe even none, so you may choose this, Writer, and another job
-Editor- Reads over the chapters for spelling and grammar, makes minor changes for misunderstandings.
Rules:
1. Writer's write one chapter at a time. You must state when you are writing. Simply say which chapter you call so nobody ends up writing it too.
2. Writer's may not write until the plot directors have a clear plot for you. You may make only minor changes and add anything you like, but stick the bare plot points.
3. Illustrators can either write black and white or color. Each drawing will be approved by a majority vote by every participant
4. Read the whole story before starting a new chapter. This is not a random make a story thread. It's a serious project
That's all.
So, let's start off by asking for who will participate and maybe get some suggestions for the beginning of our book.
- 140 Replies
Let's call it Valholl
Eh, obvious symbolism is obvious. It's a neat idea, but I'm still a fan of "Castle Greenrich". "Valholl" sounds like we're lifting a wee bit too much from other stories and myths.
There's nothing wrong with incorporating elements from mythology, but cleverness will captivate.
-Chillz
Ehhhhhh.
Names :|
Axehelm makes us sound like we are all warriors. Greenrich sounds like a farm.
After looking up a few names, I like Tavolauris. I say again, since this is a community thing, that there be a vote. Axehelm, Greenrich, or Tavolauris.
OR. Wo could have multiple cities, each having that name.
Also, each name could go to a city that would represent that part of the forum, instead of one big ole castle. I realize this is backtracking from the other idea, but if you want to make it a bigger area without having such a small castle, then the subsections for forums could be cities instead.
Now the main characters can be any of those things, it just depends on the writer. This isn't an official thread (at least in my eyes) so a writer could post stuff and then the editors and other come dissect it and then we have an official thread with which to post official parts of the story.
@ Oreo, not everyone is a bamf warrior.
No. This is the kind of castle with a bunch of bamf warriors in it, right? Let's call it Valholl (old norse for Valhalla)! All they'll end up being is a lot of dead men walking, after all.
....I LIKE CASTLE GREENRICH.
Axehelm makes us sound like we are all warriors. Greenrich sounds like a farm.
Axehelm will have a lot warriors... What's everyone's problem with Greenrich?
that there be a vote. Axehelm, Greenrich, or Tavolauris.
I just suggested Greenrich as the city's castle, not the city. The city itself will be voted for Axehelm and Tavolauris. I myself choose Axehelm.
Unless you want the change the castle name too?
OR. Wo could have multiple cities, each having that name.
...That would make a very large setting, wouldn't it?
Also, each name could go to a city that would represent that part of the forum, instead of one big ole castle. I realize this is backtracking from the other idea, but if you want to make it a bigger area without having such a small castle, then the subsections for forums could be cities instead.
A city named after a Support and Suggestions sub forum. Think about that. Wouldn't that be hard to translate?
Now the main characters can be any of those things, it just depends on the writer. This isn't an official thread (at least in my eyes) so a writer could post stuff and then the editors and other come dissect it and then we have an official thread with which to post official parts of the story.
The editors were to do that anyways, but should we still have a clear entry on the characters? Because we just changed the setting again.
...That would make a very large setting, wouldn't it?
Not necessarily.
Also, if you guys are going to do it right, you should probably consider the entire setting and environment anyway, so naming surrounding cities, towns and other areas would probably be recommended in the long run.
As for your naming trouble, wouldn't it be better to consider what you are naming (and where it it placed)? Not that you should consider this before you have out-lined a bit of the plot anyway, but still?
After all, most, if not all, older cities are named after what they are/contain, who lived there, what it was near, what its purpose was and so on. They were practical, them namers...
For example, while the symbolism is all well with Valhalla/Valholl, it does assume we are speaking about a hall, rather than a castle. Valborg would be more fitting, then, even if it's a pretty bad name for anyone that knows that song about the whale, but still.
A city named after a Support and Suggestions sub forum. Think about that. Wouldn't that be hard to translate?
Well, I put the word "Support" into Google translate and it came out Firmamentum Which sounds close to a city name for me.
I just suggested Greenrich as the city's castle, not the city. The city itself will be voted for Axehelm and Tavolauris. I myself choose Axehelm.
I prefer Tavolauris myself.
Well, I put the word "Support" into Google translate and it came out Firmamentum Which sounds close to a city name for me.
I forgot to say, I translated it into Latin if you're wondering.
Well, You see how the AMW / Gaming is called the Forge? Or Courtyard, whatever. That's what I was getting at. Not like one castle with everyone here in it. That's like a million peeps, yo.
Large settings are good, gooooood. Maps are freaking awesome in books. It gives more of that fantasy mindset, ya knows.
Do I need to draw an ugly sketch of this stuff going on in my head again? :<
Firmamentum sounds pretty cool actually, lol.
Expanding on my city idea, Axehelm or whatever could be the warriors of AG, the WEPR kids. Greenrich could be the newb area (cool) And Tavolauris could be AMW, or something like that. Each name for each area. Or it could be one medium sized country with provinces, you knows.
A plot? Well I usually start with the conflict, and create a backstory from that for the beginning, and finish with the end of the story..
Why don't we formulate ideas that we can present into a voting fashion, all in one bigass post? As in...
Setting:
A. Countries
B. Cities
C. Castle
Main Character
A. Multiple MC's
B. Peasant
C. Warrior
D. Farmer
E. King/Queen
Conflict
A. War
B. etc, all I know for conflict is war
C. OH WAIT IF WE GO WITH THE SPACE IDEA WE COULD USE AN INVASION THING
D. ****, that's war. u_u
And then after we tally up those votes, we get more detailed into the voting things, and present it to the writers who then get writing on stuff that will please the mass.
Democracy 8D
Or Acmed and I could tell you to shut up and write until you get what pleases us.
Conflict
Wouldn't it be:
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Self
etcetera, etcetera,
Couldn't we also have a sub plot of infighting in Axehelm/WEPR because they're always arguing in real-time?
Well, I put the word "Support" into Google translate and it came out Firmamentum Which sounds close to a city name for me.
*facepalm*
I meant translate into a theme. There's no such thing as a Support and Suggestion town.
Well, You see how the AMW / Gaming is called the Forge? Or Courtyard, whatever. That's what I was getting at. Not like one castle with everyone here in it. That's like a million peeps, yo.
Oh, that makes sense. I like that.
Expanding on my city idea, Axehelm or whatever could be the warriors of AG, the WEPR kids. Greenrich could be the newb area (cool) And Tavolauris could be AMW, or something like that. Each name for each area. Or it could be one medium sized country with provinces, you knows.
I like them as cities in a province. Small enough for the castle to be in there. If there is a castle still....
Setting:
A. Countries
B. Cities
C. Castle
I prefer cities inside a province with the castle in the middle.
Main Character
A. Multiple MC's
B. Peasant
C. Warrior
D. Farmer
E. King/Queen
Multiple, and they all relate to eachother somehow.
Conflict
A. War
B. etc, all I know for conflict is war
C. OH WAIT IF WE GO WITH THE SPACE IDEA WE COULD USE AN INVASION THING
D. ****, that's war. u_u
B, where there's dragon attacks in the country of wherever and they plan on moving. There's been dragons, but it's gotten worse. I guess war against dragons.
And then after we tally up those votes, we get more detailed into the voting things, and present it to the writers who then get writing on stuff that will please the mass.
Sounds good. But just a few questions:
What's the country called?
Are we using the castle still?
If so, what's the name of the castle?
Is the castle just gonna be the main point in the province where the king/queen live?
Or Acmed and I could tell you to shut up and write until you get what pleases us.
*facehoof*
While Moon's posting some info, I've made a map.
This is Firmamentum, the province where it will take place, with 3 major cities. The country itself isn't named yet. The dots represent smaller towns/cities/villages/farms/whatever. The castle in the middle is still unnamed, but is just a city within walls filled with the king or queen and the wealthiest people in the land.
MoonFairy will have more info on the beginning plot. What do you guys think?
Okay well Acmed and I have come up with more ideas for setting, names, plot, etc.
We will be doing this by voting, so please, vote on which you like the best.
Here is an example of what it will look like:
Setting:
A. B
B. Bl
C. Bla
D. Blah
E. Other (Explain your idea in your comment)
And then your post should look like:
Setting
E. I would like to have a giant boat because I hate trains and this makes no sense but have a micro-potato.
_____
Get it?
Alright, well Acmed has that map right there, so that will in help visualizing a bit more.
Lettuce get started.
The country is Firmamentum, simply because it is now Firmamentum. The WEPR subforum will be the city of Axehelm, The AMW subforum will be Tavolauris, and the Tavern/Everything Else will be Greenrich. That much has been decided. It's the outlying Provinces that need names if we are to create a full map, and the Castle needs a name.
The list we have (Thank you, name generator) is
Names
A. Variantia
B. Arderne
C. Elyot
D. Obelyn
E.Gauwyn
F. Malloburne
G. Narwyn
H. Raulin
I. Other (Please Explain)
Please vote on your favorite name for the castle, and the runner ups shall be the outer provinces.
That is the only official vote we have right now, and our idea about conflict is .......
Dragons. Yep. Dragons. There are the good guys and the baddies, and the good dragons want their land back after a few incidents (Totes making this up as I go along) and this causes war. The baddies always disliked everyone, so they are like the rouges that just kill anything and everything, and the good dragons are killing us, and us only. We are killing them both, and the war goes on and on and blah blah blah. That's what we have right now, and any ideas are again, welcome.
Please vote on your favorite name, then help develop the plot. After this, we will dive further into the main character ideas, and then we can finally start writing!
Anyone else getting the feeling that the main inspiration and influence on the plot is The Elder Scrolls?
I suggest we name the castle Paul. The castle is more than an object, it is a living, growing being.
Actually, I like G. Narwyn.
The country is Firmamentum, simply because it is now Firmamentum.
I'm a fan of A. Variantia.
And I would like to thank the language of Latin for having the most awesome names for the most simplest of things.
Concerning dragons; I like the basic idea, but I'd rather they be just something that exists a la FiM rather than a full-on Elder Scrolls plot-lift.
And as a VG Forum regular, I find it quite insulting that no love was given to my realm. However in the time it took me to write that last sentence I came up with a brilliant idea for how to handle the VG forum situation in a real-life accurate manner. It will be relevant in the future ^_^
Concerning Provinces; (references ahoy!)
Younglands
Meetenspeek
Forsaken Lands of Lost Conscious (How I hate this site)
-Chillz
The country is Firmamentum, simply because it is now Firmamentum.
The province is Firmamentum. I don't have the name for the country. Is that what we're voting for, or are those names for people?
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