Collaborative UFO/Conspiracy/Paranormal Project?

Okay.

I have been reading this message board for a long time, and have always found the participants to be an engaging and intelligent group of people, and the subjects fascinating. I never participated in the discussion until this point, but I have decided to join the group and indulge a bit.

Allow me to first introduce myself. I'm a guy living somewhere in the east coast, studying to become an elementary school teacher. I have always been interested in the paranormal and spirituality, particularly how it relates to nature, and I am an avid writer. I write screenplays and short stories, mostly. I am very much into UFOs, ghosts, conspiracy culture, alternate states of consciousness, religious studies, astral projection, lucid dreaming, etc. My writing has been known to be dark. But enough about myself.

Long story short, I think that it could be an enjoyable and productive experiment for this discussion board to write a collective fiction project, such as a screenplay or book. I am certain that there is an immense amount of knowledge here, in terms of conspiracy culture, the paranormal, etc. and I think that it would be a good deal of fun to put something together with such a wide variety of interesting people who are brought together by these otherworldly things, and by the pursuit of knowledge and denial of ignorance.

This is what I propose, and I am totally open to suggestions or criticism, or whatever: We brainstorm a bit, for a few weeks, perhaps, and figure out some way to put the initial structure of the story together. We build the overall framework that we can write within and use as a boundary so that we don't get too chaotic with the story. Basically, we brainstorm an outline and come up with a way to keep everything organized. I'll put up a page where everyone involved can see the progress made and make contributions or edit pre-existing material, and we can brainstorm and post new material on the message board, unless the mods have an issue with the idea, at which point I am definitely willing to come up with an alternate way to brainstorm ideas.

We would start out totally fresh, with just the intention of writing a story. Everyone pitches in and the story is built based on whatever input is received, and whatever seems best to the participants. Nobody controls the story, and everyone who wishes to be involved can add to the story at any point. Maybe we could have votes if there were conflicts in the story structure - we would have to figure this out as well, how to resolve conflicts which will certainly emerge from this discussion board, given the wide range of beliefs and opinions expressed here. As long as we could agree on a system of rules and procedures in which to collaborate and brainstorm, and we approached the project with maturity and respect for one another, I think that we could put together a pretty awesome story, be it a novel, a screenplay, a collection of short stories, or a play. And I think that it would be fun, and as a writer, I would love the opportunity to organize something like this.

The only stipulation that I have, as the organizer of the material, is that the final product be offered free of charge, and just for fun. The project would not be copyrighted and rights/ownership would belong to no one. Of course anyone involved could have a credit if they chose to - but it is very important that no corporate or commercial interests are associated with the project, otherwise it would be tainted - as all art is when produced for the purpose of profit.

Again, I am completely open to suggestions and/or criticism. I am proposing that we collaborate on a story that deals with the general theme of this message board, and anything that falls within that foundation is fine with me. The idea is to create something which is pure, in that it doesn't have any pre-conceived agendas. We start fresh and create/write something, whatever form it happens to eventually take.

What do you think?


[edit on 25-10-2008 by IsRosewoodSinking]

reply to post by IsRosewoodSinking

I'm for the overall collaborative/thirdmind concept (like I use something like that in a little side business I run, it's good to be bigger than one person) and I would like to participate, BUT
I think it goes best in one of three ways
1...one person is in charge (that would be you)
or
2...there are rigid rules according to which content chunks are ruled in or out
or
3...consensus is required among a finite group, all must rule a chunk in, one blackball and it's out

just because, my bias, even though "first thought is best thought"(some say)..."anything goes" is never for the best, is it?
anyway, that's my take, good luck

damn!

you had me right up to the 'no profit' part.

but i think it's an awesome idea and will be watching (possibly contributing too) with interest.

I think it goes best in one of three ways
1...one person is in charge (that would be you)

i fully agree with needing someone in charge. or possibly a two or three someones to keep things on track.

edited to add: and for guidance and direction when needed.

[edit on 26-10-2008 by ll__raine__ll]

Is anyone else here interested in something like this? It wouldn't necessarily have to be fiction - I mean, we could put together some sort of conspiracy reference book or something.

Yes?

No?

reply to post by IsRosewoodSinking


For conspiracy reference, you can just write an article on tinwiki, for example
but I would participate in fiction if we had a meeting of the minds, not on the goal or product or output, but on the steps and rules of the process...I do like the groupmind concept, there's a lot of high-art yammering involved but I've had good results, over the years
For example, here's one scenario (chosen at random, there are many numerous) for how three people write a novel, chapter by chapter
Person A dictates the action, the synopsis, what will happen in the chapter
Person B actually writes that chapter
Person C edits the chapter, as in, all they can do is cross out what they don't like
Next chapter Person B gives the plot, C writes the chapter, A edits out blemishes. and so forth in dialectical alternation

I don't care about the plan I just mentioned, I just needed an example of a rule-governed process, such that you stick with the rules and the group mind comes in and the content takes care of itself
Anyways, them's some thoughts...