"We" are writers. If you are, too, then welcome! We've been waiting for you. I'm Darren Blake (a.k.a. flickguy), your host. I have been writing -- on and off, unfortunately -- for as long as I can remember. As a small child, I specialized in "cliffhanger serials", leaving my audience in suspense until the next chapter could be written. My audience, of course, consisted of my mother and sometimes her friends, who in retrospect I believe merely tolerated my interruptions. Still, I have always been fascinated by the power of the written word. Even though I don't wield it as well as most other writers, I still enjoy giving it my best effort.
The Write Stuff - Creativity Unleashed came into being one day when my good friend Tanya Reed and I were lamenting the demise of our favorite section of Storyteller's Challenge -- the "Collaborative Stories" section, where many different authors would tell the story. It was fun to take something someone had written and run with it, then watch how it developed with the next writer. Tanya and I have also participated in Round Robin writing, which is the same thing, except with a specific order of participants.
We lamented and lamented, and one of us said, "Someone should do something else like that." So we decided it would be us. Since that time we have expanded the site a little to include a forum and chat room. More features are currently in development!
There are actually several ways to participate. You can either continue an open story, submit a new open story, or visit the forums and chat room.
On the Open Stories page, there is a list of the stories currently open. Read what's already written and submit what happens next, using our Submission Guidelines as a reference. It's that simple. Your entry will be reviewed and posted in the next posting window. By review, I mean spelling checks, ensuring that it fits within continuity, that kind of thing. If anything major needs to be changed, I will contact you to make the changes -- I won't make them without your consent. In some rare cases, I will reject a submission if it is in extreme violation of the Guidelines.
Don't feel inspired by one of the open stories? That's okay, too -- you can start one yourself! Same rules apply as above. Just use the Submission Guidlines as a reference, and your new story will be posted in the next posting window. Then watch what happens as your story unfolds with other writers at the helm! (Of course, you are also welcome to continue it.)
flickNet has three discussion forums: Two site-specific and one for general jabber. The Write Stuff's forum is one of the two site-specific. My other site (Flickguy at the MOVIES) has the other. You are invited to register for the forums and post to your heart's content. Please remember to read the very few enforced rules, and have fun!
flickNet also boasts a chat room! Admittedly, it's currently under-utilized, but in the future we plan to have topical chats for both of the flickNet sites, so stay tuned -- and keep checking the Chat schedule.
The posting windows are almost every night for continuing an open story. I do have some activities in my personal life (if there is such a thing) that will sometimes preclude my updating the site, but the next scheduled update will be clearly indicated on the Home page. (For example, since I go to the movies every Thursday, a Friday update -- which would be posted Thursday Night -- is highly unlikely.) If I have a submission at the time of an update, it gets posted.
The site opened with five open stories. At first, the intent was to post a new open story whenever one came in -- that has since changed. The new "policy" is to add a new open story every month until we hit the maximum of 25. Priority is given to outside submissions (meaning by someone other than Tanya or myself), but if we have received no outside submissions, she and I will take turns posting a new story.
The forums and chat happen whenever YOU want them to -- or when a scheduled event occurs.
There are submission forms on nearly every page of this web site. Each Open Story has a form to continue the story. The Open Stories page has a form to submit a new story. The FAQ page has a form to submit any questions you might have. A Contact Us / Suggestions page is also in the works.
The links to the forums and chat are in the left-hand contents frame. If you're not in frames, we can fix that -- assuming your browser supports frames.
I have already touched on why this site exists, but a question some may be asking is, "Why should I participate?" The only answer I can give you is that it's fun! If you don't believe me, just ask Tanya, or give it a try and see for yourself!