A cooperative novel? (Writing game for any number of participants)

by Emilie van Damm
1st September 2016

The default setting in Q&As is "Recent". However, by clicking on "Popular", I came across this (the most popular thread ever on this forum, with 88 replies):

https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/question/view/192

It seems to have fizzled out some years ago, but I thought that I might revive the idea for a new generation of users on this forum.

NEW RULE: To prevent total hijacking, each entry may be a MAXIMUM of THREE (3) sentences!

Even when this thread disappears from the most recent page(s), please keep it in mind and return to it again and again. Let's see if we can write a novel-length work of beauty and originality! At least set a new record for thread length.

Obviously, styles will change. Genres may also do so. I will try my best to keep it from sliding into a Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter OR Twilight clone. (THAT's a gauntlet thrown down for some of you fanatics! This could be fun!)

p.s. If it's interesting, I'll ask others at La Gr@not@ if we can publish it. Prepare your CVs!!!

I'll begin:

*************************************

Aisha wiped the mud out of her eyes before plunging her head in the almost-freezing mountain stream.

"That Jon!" she muttered (filling her mouth with water, the rash girl), "He'll pay for this!"

Shaking her head caused myriad waterdrops to fly out from her long, red hair.

(to be continued...?)

Replies

Jon, still on the floor, stared aghast at the scene and at the zombie sidekick in particular. Aisha saw the infatuated gaze and sensed that, despite the lack of moustache, a tacked on romantic storyline was emerging. Where was sturdy footwear when you needed it?

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Victoria
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Victoria Fielding
05/09/2016

“Listen, Miss hoity-toity Jane bleedin’ zombie Austen,” exploded our red-haired friend, “and see if you can wrap your head around the fact that there is a BIG difference between being single by choice and suffering ‘the pangs of disappointed love’!

“I’ve got my CAREER to think of, and I’m having trouble deciding between becoming a brain surgeon or one of those people wot work down in the sewers with big rubber boots*

Not that I don’t appreciate your having saved my life, but let’s not base any ‘friendship’ on false premises, hmm?”

[* A nod to Wellington, of the 70s comic strip The Perishers. I wonder if he fulfilled his dreams…]

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Jimmy
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Jimmy Hollis i Dickson
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Miss Amethyst Python lost little time in gathering her appurtenances and taking a not over-leisurely farewell of the gathering.

“Why do you come to my rescue when I have robbed you of your footwear, set about you in a most unladylike and unchristian manner, and find your literary style to be quite unpleasant?” asked a certain distraught and bewildered young maiden of the red-haired variety.

“Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love,” replied Miss Jane, “and, having been disappointed romantically myself, and only too sensitive to your own failures in that direction, I have hopes that we may be of some mutual assistance as regards to friendship.”

(signed) Jane Austen

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05/09/2016