This idea is not mine. It is stolen.
No wait. I can’t steal. I’m not allowed. I’m Catholic. You know: Five golden rings, four turtle doves, three blind mice, two Dos Equis beers, and honor the one true God. Wait. That might not be right. Where’s the part about stealing? Gosh golly, eighteen years of Catholic education and 25 years later it is all kind of a faint memory.
But a memory, nonetheless, and I know I am not supposed to steal.
Therefore, I am borrowing. Yes, borrowing a wonderful idea from a fellow blogger, Paula Action. After I tell you what it is, you may want click on her name and follow her, too.
Paula is starting a new serial story on her blog. She is calling it Sunday Stories. She is planning on writing an installment of 500-1000 words each week, and she will publish the new installment every Sunday. I love it! Dickens and Tolstoy, considered some of the greatest writer’s of all time, published works through a serial format. However, they did their work alone. They did not ask for input. However, Paula is asking, and so will I. Here is the fun part! Paula published a poll to ask her readers what they would like to read. She gave choices of genre to start, and then I imagine she is going to give more polls and more choices along the way.
I am borrowing this idea from Paula, and I am going to do something very similar. Because I would struggle with fantasy or horror, I am not asking for help with genre. It will be realistic fiction– sorry no gnomes, apes, or Romulans. However, I do love the idea of the reader driving the story. Kind of like the Pick-Your-Own-Adventure books I loved when I was a child. My favorites were the Encyclopedia Brown stories! I loved that I got to decide the outcome of the story. Now, you, my fabulously fantastic fiction followers, you will be able to make the choices each week; you will influence the way I craft the story.
I will not publish on Sundays. I figure I might want to try to go to church and piece together all of that Catholic education that is so latent in my brain. Besides, that’s Paula’s day, I do not want to steal that from her. I will be publishing this story every Saturday, and hopefully, together, you and I can make it go on for a while!
Welcome to Serial Saturdays!
Now, I will need you to answer a few questions. Whichever responses are the most popular on Friday will influence the way I craft the story on Saturday. Please vote!
HEHEHEHE at the minute I have my revenge I have set your story lol of course it will all change within a few clicks but little things are amusing me today – actually laughing was not a good idea with my cheese-grated throat. I can’t wait to see how your story turns out at the minute my poll is totally deadlocked so it is looking like a romantic fantasy between ghosts lol
Well, that story sounds awesome! Ghosts should get to be romantic too, and then they can turn into witches!
I was so excited when I saw your post yesterday. I had to steal the idea! Hope you do not mind. I think it will be a challenge, but I also think it will be super fun!
I also cannot wait to read yours, and hopefully, some of my followers will follow you, too!
No I am flattered you liked the idea at least if I write the options myself my character don’t have to die at every choice lol but I do think you should throw in the occasional choice aswell lol
Oh …. this was kinda fun! I clicked on … should I tell you? One of my clicks made it a 4-way dead heat!
Wait … where was the question about sex?!?!?! Damn it … give us the good choices haha.
And where was the question about if they worked upstairs or downstairs … or if their name is to be Mary or Anna … or …oh wait …they are already doing that story on PBS …
But what about a question on which handsome man should the main character look like?
Uhmm…I had better stop before you toss a crumpled piece of paper at me and tell me to write my own feckin story! lol.
Very cool idea…I am interested to see where this leads.