Tomorrow I launch the Renegade Project, what you might call a Democratic Adventure.
Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? I loved them as a kid. So a couple years ago when a friend of mine started a community one on Writing.com, I jumped on the bandwagon. Like any neighborhood OCD variety, ideas sprouted and branched and I was eager to dazzle and interact.
Then I discovered the thing was hitched to a band of mossy sloths who couldn’t even reach the ground because the weight in the rear kept the tongue aloft. I promptly fell off. Heartbroken, I trudged off but the damage was done. Characters, plots, subplots, images and intrigue boiled through me. However, the ideas couldn’t settle for a regular book, even if I didn’t already have a waiting list. The story was built for interaction and craved it.
Tomorrow the adventure begins – this time time no sloths, no creaky wagon. This thing is eager for break-neck speed! And some delightful twists to put you in control, more than any of those dusty books could ever do! This challenge could test the ultimate creativity – yours and mine. You up for it? I am.
Here’s how it will go.
Tomorrow I will post the first story segment, ending with a choice of two or more options. Then you, the readers get to vote for which path you want the story to go. Simply comment to let your voice be heard. On Friday I will tally the votes. Then, the following Tuesday, I’ll post a new segment down the path that was chosen along with the new choice and options.
That’s how it will go for the month of January, with one section each week. That should give it a nice jump start. However, then the game changes. In February, each segment will include a choice and at least two options, BUT you aren’t limited by them at all. Anyone is welcome to propose an alternative action or reaction to the decision point. You are free to discuss, suggest and vote at will. You can even change your votes up to when I take the final tally. Then I promise to run with whatever the group decides (as long as it is suitable to post on the blog – though with you guys voting I really don’t expect that to be a problem. I trust you guys.)
So, are you game for a crazy adventure? I promise humor, danger, betrayal and mystery…
…but beyond that… only a lot of surprises.
Then come join in, for it has already begun…
Part 3: The Educated Mercenary
The New Authors Fellowship 
I hated choose your own adventure books, but maybe if I were helping to write them… hmm. You’re a bit crazy, Ren, but that’s what I’m coming to like about you. hehe!
Awesome. I’ll be sure to vote and comment and whatnot in January, and suggest ideas in February. I’ve actually tried to write one of these with my friend, it is not easy.
“Easy”? Heck, I’ve given up finding that listed in my job description in any arena of my life. Nope, it’s not easy. I’m looking to test my resourcefulness. Besides, easy just isn’t inspiring enough. I love a challenge to get all excited about. Don’t you?
I look forward to you playing, Kaleb.
lol, crazy? Me?
I do admit that most of the choose your own adventure books I read were pretty cheesy and I’m not sure if it’s that’s because of the young target audience or what, but I won’t play easy. There will be dead ends and maybe some serious fights. However, this footage will probably be pretty raw. No time to revise. I figure it will be good practice for me to think on the fly and commit. It’s all good.
I look forward to seeing some of your twists, Robynn.
Sometimes, it depends on what’s challenging me. Thanks.
So true, so true.
I LOVED CYOA books growing up. My librarian had to forcibly remove them from my hands because I wanted to check out too many at one time and didn’t want to have to give up any of them.
What a challenge to write one, though!
lol.
The way I see it, one key to writing one is being able to think cyclical as opposed to linear. If you’re stuck in linear, you’re sunk. If you can only see/create one plotline, then you’ll spend all your time (and aggravate your readers) by trying to force them down fundamentally one path, even if you pretend otherwise. Ideally it takes a writer who can see the potential down any route, in any direction.
Well, of course, that’s just my personal theory. I’m interested in testing it out.
I actually googled some stuff and didn’t see anything quite like this one. Lots of people making books, role play books and community ones. All of those just lack the balance of interaction and action I want. This is something of a hybrid between those two I guess (but no dice – those things can get pricey it seems…)
I was always worried about making the “wrong” choice. I don’t know if there were wrong choices, but the pressure was too much. Just- too- much!
Well, this is just for fun. No pressure. Sure I may have “dead end”s but if the story hits one of those we can always back up and pick a different choice. Kinda like playing in a hedge maze with a bunch of friends. Besides, with voting, it’s not an issue of one person bearing all the pressure of making the choice. Synergy’s pretty powerful stuff!
I loved Choose Your Own Adventure, Which Way, Explorer, and the various other similar type of books. I’d systematically go through them and eliminate each path until I’ve read the entire book. What I always thought was interesting (in retrospect) is when they would inadvertently make a loop and you could literally read the exact same pages over and over again until you made different choices. Now THAT was what would aggravate me back then. I always thought that was pretty stupid on their part and kind of like the author forcing you to follow a certain path instead of really being able to “Choose Your Own Adventure”. But overall, I had a lot of fun with those books and the imaginative endings that would occur. As this progresses, I’ll participate in this some, but I’ll more likely be mainly an observer in the first story round. 😉
That sounds just like you.
I think the loops were probably either a case of the deadly linear rut or they may have been trying to be efficient – in time or effort. They may have even thought themselves pretty sneaky. And who knows, maybe the publishers capped them off on threads or page number.
With letting anyone come up with options there certainly won’t be any forced loops in this game, not unless the group feels the need to run in circles, lol.
You know, David, you could commentate and advise even if you abstain from voting. Bet you’d be good at that. Like the robed sage who appears on and off through the story, advising the hero down the best path. I look forward to seeing your counsel.
You know, I just might do it that way. 😉
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