A million monkeys... and some editors! July 6, 2008 11:49 PM Subscribe
An update to the Metafilter Writers Collaboration Project, and a request for volunteer editors.
The Metafilter Writers Collaboration has now produced six chapters, and each has been on time and, it is generally agreed, of excellent quality. Each chapter has tended to be around 10 or 11 pages in length. Speaking for myself (although I am sure others involved with the Project will agree), it has been an incredibly fun and rewarding experience being involved in this. I find myself looking forward to the due date for each new chapter because I can't wait to see how the latest author has evolved the storyline. I've not been disappointed with the result; not once, and I dare say that when the final product is presented to the Metafilter community at large around Christmas 2008, you won't be disappointed with what you read.
With only three months left until the last chapter is turned in, the group has started to turn their thoughts towards editing the first draft. Although we have a few professional editors 'on-staff', the consensus so far appears to be that to edit this thing and turn it in by Christmas it'd be good if we had a few editors who would be willing to donate their time and their skills towards editing the book. So we are extending this thread as a kind of 'feeler', to see what kind of interest their might be from those in the community who have the skills and, perhaps most importantly, the time to devote themselves for a couple of months towards doing this.
If you're interested, make a comment in this thread or send me a MeFi Mail. We'd love to hear from you!
The Metafilter Writers Collaboration has now produced six chapters, and each has been on time and, it is generally agreed, of excellent quality. Each chapter has tended to be around 10 or 11 pages in length. Speaking for myself (although I am sure others involved with the Project will agree), it has been an incredibly fun and rewarding experience being involved in this. I find myself looking forward to the due date for each new chapter because I can't wait to see how the latest author has evolved the storyline. I've not been disappointed with the result; not once, and I dare say that when the final product is presented to the Metafilter community at large around Christmas 2008, you won't be disappointed with what you read.
With only three months left until the last chapter is turned in, the group has started to turn their thoughts towards editing the first draft. Although we have a few professional editors 'on-staff', the consensus so far appears to be that to edit this thing and turn it in by Christmas it'd be good if we had a few editors who would be willing to donate their time and their skills towards editing the book. So we are extending this thread as a kind of 'feeler', to see what kind of interest their might be from those in the community who have the skills and, perhaps most importantly, the time to devote themselves for a couple of months towards doing this.
If you're interested, make a comment in this thread or send me a MeFi Mail. We'd love to hear from you!
I'm a professional editor. I don't have time over the next few months, but I might have time come mid-September or so. Keep me posted.
It would be helpful to know what kind of editing participants are envisioning, too -- proofreading only? Light copy editing? More substantive editing?
posted by scody at 12:20 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
It would be helpful to know what kind of editing participants are envisioning, too -- proofreading only? Light copy editing? More substantive editing?
posted by scody at 12:20 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
scody: "I'm a professional editor. I don't have time over the next few months, but I might have time come mid-September or so. Keep me posted."
scody, the final chapter is due October 9th, 2008 (by Eideteker, the poor bastard), so if you're free around then and willing to participate I'm sure we'll keep you posted.
I might leave the
scody: "It would be helpful to know what kind of editing participants are envisioning, too -- proofreading only? Light copy editing? More substantive editing?"
I am not a professional editor, but as I said, there are those amongst we The Nine who are (WPW, for instance). I'll leave it to the professionals to answer that question.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:07 AM on July 7, 2008
scody, the final chapter is due October 9th, 2008 (by Eideteker, the poor bastard), so if you're free around then and willing to participate I'm sure we'll keep you posted.
I might leave the
scody: "It would be helpful to know what kind of editing participants are envisioning, too -- proofreading only? Light copy editing? More substantive editing?"
I am not a professional editor, but as I said, there are those amongst we The Nine who are (WPW, for instance). I'll leave it to the professionals to answer that question.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:07 AM on July 7, 2008
"I might leave the..."
See, this is why I need an editor!
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:10 AM on July 7, 2008
See, this is why I need an editor!
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:10 AM on July 7, 2008
I'm down with this. Or at least, I'm enthusiastic but time-poor.
Would you like someone to "sense-check" or are we talking editor in the full sense? I see a world of difference between, "Lose the subplot about neo-classicism in pre-colonial Vietnam" and "You spelled 'receive' wrong."
posted by Jofus at 1:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
Would you like someone to "sense-check" or are we talking editor in the full sense? I see a world of difference between, "Lose the subplot about neo-classicism in pre-colonial Vietnam" and "You spelled 'receive' wrong."
posted by Jofus at 1:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm potentially in. You're talking more proofreading than full-on editing, right? Cause I can catch misspellings and odd grammar issues pretty damn well.
posted by Stewriffic at 3:53 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Stewriffic at 3:53 AM on July 7, 2008
I am a professional copy-editor (in a small-business, part-time sort of way) and am potentially interested, but would also like to know more about what level of editing you're looking for. I'm probably in for some light copy editing or stylistic edits - less likely to have the time for major content overhauls.
posted by Stacey at 4:01 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Stacey at 4:01 AM on July 7, 2008
I am great re catching misspellings and other proofready things.
posted by konolia at 5:31 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by konolia at 5:31 AM on July 7, 2008
As Effigy mentioned, I'm already among the nine writers (I wrote the second chapter) and also a professional editor. I want to help, but I can't commit very much time. My day job tends to leave my quite edited-out and I didn't want to take on the whole burden. Also, I'm in the linguistic minority, English English, and would have to fight my instinct to make everything -our, -ised, lorry, flat, chimney, gorblimey, etc.
posted by WPW at 6:04 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by WPW at 6:04 AM on July 7, 2008
I am a good proofreader and speller and would be happy to help in that capacity.
posted by amro at 6:48 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by amro at 6:48 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
My slightly undercaffeinated take on what we (I'm collaborator #6, and a professional editor) need for this piece: Grammar and spelling, yes, and also an inconsistency-catcher. Did one of us forget that in an earlier chapter, Character X was said to be female, and was accidentally turned into a guy? That kind of thing.
I'll think more on this when the coffee's kicked in.
posted by rtha at 6:59 AM on July 7, 2008
I'll think more on this when the coffee's kicked in.
posted by rtha at 6:59 AM on July 7, 2008
Stacey, I think that what you are describing is probably the appropriate level. It will be very important to review continuity/agreement throughout the piece, as it will have been written by nine different authors across a wide stretch of time (and space).
posted by Mister_A at 6:59 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 6:59 AM on July 7, 2008
What's rtha doing here? I thought he died in chapter 4?
posted by Mister_A at 7:00 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister_A at 7:00 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm a pretty good amateur editor, both for proofreading and overall editing -- I'd be happy to help.
posted by desuetude at 7:12 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by desuetude at 7:12 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
A degree of continuity checking and related consistency checks would probably be really helpful, yeah. Nine different people, improvising in serial—we're gonna make some wierd errors, or at least read different implications in to what our predecessors had intended with some of what they left implicit. (Good luck with that, Eideteker. FWIW, the monkey in my chapter represents sharing.)
My biggest concern in a taking-this-too-seriously sense is over all tone differences. We're all very different writers, and that I think shows. Whether we want to try and tackle that in the scope of editing, or just accept it as one of the charms of this sort fo thing, is probably a question we still need to answer internally.
died in chapter 4
It wasn't death death so much as unavailable-for-several-episodes-of-filming death.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:51 AM on July 7, 2008
My biggest concern in a taking-this-too-seriously sense is over all tone differences. We're all very different writers, and that I think shows. Whether we want to try and tackle that in the scope of editing, or just accept it as one of the charms of this sort fo thing, is probably a question we still need to answer internally.
died in chapter 4
It wasn't death death so much as unavailable-for-several-episodes-of-filming death.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:51 AM on July 7, 2008
I'd like to see a full blown edit, personally, for tone consistency, too. So far as I'm concerned, my chapter is now at the mercy of the collective, and I'd like to see the end result as good as it can be. Even if that means the editors have to rewite the whole thing as a period romance.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:07 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 8:07 AM on July 7, 2008
I write for a living but I also do some light copy-editing as part of my work. I'd love to help, if you all need another set of eyes to take a gander at something.
posted by sutel at 8:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by sutel at 8:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
One thing we certainly need is for at least one, maybe two or three, people who have not written chapters to read the whole manuscript when it's finished. They can then report back on continuity errors and any other glaring inconsistencies. We really need fresh eyes for that, people who haven't been reading the monthly galleys and who can treat it as a single document.
Also, we need to set up a single master manuscript that gets edited by one person, then signed off and handed on to the next person, and so on - having folks editing in parallel can turn into a horrible quagmire when it comes to reconciling marks.
posted by WPW at 8:32 AM on July 7, 2008
Also, we need to set up a single master manuscript that gets edited by one person, then signed off and handed on to the next person, and so on - having folks editing in parallel can turn into a horrible quagmire when it comes to reconciling marks.
posted by WPW at 8:32 AM on July 7, 2008
WPW, that's a great idea. Maybe when we have had a few people look this over, we'll get a better idea of what our expectations from our editors ought to be. Right now I am not sure exactly what it is we're looking for from our editor(s); maybe an impartial eye or two can help clarify things.
posted by Mister_A at 8:39 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 8:39 AM on July 7, 2008
"Lose the subplot about neo-classicism in pre-colonial Vietnam"
Well, there goes my chapter. I'm right back to the drawing board.
In all seriousness, we are going to need some to checks on consistency and continuity; I've seen one or two little niggles and I'm just reading to try to make sure I can write chapter 7 in a reasonable fashion. I like WPW's idea of a single master manuscript for the editors to use.
I see where IRFH is coming from in terms of ensuring a consistent tone; my worry with that is that we lose the individual flavour each writer brings to the table.
posted by never used baby shoes at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2008
Well, there goes my chapter. I'm right back to the drawing board.
In all seriousness, we are going to need some to checks on consistency and continuity; I've seen one or two little niggles and I'm just reading to try to make sure I can write chapter 7 in a reasonable fashion. I like WPW's idea of a single master manuscript for the editors to use.
I see where IRFH is coming from in terms of ensuring a consistent tone; my worry with that is that we lose the individual flavour each writer brings to the table.
posted by never used baby shoes at 9:41 AM on July 7, 2008
Whatever the group wants is fine by me, so long as my individual flavor is horseradish.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:44 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 9:44 AM on July 7, 2008
I'm an aspiring editor with a moderate amount of unpaid experience under my belt. I'm not quite sure I'll end up having time for this, since I'll just be starting classes in October, but I'm definitely interested. I don't think we'll have time for a full substantive edit if we want it out by Christmas, but grammar, spelling, and consistency should definitely be doable. I'd love to be able to point to this in my resume/portfolio.
Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?
posted by Caduceus at 9:48 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?
posted by Caduceus at 9:48 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I will come to your house and read it to you.
Nahh, just –the details are very hush hush right now, but trust me this will be a spectacular presentation. That's my way of saying, "we don't know how we're going to present this yet."
posted by Mister_A at 9:57 AM on July 7, 2008
Nahh, just –the details are very hush hush right now, but trust me this will be a spectacular presentation. That's my way of saying, "we don't know how we're going to present this yet."
posted by Mister_A at 9:57 AM on July 7, 2008
Seriously though, I think that the presentation should be something that will be easy to access, so either a site/minisite or a PDF. I think we also discussed the idea of having a print-on-demand option, I think that'd be nice too (as long as it's not the only way to get the book).
posted by Mister_A at 10:35 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 10:35 AM on July 7, 2008
Former copy editor and proofreader available for duty. Time to spare, blue pencils sharpened.
Voice and intent are your problem. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and continuity are mine.
(That's right -- I won't fuck with your precious text! I'll just improvificate it! Through rigorous implementified improvification! Pick me! Pick me!)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 10:45 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
Voice and intent are your problem. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, and continuity are mine.
(That's right -- I won't fuck with your precious text! I'll just improvificate it! Through rigorous implementified improvification! Pick me! Pick me!)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 10:45 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I've never done editing before and can't profess any special proficiency outside of an uncanny eye for textual detail, but it's been a dream of mine for quite some time. I'd be honored to help in whichever ways are necessary.
Effigy2000: So we are extending this thread as a kind of 'feeler', to see what kind of interesttheir there might be from those in the community who have the skills and, perhaps most importantly, the time to devote themselves for a couple of months towards doing this.
theiconoclast31: I'm not a professional editor, but I have eyes. And plenty of time. And I like reading.
cortex: My biggest concern in a taking-this-too-seriously sense is over all tone differences. We're all very different writers, and that I think shows. Whether we want to try and tackle that in the scope of editing, or just accept it as one of the charms of this sortfo of thing, is probably a question we still need to answer internally.
neverusedbabyshoes: In all seriousness, we are going to need someto checks on consistency and continuity;
posted by carsonb at 10:53 AM on July 7, 2008
Effigy2000: So we are extending this thread as a kind of 'feeler', to see what kind of interest
theiconoclast31: I'm not a professional editor, but I have eyes. And plenty of time. And I like reading.
cortex: My biggest concern in a taking-this-too-seriously sense is over all tone differences. We're all very different writers, and that I think shows. Whether we want to try and tackle that in the scope of editing, or just accept it as one of the charms of this sort
neverusedbabyshoes: In all seriousness, we are going to need some
posted by carsonb at 10:53 AM on July 7, 2008
List of people not to kill:
William Shatner
Audrey whatserface, that nice girl from Amelie
It's Raining Florence Henderson
carsonb
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:56 AM on July 7, 2008 [2 favorites]
William Shatner
Audrey whatserface, that nice girl from Amelie
It's Raining Florence Henderson
posted by cortex (staff) at 10:56 AM on July 7, 2008 [2 favorites]
Hey, what better opportunity to get all my FTFY out in one go?
posted by carsonb at 11:03 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by carsonb at 11:03 AM on July 7, 2008
BitterOldPunk, do you apply some kind of hypersyllablized improvificatory algorithms, or is this more improvisationalistical improvification?
posted by Mister_A at 11:05 AM on July 7, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 11:05 AM on July 7, 2008
I'm a professional editor, and I would be happy to help out.
posted by Airhen at 11:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Airhen at 11:17 AM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
IANAPE (professional editor) but everyone tells me I missed my calling. If you start scraping the bottom of the barrel for prof eds, hit me up, I'd love to help out in any way I can.
I am:
A) Officially pissed I missed the original collaboration project and the chance to write for it.
and
B) Excited to get this puppy off the ground in any way that I can be a part of it.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:33 AM on July 7, 2008
I am:
A) Officially pissed I missed the original collaboration project and the chance to write for it.
and
B) Excited to get this puppy off the ground in any way that I can be a part of it.
posted by allkindsoftime at 11:33 AM on July 7, 2008
I am a professional advertising copywriter so if you want your book to be reduced to something less than 10 words long, with an artificially dynamic "call to action" but also a weird sterile soullessness that hangs off it like the ammonia stink of the emergency room, I'm your man.
posted by Shepherd at 11:57 AM on July 7, 2008 [3 favorites]
posted by Shepherd at 11:57 AM on July 7, 2008 [3 favorites]
Can you make the logo bigger?
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:03 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
As to whether we should strive to keep the individual authors' voices or harmonise: I don't think anyone really wants to make the story sound like it was by a single author. That would be an enormous editing job, and would rather defeat the object.
BUT there are inevitably going to be places where the tone seriously clashes and detracts from the story. I think that fixing those problems will be a relatively minor job, not a thoroughgoing rewrite of any sections. My instinct is that we should generally err on the side of a light-touch editing regime.
However I also think that these are matters for our copytasters to consider, rather than the authors. We (the authors) are a bit too close to the project to see it accurately.
So I say give the completed MS to two, three or four copytasters to read (maybe two weeks is enough for this?) and to report back on any glaring continuity errors, plot holes, mega-inconsistencies etc. We (somehow) fix any problems flagged up at that stage, and then proceed to fine reading, which is just fixing typos, tweaking grammar, finessing it.
That plan is a little light on details and timetable, but might work OK as a rough structure.
Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?
AFAIK this hasn't been seriously discussed yet. We're making this up as we go along.
posted by WPW at 12:57 PM on July 7, 2008
BUT there are inevitably going to be places where the tone seriously clashes and detracts from the story. I think that fixing those problems will be a relatively minor job, not a thoroughgoing rewrite of any sections. My instinct is that we should generally err on the side of a light-touch editing regime.
However I also think that these are matters for our copytasters to consider, rather than the authors. We (the authors) are a bit too close to the project to see it accurately.
So I say give the completed MS to two, three or four copytasters to read (maybe two weeks is enough for this?) and to report back on any glaring continuity errors, plot holes, mega-inconsistencies etc. We (somehow) fix any problems flagged up at that stage, and then proceed to fine reading, which is just fixing typos, tweaking grammar, finessing it.
That plan is a little light on details and timetable, but might work OK as a rough structure.
Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?
AFAIK this hasn't been seriously discussed yet. We're making this up as we go along.
posted by WPW at 12:57 PM on July 7, 2008
allkindsoftime I am: A) Officially pissed I missed the original collaboration project and the chance to write for it.
I don't see why we can't do it again next year. But I suppose it's possible that we're all on the brink of a spectacular falling-out ....
posted by WPW at 12:59 PM on July 7, 2008
I don't see why we can't do it again next year. But I suppose it's possible that we're all on the brink of a spectacular falling-out ....
posted by WPW at 12:59 PM on July 7, 2008
Is this when I'm supposed to storm out in a huff? My sense of dramatic timing is off.
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:07 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:07 PM on July 7, 2008
Is this when I'm supposed to storm out in a huff? My sense of dramatic timing is off.
Now would be perfect. If you shout "hack!" at me, I'll reply "popinjay!", then you can storm out of the project and I can withdraw my chapter. That should really fup things uck.
posted by WPW at 1:10 PM on July 7, 2008
Now would be perfect. If you shout "hack!" at me, I'll reply "popinjay!", then you can storm out of the project and I can withdraw my chapter. That should really fup things uck.
posted by WPW at 1:10 PM on July 7, 2008
Hack!
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:15 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:15 PM on July 7, 2008
*storms off*
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:17 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:17 PM on July 7, 2008
*declares Chapter 11*
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:22 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:22 PM on July 7, 2008
I will throw my hat in the ring if another editor is needed. I'm a full-time professional editor, and my schedule is about to be freed up quite a bit at work (*cough three paid weeks of vacation to kill cough*), so feel free to hit me up if anyone needs me.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 1:22 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 1:22 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
(Crosses out Mister_A's name on Chapter 3, writes in own in red crayon, walks away nonchalently)
posted by WPW at 1:24 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by WPW at 1:24 PM on July 7, 2008
*storms on*
*storms in*
*storms out*
*storms over*
*storms under*
*storms around*
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2008
*storms in*
*storms out*
*storms over*
*storms under*
*storms around*
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2008
But seriously... WPW said what I was trying to say, and he did it using words, which is the key to this sort of thing. Let's let a few trusted readers review and point out the inevitable sore thumbs in our baby here, as we (the writers) are probably blind to this sort of thing.
posted by Mister_A at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 1:25 PM on July 7, 2008
WPW: "As to whether we should strive to keep the individual authors' voices or harmonise: I don't think anyone really wants to make the story sound like it was by a single author. That would be an enormous editing job, and would rather defeat the object.
BUT there are inevitably going to be places where the tone seriously clashes and detracts from the story. I think that fixing those problems will be a relatively minor job, not a thoroughgoing rewrite of any sections. My instinct is that we should generally err on the side of a light-touch editing regime."
I agree 100%.
WPW: "So I say give the completed MS to two, three or four copytasters to read (maybe two weeks is enough for this?) and to report back on any glaring continuity errors, plot holes, mega-inconsistencies etc. We (somehow) fix any problems flagged up at that stage, and then proceed to fine reading, which is just fixing typos, tweaking grammar, finessing it."
I like this idea.
I think we'll proceed on the basis that there are infact at least four people who are willing and able to help and come the start of October, I will use the MeFi Mails sitting in my inbox and this thread as a basis for contacting those who expressed an interest in doing so. Those who are still willing and able to help at that time will be forwarded a completed version of the manuscript after Eideteker hands in his chapter on October 9 and will be added to the e-mail group that we, The Nine, have established. Timetables will be fine tuned around that time with the intent of trying to get this out by Christmas.
Caduceus: "Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?"
WPW is correct when he says that this hasn't been seriously discussed yet, but my gut feeling is that we'd turn it into a PDF, host the file somewhere and then make a MeTa thread announcing it to the community with a link to the file for downloading. Other options should not be dismissed however, so if anyone has any ideas of how to get this out to the community at large I'm open to them, especially given that only a small percentage of MeFites actually read MeTa.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:27 PM on July 7, 2008
BUT there are inevitably going to be places where the tone seriously clashes and detracts from the story. I think that fixing those problems will be a relatively minor job, not a thoroughgoing rewrite of any sections. My instinct is that we should generally err on the side of a light-touch editing regime."
I agree 100%.
WPW: "So I say give the completed MS to two, three or four copytasters to read (maybe two weeks is enough for this?) and to report back on any glaring continuity errors, plot holes, mega-inconsistencies etc. We (somehow) fix any problems flagged up at that stage, and then proceed to fine reading, which is just fixing typos, tweaking grammar, finessing it."
I like this idea.
I think we'll proceed on the basis that there are infact at least four people who are willing and able to help and come the start of October, I will use the MeFi Mails sitting in my inbox and this thread as a basis for contacting those who expressed an interest in doing so. Those who are still willing and able to help at that time will be forwarded a completed version of the manuscript after Eideteker hands in his chapter on October 9 and will be added to the e-mail group that we, The Nine, have established. Timetables will be fine tuned around that time with the intent of trying to get this out by Christmas.
Caduceus: "Out of curiosity, how are you planning on presenting this to the rest of us? Webpage? PDF? Print-on-demand self-publish?"
WPW is correct when he says that this hasn't been seriously discussed yet, but my gut feeling is that we'd turn it into a PDF, host the file somewhere and then make a MeTa thread announcing it to the community with a link to the file for downloading. Other options should not be dismissed however, so if anyone has any ideas of how to get this out to the community at large I'm open to them, especially given that only a small percentage of MeFites actually read MeTa.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:27 PM on July 7, 2008
We could always put it on Projects.
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:28 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by never used baby shoes at 1:28 PM on July 7, 2008
My inclination would be to give it a nice web-readable home (front page as short examplanation plus table-of-contents links to the nine chapters with author attribution, say) that prominently featured a link to the PDF and to any other display/format options. I think having the PDF is a really good idea, but I don't think that in this context that should be the primary product.
Community-at-larging is a bridge to cross later. A final followup Meta seems fine, and a Projects post too. If things come out well and nothing collapses into a pile of hell between now and the end of the year, my money is on a sidebarring as the best solution, but promoting stuff on the front page in any capacity is more of a mod/Matt decision than something we get to decided in a meta thread, so let's not worry about it too much.
*storms furth*
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:34 PM on July 7, 2008
Community-at-larging is a bridge to cross later. A final followup Meta seems fine, and a Projects post too. If things come out well and nothing collapses into a pile of hell between now and the end of the year, my money is on a sidebarring as the best solution, but promoting stuff on the front page in any capacity is more of a mod/Matt decision than something we get to decided in a meta thread, so let's not worry about it too much.
*storms furth*
posted by cortex (staff) at 1:34 PM on July 7, 2008
Or we could self-link on the Blue AMIRITE?
Just kidding, of course. I'd never do that. It'd make for a weird entry on 'Musings of a Metafilter Spammer', that's for sure.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:34 PM on July 7, 2008
Just kidding, of course. I'd never do that. It'd make for a weird entry on 'Musings of a Metafilter Spammer', that's for sure.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:34 PM on July 7, 2008
cortex: "My inclination would be to give it a nice web-readable home (front page as short examplanation plus table-of-contents links to the nine chapters with author attribution, say) that prominently featured a link to the PDF and to any other display/format options."
Oooo, that gives me an idea. We could let Metafilters artists get involved too, because every book needs a front cover. No idea on how we would handle this, but it's a thought.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:39 PM on July 7, 2008
Oooo, that gives me an idea. We could let Metafilters artists get involved too, because every book needs a front cover. No idea on how we would handle this, but it's a thought.
posted by Effigy2000 at 1:39 PM on July 7, 2008
If it was posted in MeTa, you could increase its exposure by putting it on the sidebar.
posted by WPW at 1:41 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by WPW at 1:41 PM on July 7, 2008
I was thinking each of the authors could have a chapter tattooed on their ass, and then we could reveal them one-by-one for Mefi meet-up shoutout photos, compiled in a Flickr pool.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:44 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:44 PM on July 7, 2008
We could let Metafilters artists get involved too, because every book needs a front cover.
I was thinking that too, but I didn't want to bring it up cuz I have no idea how to handle it either. Actually, I was thinking that it would be cool to have a "Cover" and also maybe a plate for each chapter, and each one could be done by a different artist or else all by the same artist or somewhere in between. That would totally rock, but I don't know how we'd go about finding the artists and so forth.
And then I read IRFH's idea, and wow, I could use another ass-tattoo.
posted by Mister_A at 2:33 PM on July 7, 2008
I was thinking that too, but I didn't want to bring it up cuz I have no idea how to handle it either. Actually, I was thinking that it would be cool to have a "Cover" and also maybe a plate for each chapter, and each one could be done by a different artist or else all by the same artist or somewhere in between. That would totally rock, but I don't know how we'd go about finding the artists and so forth.
And then I read IRFH's idea, and wow, I could use another ass-tattoo.
posted by Mister_A at 2:33 PM on July 7, 2008
Add me as another aspiring editor to the pile. I have a lame job that leaves me gobs of time, so I'd be glad to lend a hand.
posted by CwgrlUp at 4:12 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by CwgrlUp at 4:12 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'd be quite interested in lending a hand, as well. I'm a copywriter/editor, as well, and I especially love the big-picture editing stuff like continuity, tone check, and that sort of stuff.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 4:13 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 4:13 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
Oooh! Pick me! I'd love to help! I won't eat much, and I don't know the difference between right and wrong.
I also have free time and some previous editorial experience, which is probably more salient.
posted by Weebot at 4:29 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
I also have free time and some previous editorial experience, which is probably more salient.
posted by Weebot at 4:29 PM on July 7, 2008 [1 favorite]
do you apply some kind of hypersyllablized improvificatory algorithms, or is this more improvisationalistical improvification?
Neither. I'm on drugs.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 5:12 PM on July 7, 2008
Neither. I'm on drugs.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 5:12 PM on July 7, 2008
Whatever happened to that other writing project, the P/vert thing?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:28 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:28 PM on July 7, 2008
Funny you should ask. I wondered the same thing and just sent a MeFi Mail to robocop is bleeding to ask him what happened. No response as of yet, though.
posted by Effigy2000 at 5:31 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by Effigy2000 at 5:31 PM on July 7, 2008
Tar and Feather Him!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:01 PM on July 7, 2008
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:01 PM on July 7, 2008
Tar who with the what now?
I broke down my thoughts about the P/Virt Experiment here. Those four stories that Brandon links to encapsulates the entirety of what I received.
Looking back, it was a frustrating experience. It feels like many of the people who pushed for a certain setting (and did a lot of good work developing said setting on the wiki) didn't actually write anything. Maybe they spent their juices on the setting work (I know if I get an idea and try to 'develop' it I rarely get around to actually writing it), who knows. But as the setting itself required some involvement to get a grasp on, thus discouraging some casual "hey, this might be fun" contributors, I was kind of counting on the gung-ho folks to carry us through.
Were I to do it again (unlikely - I'd love to participate in future MeFi Write efforts, but my days of herding cats have passed), I would insist on a clear theme or concept to tie everything together, like "love stories" or "stories incorporating a pickle for some reason" or "the stories behind Russian Crime Watch headlines."
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:44 AM on July 8, 2008
I broke down my thoughts about the P/Virt Experiment here. Those four stories that Brandon links to encapsulates the entirety of what I received.
Looking back, it was a frustrating experience. It feels like many of the people who pushed for a certain setting (and did a lot of good work developing said setting on the wiki) didn't actually write anything. Maybe they spent their juices on the setting work (I know if I get an idea and try to 'develop' it I rarely get around to actually writing it), who knows. But as the setting itself required some involvement to get a grasp on, thus discouraging some casual "hey, this might be fun" contributors, I was kind of counting on the gung-ho folks to carry us through.
Were I to do it again (unlikely - I'd love to participate in future MeFi Write efforts, but my days of herding cats have passed), I would insist on a clear theme or concept to tie everything together, like "love stories" or "stories incorporating a pickle for some reason" or "the stories behind Russian Crime Watch headlines."
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:44 AM on July 8, 2008
While I was running in the rain on Sunday, I thought of an interesting theme for a collection of short stories: One Way.
The idea is to write about a journey, physical, metaphysical, or metaphorical, from which one does not return, so to speak. These journeys need not be tragic, but there should be something irrevocable or irreversible about them.
We could collect 'em at the end of the summer and post 'em somehow. Any thoughts
posted by Mister_A at 7:09 AM on July 8, 2008
The idea is to write about a journey, physical, metaphysical, or metaphorical, from which one does not return, so to speak. These journeys need not be tragic, but there should be something irrevocable or irreversible about them.
We could collect 'em at the end of the summer and post 'em somehow. Any thoughts
posted by Mister_A at 7:09 AM on July 8, 2008
The Sun Magazine has a section called "Readers Write". Each issue is on a general topic for the section, say step-fathers, bathrooms, prayer, etc. Then readers write of their real life experiences with said topic.
I've often thought something like that could work for Metafilter, with the caveat that it could be fiction or non-fiction and the writer could remain anon if they so choose.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:47 AM on July 8, 2008
I've often thought something like that could work for Metafilter, with the caveat that it could be fiction or non-fiction and the writer could remain anon if they so choose.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:47 AM on July 8, 2008
robocop - that is a good summary of what happened with P/Virt, I think...I was intrigued by the idea, then watched the world-building unfold, and got uninterested. It stopped working for the story I wanted to tell...so I think a theme would be the ideal way to go.
Mister_A: I am intrigued by your ideas, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
posted by never used baby shoes at 10:03 AM on July 8, 2008
Mister_A: I am intrigued by your ideas, and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
posted by never used baby shoes at 10:03 AM on July 8, 2008
I'm one of the ones who totally let robocop is bleeding down. When I signed up for these projects, I was between jobs. Unfortunately, by the time all the details were worked out, I'd started a very time-consuming contract, and couldn't really put in the time I needed, so I wound up with about two-thirds of a maybe interesting story. I still plan on finishing it someday, but having already totally blown the deadline, I decided to dedicate my little bit of spare time to writing my chapter of the Mefi novel. Now that I've done that, I may go back and finish my P/Virt story. I'm targeting August, when Mrs. IRFH goes on vacation, leaving me free to toil away late into the night, when I often do my most creative hallucinating.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:11 AM on July 8, 2008
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:11 AM on July 8, 2008
I was one of the ones who was interested at first, but found that the more I read about the P/Virse setting, the less interested I was in writing something set in it. It was something I had intended to do, but first I had to get my chapter of the collaborative novel done, then work became unseasonably and unexpectedly busy, and then I read the deadline was about to pass, so I forgot about it.
As I said up-thread, however, I have really enjoyed collaborating with eight other MeFites on this novel, and have found it incredibly rewarding. At this stage, I would totally be up for doing a second novel with a new theme next year (or perhaps a sequel? oooo!) and I would love to find room for you, robocop is bleeding, if you were interested in coming aboard.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:14 PM on July 8, 2008
As I said up-thread, however, I have really enjoyed collaborating with eight other MeFites on this novel, and have found it incredibly rewarding. At this stage, I would totally be up for doing a second novel with a new theme next year (or perhaps a sequel? oooo!) and I would love to find room for you, robocop is bleeding, if you were interested in coming aboard.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:14 PM on July 8, 2008
I also let robocop is bleeding down. I started a story about six different times, and could never make the story fit into the P/Virse, or the P/Virse fit into the story.
But I've got a few random bits of stories lying about on the hard drive, and that's never a bad thing.
posted by rtha at 3:42 PM on July 8, 2008
But I've got a few random bits of stories lying about on the hard drive, and that's never a bad thing.
posted by rtha at 3:42 PM on July 8, 2008
"the final chapter is due October 9th, 2008 (by Eideteker, the poor bastard)"
You ain't kiddin'. I haven't even started reading the damn thing.* I might just decide write my chapter without reading anyone else's. I don't think the quality (speaking for myself, of course) will suffer. I mean, have you seen my writing?
Also, we need to set up a single master manuscript that gets edited by one person, then signed off and handed on to the next person, and so on - having folks editing in parallel can turn into a horrible quagmire when it comes to reconciling marks.
Google Docs has some collab/sharing capabilities that might be nice. I have used this to edit different parts of a spreadsheet with collaborators at work.
I think we should have 2-3 serious editors working on this. Each author has contributed (at least) a month of their time; I hope we can find some editors willing to do the same. Myself, as the "last" or "final" or even "ultimate" writer in the sequence, well, I've been wondering how much liberty I have/should have/should take to smooth out lumps as I work to bring the story to a close. Not that I will be tying up all loose ends; in fact, I suspect FEG2K chose me to go last because of my subversive streak. Knowing I would be compelled to dick off the readers, he smiled and rubbed his hands together, sensing a sequel in the works. But, um, should I be performing any editing, specifically on inconsistencies?
* Not a joke. Right after the project started, I got a new job, a new apartment, and a bunch of new friends. Have spent the last six months trying to catch up/keep up with life, let alone reading. I know, I am a bad collaborator. The same thing ate my P/Virt story, which was going to be a really cool Lovecraftian thing that had to do with the P/Balls actually being facets of Yog-Sothoth (c'mon, he's described as "a congeries of iridescent globes") and that their spread was heralding the coming of the great old ones. The twist was to be that after our young hero found out the ulterior motive of the P/Spheres, he decided that he didn't care. He was to, at some point, cross a line where he thereafter embraced the coming chaos rather than being repulsed by it (as Lovecraft would've wanted; but he's dead, so fuck 'im).
posted by Eideteker at 7:53 PM on July 8, 2008
You ain't kiddin'. I haven't even started reading the damn thing.* I might just decide write my chapter without reading anyone else's. I don't think the quality (speaking for myself, of course) will suffer. I mean, have you seen my writing?
Also, we need to set up a single master manuscript that gets edited by one person, then signed off and handed on to the next person, and so on - having folks editing in parallel can turn into a horrible quagmire when it comes to reconciling marks.
Google Docs has some collab/sharing capabilities that might be nice. I have used this to edit different parts of a spreadsheet with collaborators at work.
I think we should have 2-3 serious editors working on this. Each author has contributed (at least) a month of their time; I hope we can find some editors willing to do the same. Myself, as the "last" or "final" or even "ultimate" writer in the sequence, well, I've been wondering how much liberty I have/should have/should take to smooth out lumps as I work to bring the story to a close. Not that I will be tying up all loose ends; in fact, I suspect FEG2K chose me to go last because of my subversive streak. Knowing I would be compelled to dick off the readers, he smiled and rubbed his hands together, sensing a sequel in the works. But, um, should I be performing any editing, specifically on inconsistencies?
* Not a joke. Right after the project started, I got a new job, a new apartment, and a bunch of new friends. Have spent the last six months trying to catch up/keep up with life, let alone reading. I know, I am a bad collaborator. The same thing ate my P/Virt story, which was going to be a really cool Lovecraftian thing that had to do with the P/Balls actually being facets of Yog-Sothoth (c'mon, he's described as "a congeries of iridescent globes") and that their spread was heralding the coming of the great old ones. The twist was to be that after our young hero found out the ulterior motive of the P/Spheres, he decided that he didn't care. He was to, at some point, cross a line where he thereafter embraced the coming chaos rather than being repulsed by it (as Lovecraft would've wanted; but he's dead, so fuck 'im).
posted by Eideteker at 7:53 PM on July 8, 2008
Also, I agree the final result should be on a nice web-page. We should welcome illustrations throughout, not just on the front cover (though some style guidelines—e.g. size, b&w or color, line drawings or watercolors, etc.—may be helpful).
Do we allow author bios, or just link to MeFi profiles?
posted by Eideteker at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2008
Do we allow author bios, or just link to MeFi profiles?
posted by Eideteker at 7:57 PM on July 8, 2008
I've mostly edited non-fiction/news but I could help too, especially post-Labor day, if there's still need by then.
posted by NikitaNikita at 9:33 PM on July 8, 2008
posted by NikitaNikita at 9:33 PM on July 8, 2008
Eideteker: ""the final chapter is due October 9th, 2008 (by Eideteker, the poor bastard)""Myself, as the "last" or "final" or even "ultimate" writer in the sequence, well, I've been wondering how much liberty I have/should have/should take to smooth out lumps as I work to bring the story to a close. "
It is my opinion that you should have as much liberty as your imagination can muster, so long as you are able to, or at the very least try to explain to the reader why something happened the way it happened.
never used baby shoes, who is writing the current chapter, asked similar questions about how to start tying up the story and helping to ensure you don't write yourself into a corner. I suggested that he collaborate very closely with you and next months writer, croutonsupafreak, to try and do that. So if anything else, I suggest you check your e-mails these next few months.
Eideteker: "... I suspect FEG2K chose me to go last because of my subversive streak. Knowing I would be compelled to dick off the readers, he smiled and rubbed his hands together, sensing a sequel in the works. "
I chose you to go last because I like your writing, and felt that you could finish the job.
Make me and the rest of The Nine proud, m'boy!
posted by Effigy2000 at 2:07 AM on July 9, 2008
It is my opinion that you should have as much liberty as your imagination can muster, so long as you are able to, or at the very least try to explain to the reader why something happened the way it happened.
never used baby shoes, who is writing the current chapter, asked similar questions about how to start tying up the story and helping to ensure you don't write yourself into a corner. I suggested that he collaborate very closely with you and next months writer, croutonsupafreak, to try and do that. So if anything else, I suggest you check your e-mails these next few months.
Eideteker: "... I suspect FEG2K chose me to go last because of my subversive streak. Knowing I would be compelled to dick off the readers, he smiled and rubbed his hands together, sensing a sequel in the works. "
I chose you to go last because I like your writing, and felt that you could finish the job.
Make me and the rest of The Nine proud, m'boy!
posted by Effigy2000 at 2:07 AM on July 9, 2008
NUBS, rtha, et al (assuming there are any al): I am going to think about this a little more and then send you guys some ideas on timing and stuff like that. I don't go in for a lot of rules, but there are a few things to consider...
posted by Mister_A at 7:21 AM on July 9, 2008
posted by Mister_A at 7:21 AM on July 9, 2008
I gotta say, whether you guys need my help editing or not, I'm looking forward to this.
posted by Caduceus at 10:59 AM on July 9, 2008
posted by Caduceus at 10:59 AM on July 9, 2008
Eideteker: But, um, should I be performing any editing, specifically on inconsistencies?
As FEG2K has mentioned, I'm trying to make sure I don't write you into a corner for the ending - trying to bring things to a head, while still leaving multiple options for the solution open (including everyone dying in a grisly manner). As for the lumpy bits...well, I'm trying to smooth out a few or at least create a plausible explanation for some others. But there are some lumps we're going to have to deal with as a group - a timeline continuity error and possibly one or two others. I'm not going to point them out until we are all done because someone brilliant might be able to explain them away. I've also sent you an email outlining what I see as the major hurdles/steps that need to be taken to get this thing to a conclusion and I'm wondering if there is anything you want me to plant a hook for you to grab.
I'm looking at the lumps as interesting ways to set the story up and move it further; I'm also seeing them as the inevitable byproduct of the process: Nine different writers + first draft - it is inevitable that we'll have lumps left at the end. I think we'll have to decide as a group how to tweak the story to make them flat or make them work. At least I'm hoping we won't leave it to our poor editors to try to make this thing make sense.
Then we can take our lumps as a group from the public.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:28 AM on July 9, 2008
As FEG2K has mentioned, I'm trying to make sure I don't write you into a corner for the ending - trying to bring things to a head, while still leaving multiple options for the solution open (including everyone dying in a grisly manner). As for the lumpy bits...well, I'm trying to smooth out a few or at least create a plausible explanation for some others. But there are some lumps we're going to have to deal with as a group - a timeline continuity error and possibly one or two others. I'm not going to point them out until we are all done because someone brilliant might be able to explain them away. I've also sent you an email outlining what I see as the major hurdles/steps that need to be taken to get this thing to a conclusion and I'm wondering if there is anything you want me to plant a hook for you to grab.
I'm looking at the lumps as interesting ways to set the story up and move it further; I'm also seeing them as the inevitable byproduct of the process: Nine different writers + first draft - it is inevitable that we'll have lumps left at the end. I think we'll have to decide as a group how to tweak the story to make them flat or make them work. At least I'm hoping we won't leave it to our poor editors to try to make this thing make sense.
Then we can take our lumps as a group from the public.
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:28 AM on July 9, 2008
err, as a hook.
I also apparently like the words inevitable and lumps. This is why I need editing!
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:31 AM on July 9, 2008
I also apparently like the words inevitable and lumps. This is why I need editing!
posted by never used baby shoes at 11:31 AM on July 9, 2008
Your lumps, your lumps, your inevitable writer's lumps!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:41 AM on July 9, 2008
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:41 AM on July 9, 2008
n.u.b.s./pbbutnotthatpb - I saw your e-mail. This weekend, I plan to devote some time to catching up with The Story So Far. Until I've actually read the damn thing, I can't give feedback.
posted by Eideteker at 1:55 PM on July 9, 2008
posted by Eideteker at 1:55 PM on July 9, 2008
Eideteker: "This weekend, I plan to devote some time to catching up with The Story So Far. Until I've actually read the damn thing, I can't give feedback."
OK, but make sure to send the group an e-mail letting us know your thoughts when you're done!
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:36 AM on July 10, 2008
OK, but make sure to send the group an e-mail letting us know your thoughts when you're done!
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:36 AM on July 10, 2008
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posted by theiconoclast31 at 12:02 AM on July 7, 2008