Yeah, like Naomi says. It seems you want writers to part with a tenner for nothing other than the privilege of writing for you; and you stand to make £1000. It would appear that you'll be the only one to benefit.

And a last quick question - you mention on the site that contributors have the potential of high sales. That's quite a statement to make. On what basis are you making it?

Nik

And what would happen if the book wasn't completed? Would people get their money back?

The more I think about it the less I'd want to have any part in it and the more I'd suggest you went the blog route.

Nik

I'd suggest you went the blog route.

Scott Pack, Commercial Directr of The Friday Project is always on the look out for successful blogs to publish. If this got a big enough readership, it might well be something he would be interested in.

http://meandmybigmouth.typepad.com/scottpack/

Hi Nik

I like that suggestion of using a blog!
It would still have to be organized to ensure blog submissions are orderly.

Seems the conversation has been focussed on the money aspect and I understand your viewpoints.
A few years ago, I was the organizer of an advertising group. We joined together to advertise our individual businesses as one group and each person paid an initial minimal fee to join.
This ensured they would be serious and remain part of it and the original fee we all paid was used to advertise in newspapers and online.
My intention here was exactly the same. I wouldn't want to have prospective writers agreeing to take part and not following through. I had envisioned using the money for self-publishing just for the group. (I looked at one that would cost around £800 and then whatever each copy would cost which should keep us just under the £1000 mark). Don'treally know if that's a good deal or not!

If asking for a joining fee is a turn-off for people who would otherwise get involved, perhaps the blog idea would be the way to go.

When I comment that this idea could have "potentially high sales", this is simply my viewpoint.
I believe a project like this, if completed would be of literary interest because of it's uniqueness.

I feel it would be better to co-ordinate this project by email communication first, rather than simply let writers post on the blog. What do you think?

When all is said and done, I would like to stick with the 100 authors writing 1000 words each and avoid a bits and pieces type of arrangement.
So in effect, the writer emails their piece and I place it on the blog with their name clearly shown.

Any suggestions you have to make this work would be much appreciated!

I'll make the necessary changes to the website and see if we can be up and running for January 1.

Thanks folks for your input!

Well, if any WW members want to take a shot at it, then good luck them and to you.

<Added>

We've just had the cold water main burst in the kitchen and flood the ground floor, so I don't happen to have a spare £10, nor 3 days in which to write 1000 words unless you want it to be about mopping up.
Roll on 2008.

Website changed.
No fee involved.

1000 words is not much to ask!
If you folks know anyone who maight like to take part, please pass on the info.
Thanks.

<Added>

Sorry to hear about your burst pipe Naomi.
Be sure to get the plumber's cost before you let him in the door!

I think you could keep a similar format to what you initially proposed. I've only used Blogger and to upload anything to it you need to know the username and password, so it'd be impossible for anyone to just upload something.


I'm sure it will be unique BUT (and this is a big but) for it to have even the slightest chance of being published unique isn't enough. It would need to be unique and brilliant. (Which is why I think a few eyebrows were raised at the three day thing - in my experience you need quite a bit more time to rework and turn something good into something even remotely publishable.)

Best of luck with it

Nik

Good points there Nik.

The three day limit does sound a bit tight but I think can still work.

If the text is on a blog, participants can read through so they have most of the storyline in mind before they begin their own contribution.

As for reworking, editing etc,the option is there for those who have written and had their piece published on the blog to edit and rework to an extent.

Obviously they couldn't change the storyline as others will have built on what they have written, but they could tweak their piece as we generally do - grammar, sentence structure etc.

As for being brilliant?
I hope it will be but I'll settle for enjoyable.

Hey, good luck to you! As an experience for those who want to take part it will be unique. You could probably get publicity for it just for its originality. I agree with others' comments about the plot - as a 'novel' I cannot think it would be very satisfying for a reader to read, but why not go for it and see what happens?
Here's a suggestion re. plot which might possibly help (though may not be what you want to do): What if you first create your plot structure by each writing one sentence of a 'synopsis' or outline. When they've all been written, see how it hangs together when read as a whole. If it seems to work, each writer could then write their section based on their sentence (after reading what's been written already).
As far as publishing's concerned, you can do it virtually free with Lulu, the print-on-demand publishing service. You only have to pay for your ISBN number and they will print as many copies as you want. Each one that's bought will generate money back for the writer(s) and Lulu takes a proportion to cover printing.
I think the interesting thing will be seeing whether your 100 authors opt mainly for individuality or cohesiveness.
Anyway, hope it goes well.
Susiex

Thanks for your comments Susie.

Good suggestions!
I suppose it is a bit of an experiment in many ways.
As you say, it is a challenge to make it cohesive but I'm interested to see if it works by allowing each writer freedom to continue the story rather than assign elements from a pre-planned storyline.

The key is that all participants get to read the 'story so far' so in effect, it becomes their own novel while they write their 1000 words.

It may take longer than I envision but that's fine.

I agree with you that apart from anything else, it should be original and unique. Possibly not the best novel you will ever read but interesting nevertheless.

Thanks for your encouragement!

John

Just to be a party pooper (sorry ) buut this kind of thing isn't unique. It's been done a few times before - I'll try to find the web addresses but I've a feeling they're on my old computer.

Good luck with it though!

N

Would like to see that Nik.
Thanks

This one is getting a lot of press in America - probably because of the high-status names involved.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6468941.html?nid=2788

Sally

Hi John,

I think it's a much better idea as a no-fee project, so glad to see you've taken on board comments on that. It's a fun project but I do think it will just meander and jerk along.

How many people have signed up so far?

I think 2 or 3 days is far too short a time limit, since most people are busy and from what you say on the web site they won't get a choice about which 3 days - only to default and be put further down the list. If we could choose the 3 days it wouldn't be quite so bad, but still too short IMO. You'll only get a first draft for that, which is not people's best writing - and that's one reason I wouldn't contribute, actually, because I don't really want to put on show 1000 words of my first draft writing.

The face-to-face writers' group I'm a member of is writing a novel collaboratively with about 8 writers, but they're being pretty organised about it. They worked on a plotline together and honed it till they were all happy. Then each writer is writing a different character's viewpoint, which will alternate through the novel. Since each vp character should have a different voice this works quite well to overcome the difference in styles. They all get together and critique/edit each piece of writing, and keep doing so until they're all happy with it. So it might not be brilliant, but it should hang together well, and it's a great learning experience since they'll all have learned a lot from each other, I'd imagine.

They're about to finish it, this Spring, and apparently they have a piece in one of the mainstream writing mags (Writers' News?) about the project. They've been going for about 2 years.

I do worry that your novel will be more like the game of Consequences, and that could wear pretty thin over 100,000 words. However, I wish you luck with it nevertheless.

Deb

<Added>

When I said 'only to default' I meant 'only the choice to default...'