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Community Writing Copyright@2002
In a community online novel the head writer should pen the part of the commander, king, queen, business owner, detective, or whomever their star is going to be. This gives them a good position in which to interact with their supporting writers. The head writer, must have a vivid imagination and give of themselves and their time freely and generously to others. This person has to be a sticker, and also consistent and attentive with their storyline. It has to be a person who will keep up with the responsibility and pull all the bits of the disjointed story together. In addition the head writer has to keep track of the novel, see where everyone is, and plan the chapters so that the story flows smoothly. They also have to edit the story, hold support meetings with their writers, read every single entry their co-writers post, and offer feedback and encouragement. More importantly they need to be prepared to have their contributions ignored. Most amateur writers take, but seldom give anything in return. Sometimes there is very little appreciation for the hard work we do for them. So it takes a special person to offer this much attention and service to others. The mature writer becomes the mentor of the co-writer, and as such must post every single week. And sometimes even more often when the story flows. Some days there can be hundreds of entries, as writers either mention the head writers character, or actually interact with him/her. Therefore the head writer has to be on his/her toes, because when a writer is inspired to write, it is not a good idea to stifle their creative energy. The lead writer must first plan the plot, lay out the story, and create their world and character or characters. Next they should draft their writers guidelines. For instance what can the writer write about? Is there a limit on how much they should post per day? Will porn be allowed? If not, what draws the line between a romantic love scene and raw porn? How much freedom to create the story will you give your writers? Can they hit others? Curse them? Or even kill them? A good rule of thumb is to make the writers honor and respect others just like they do in real time. Advise them to think before they act, and follow the golden rule. Would they like to be treated the way they are planning to treat someone else? Another fine point to consider is how much is too much when it comes to imagination? Are you open to vampires? Shape shifters? Spacecraft showing up, and aliens shooting up your world (assuming it is not a sci-fi)? How about animals who are intelligent enough to act like people? Believe me when I say, you have to set guidelines and limits. You literally have to police your novel. Even more important is setting everything up so others cannot delete the posts, or a computer crash does not wipe it all out. A good backup system is essential. Lastly, we have to mention rights. If the story turns out to be a potential best seller, and there is the possibility that it will interest a publisher, how will the rights be divided? Since the head writer does the planning, mentoring, editing, and advising, should he/she hold exclusive rights? After all, Writers Digest charges hundreds of dollars just for proof reading and offering feedback. Likewise they charge a hefty price for their mail order or online classes. In view of everything concerned, it seems only reasonable that intelligent men and women would agree that the person who conceived the original idea, kicked it off, and then maintained it, should have full rights. After all, did they not benefit from all the attention, guidance and advise? But unfortunately there are people who will get greedy, and demand their fair share. So whether you plan to claim exclusive rights to the work, the way we do with our online novel "Terra Lemnia," or you wish to return full rights to your writers, once the online novel ends. Or you plan to use only your entries the way we did with Vandora, you need to take time to put it in writing. Once the terms have been drafted, post them in your message area for all to read. Writers will know before they post, and hopefully you will have some protection. Disclaimer: If you have read this information in its entirety, and you are interested in starting an online novel, we have ample space, and will gladly create a message area for you and your group. However, we will not be responsible for any disagreements, nor do we claim any rights to your story. .
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To contact us: Primary Business Address 1746 Dailey Rd Wilmington, Ohio 45177 Phone: 937-987-9948 Fax: 937-987-9949 E-mail:jst@jmbpub.com
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