Exilian

As 2023 gallops onwards, and in honour of the 50th edition of our wonderful newsletter, I am happy to announce that I will be running a chain writing event!

Current participants: 8

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What exactly is chain writing?
Chain writing is a collection of people writing a collaborative story! Each person in the chain writes a section of a story, before passing it to the next person who writes the next chunk. At the end, we have a complete tale, ideally with a beginning, middle and end (not necessarily in that order).

If this sounds like the sort of thing you'd like to be involved in (and I know it will for more than a few of you!), read on for the rules and how to get involved:

THE RULES

• Each chain will be made up of approximately eight people, creating a tale of around 2000 words in total.
• Each person in the chain will have five days to write up to 250 words of the story, no more. The final link in our great chains will be allowed up to 350, if absolutely needed, to tie up any loose ends.
• When it reaches your turn in the tale, you will be emailed the story as it currently stands, to write your continuation. Once you are done, you will email the story back with your additions.
• The time limits are strict, and if you miss your deadline, the story will be sent to the next person in the chain.
• Chains are anonymous, and you will not be told who else is a part of your chain.
• There is no lower word limit, write as much as you feel is needed to continue the tale.
• Editing or changing the previous text in any way is forbidden. Any clashes or holes in the story can be addressed later, but ask before making any alterations.

SIGNING UP

• Sign up by posting below or by emailing suzi.allkins@hotmail.co.uk
• Sign ups are open until 9th July. The chains will begin on 10th July, when the starters will be told who they are and given their genre. Update: sign ups are now open until 13th July!
• When signing up, please specify the following:
  
  
  
  • What name/username you would like to be credited by when the final stories are released.
  • Your preferred genre, if any (HORROR, HISTORY, SCI FI AND FANTASY, NO PREFERENCE). Although I won't necessarily run all these types, I will prioritise putting people together who have strong preferences for genre. If you don't want to be involved unless you are in a specific group, please let me know.
  • Any timing requirements. While I won't always be able to accommodate everyone, if anyone has any particular requirements (eg can't write towards end of July, would prefer earlier in a chain, etc), I'll do my best to incorporate those when sorting out chains.
  
  Feel free at any point to use this thread to discuss the project, ask questions, get advice etc, although please do not post excerpts of the chains or discuss specific plot details (this is meant to be anonymous after all!).
  
  I hope you're excited for another chain writing event, and I look forward to seeing all your stories!

hello and yes please! Any genre but history, name can just be Kjelda, and I am on holiday 17-23 July so preferably no writing around that time :)

Me me! I should be able to write any time, any genre other than horror, credit as Jubal is fine :)

Yes please!

I think I'd prefer horror or scifi if poss :)

Nom de plume: Tusky

I am excited we're doing this again - will try and get an email and wider calls on social media out soon :)

Entertainingly, I had a memory pop up on Facebook today of sharing a post about the first chain writing event I participated in, back in 2018!

oeh, that sounds quite exciting actually! I'd love to join. I have a slight preference for scifi/fantasy but can run with anything going. Timing doesn't matter much for me. Happy to be credited as AHuggingSam :)

I'm in, thank you for organising. No preference and rbuxton is fine :)

I'd love to join again! As SLiV, and no preference to genre or time.

Hello all, just an update to say that sign ups are now closed and I'll be contacting the first chainer shortly! I'm aiming to get this out today but am also making a 6-hour car journey today so it may be first thing tomorrow!
Thanks to everyone who signed up and I hope all the writers have fun!

Hi Spritelady can you let me know what point in the chain I am please? I don't know if I've missed an email. Thanks!

Hiya, I've sent a direct message with an update, just to preserve anonymity  :)