Virtual Community Constructed Book
 
"Echo World"
 

This BuildaBook made headlines!!! Click here to listen to Jessalee's interview with Mackie.

Thoreau won Wordgrove's prestigious Golden Torch award for his follow-up to this story!

 
  Community: There online RPG featuring voice and clubs (www.there.com)
  Timeline: July 7, 2005 - October 2, 2005
  Writers: Jessalee, thoreau, BarTalk, bettina6953, TommyO (game names)
 
Process:

Initial voice chat meeting set the tone with an original idea proposed by TommyO which focused on blogs and virtual life, particularly the "There" experience. The meeting left more questions than answers, especially in reference to motivation and ending.

    Follow up meeting had to make due without Tommy, but progress was made in the way of character development, plot structure, and introduction of There alternate worlds. In a twist from BAB1, sections were chosen or randomly assigned without a complete idea of the ending.
    Participants were sent questions for review by Jessalee, group coordinator. Each writer answered the nagging questions about each section, which was returned for all to see. Interestingly, rather than consolidating and reaching a consensus, each writer chose responses about their own section and adapted them into our final plotline.
    Due to some lingering confusion and difficulties writing, another meeting was scheduled in which drafts of sections were read and discussed. Seeing where people were heading, revisions were made to the main character's motivation, which led to a higher comfort level for all writers. A humorous hour was spent discussing the title of the book, with no resolution, and no hope of agreement in sight.
    BarTalk suggested segments be set out with one writer per week, like a series, rather than all at once. First section went "live" on Sunday, October 2nd, with the name "Echo World" brilliantly proposed by him at the last minute.
 
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