Café de Nuit

NeoTiamat wrote:Might I also suggest that completed works be fit somewhere on the main website? In the Library or Veranda, or perhaps a new section might be added (the 'Reading Room' perhaps?).

Threads tend to last a couple years, but I don't think any of the moderators would object to the idea of putting completed works in a more permanent place. Depending upon the specific outcome(s), we could create a fiction netbook (yearly?) that contains cleaned copies of contributors stories. Otherwise, we might just host individual contributions.

We'll have to wait and see...

ScS of the Fraternity wrote:"Shared World" is a literary device whereby many different authors used the same setting and possibly the same characters. Its similar to the Lovecraft mythos, where the same people and places show up in the work of different authors.

Lovecraft is more of a mythos or cohesive universe. It's like Joss Whedon's Buffyverse where everything is fairly related under a single person's vision.

Shared worlds are where the same setting is used by different authors. Some might be allowed limited changes but for the most part the world is static. D&D worlds tend to be Shared Worlds. Dragonlance is the prime example. Star Trek is a TV example where writers dip in and tell their tales and there is no single vision.
They tend to be anti-art and limited (as is 90% of fanfiction) but Ravenloft lends itself to themes, subtext and the like more than other settings. So we might slip in some decent stories and tales.
Really it might be better to think of it as a place of gothic tales and short stories of all kinds, but with a preference for locations in the 'Loft.

IIRC, the original "Tales of Ravenloft" anthology that TSR published has a majority of Ravenloft-specific stories, but also a few (e.g. the Arabian-style one) that are generic enough that they could be made to fit just about any setting. It was their Gothic/fantasy theme that united them, far more than explicit references to Ravenloft NPCs or the Dark Powers.

Really, if a story could fit into Ravenloft, that's probably all it'd need to be considered "shared world" RL fiction. Gothic Earth stories would also be welcome ... or even off-world tales that relate to other game-settings' eerie rumors about the Demiplane of Dread, for that matter.


As for a permanent place for the stories, assuming there's enough of them, we could compile a sequal to the "Tales of the Mists" netbook. If there aren't enough submissions for that, the best could still be preserved for posterity in QtR, as already mentioned.

I'm all for it. I actually sat down a couple of weeks ago and got a start on a Gothic Earth fic for my own amusement; it would be lovely to have a place to share it. And I always love seeing what others might contribute--overall, I think the odds are good that we'll have more than our share of decent writers in the mix. Again, though, I cannot stress the importance of beta readers, and offer my services as one.

Sounds like we're well on our way, then. I am very happy to see other members share an interest in fan crafted stories of Ravenloft as well. And Rotipher, I hope that your writing schedule clears up this summer so you can add something as well. I look forward to the possibility of a piece of fan literature from you.

*casts a sending spell*

Raphael, do you think that you would be adding something as well to this if it takes off?

So be our guest and start writing

I suggest you put "(fiction)" in the title of your post when you start a new thread, so we could easily track them.

As my colleagues said, if many of them pop in and stay for long, we could indeed open a board dedicated to fiction. But first let's see the demand for it

And sure, if anybody wants to collect the best of them, we could host that document I guess.

Joël

Joël of the FoS wrote:I suggest you put "(fiction)" in the title of your post when you start a new thread, so we could easily track them.

I've just added it to my title, thanks Joël. I guess I should've done that originally, eh?

I have just deleted my comment from that thread so it doesn't interrupt the flow of the story. If Guardian of Twilight wants to open a new thread called "Comments on [his thread name]" I can repost the comments there. It's up to you.

Keep up the good writing!

I'd like to see a fiction forum as it'd be a wonderful Dming resource. I wish I could say that I'd contribute- but I have difficulty articulating the exact wording to create the proper mood, though I never lack of ideas

HuManBing wrote:I have just deleted my comment from that thread so it doesn't interrupt the flow of the story. If Guardian of Twilight wants to open a new thread called "Comments on [his thread name]" I can repost the comments there. It's up to you.

Keep up the good writing!

*embarrassed cough*

Yeah, I thought about it and just forgot to. That's kind of embarrassing, but in my defense I am working on the next part of the story...

Does that make up for it?

I'll contribute to them, but as I mentioned before, not till I'm done with the VRS stuff.

Personally, I think that it'll come together, but not very quickly. Writing up a decent story is not something that can be done quite spur-of-the-moment.

HuManBing wrote:I have just deleted my comment from that thread so it doesn't interrupt the flow of the story. If Guardian of Twilight wants to open a new thread called "Comments on [his thread name]" I can repost the comments there. It's up to you.

Keep up the good writing!

I don't think any author would mind other people putting comments right in the story thread, by the way In fact, it would be better if all stories and comments / suggestions would be in the same thread... if only for board clarity.

So if you don't mind, I deleted the "comments welcome" thread. I think it's a better idea if story and comments are kept within the same thread!

Joël

Ooh... that is a good point. I have no clue how stuff like this works personally. Is there no way to have a sub thread inside a thread?

(More importantly, does that even make sense and you understand what I am trying to say?)

Guardian of Twilight wrote:(More importantly, does that even make sense and you understand what I am trying to say?)

Yes, I think

Guardian of Twilight wrote:Ooh... that is a good point. I have no clue how stuff like this works personally. Is there no way to have a sub thread inside a thread?

No, a sub-thread isn't possible for now.

Joël

Guardian of Twilight wrote:Is there no way to have a sub thread inside a thread? (More importantly, does that even make sense and you understand what I am trying to say?)

It makes sense, but I don't think that there is any way to create a subthread within the original. You will just have to keep comments within the original story thread.