Finding Protagonize!

I’ve edited this three times - re-written this three times - in as many days.

First time - after finding Protagonize, profiled on CBC Online’s Arts and Entertainment. A collaborative writing playground. Someone starts a story and others add to it. Sounded like so much fun - I had to join.

Second edit - after reading my member profile and taking it like a dare - that I’d written nothing, commented on no one, and had no one comment on me - so I wrote something.

Third edit. Someone liked my seed of a story. No takers on my clumsy branches, tho, or not yet. Didn’t seem right to add to one of my own branches, though I had words scribbled: Play and Collaborating being the Why’s we’re all in there (prob’ly only add my little grafting if Somebody’s Dream withers in the nursery).

Third edit had to be because it was month’s ending at work, billings to calculate and go out, six on a Friday night and all alone and needing my little break - so, munching my O’Henry bar leftover from a Christmas gift basket, savouring hot milky tea, I browsed on over again to Protagonize, and to shorten an out-of-control sentence added a branch to The Castle, by Bexter. About fifty minutes later. Kinda lost track of time there.

Right - right - the link, sorry - http://www.protagonize.com/.

Joining Protagonize takes seconds. I’ve held my breath longer. You can then fill in your author profile: add a picture, blurb about who you are and what you want to do, and link to your website, so folks can see more of you if they want.

Adding your own story is simple and easy, too. Starting with a title. Then typing in all those words(or Copy-Pasting something you‘ve prepared elsewhere on your computer). Almost done - you must add at least two possible directions the story can branch toward - for the next writer to continue. Add a tag line: some hooking phrase. Select PUBLISH.

Adding a branch essentially is the same. Select the story branch you’d like to play with. Write until done. Add your own story branches and leave it for the next person.

I did feel a bit intimidated to start: all these people writing and adding to each other’s writing - and little ol’ me presuming to join in. Haven’t played with collaborative writing like this outside of elementary school. Started reading JunkWorld, by Gaelythe. Couldn’t concentrate on it, because it was lunchtime at work. Felt queasy about trying any branches: What if I can’t get the author’s tone right? - And make a mess of it! That night, at home, stepping out of the shower - really the whole of Somebody’s Dream came to me - in the time it took for the steam to clear off the bathroom mirror. Pity that what I had didn’t fit JunkWorld at all. So I came by my first story for Protagonize.

Still don’t know if I’m doing it right. Figuring that I’ll be forgiven any clumsiness so long as I’m polite - oh, and playful.

Just imagine it - possibly THE most play filled writers’ workshop - maybe learn some new things, maybe a lot - watching how others work the magic - and, together, making worlds from our words!