| YOUR REMOTE CONTROLLED HACK |
Welcome to:
INTRODUCTION: A SOCIAL SOLUTION TO WRITER'S BLOCK
Apparently, writer's block is a problem for many writers. I don't
have that problem myself --never have-- but, forget that for the
moment and let's say that I did.
When it comes to solving problems, they say that two heads are
better than one. So, what would it be like to solve writer's block
using a hundred heads, or a thousand heads? In short, what would
it be like for a writer to have the input of an entire social network?
More importantly, if the writer used that network's input to write a
book, what would the resulting book look like?
Let's find out.
Apparently, writer's block is a problem for many writers. I don't
have that problem myself --never have-- but, forget that for the
moment and let's say that I did.
When it comes to solving problems, they say that two heads are
better than one. So, what would it be like to solve writer's block
using a hundred heads, or a thousand heads? In short, what would
it be like for a writer to have the input of an entire social network?
More importantly, if the writer used that network's input to write a
book, what would the resulting book look like?
Let's find out.
| Using USER-SUPPLIED CONTENT to produce a SOCIALLY DRIVEN BOOK If two heads are better than one what about a thousand heads? |
THE PROJECT
REMOTE CONTROLLED HACK’S FIRST BOOK
Opening the door to the future of book publishing!
Trusting in chance and human intelligence, and employing user driven content,
I will write no less than one page per day, every day, for one year. Those pages
will incorporate randomly selected suggestions emailed to me by a pool of
contributors. Of course, in the grandest of all grand book publishing traditions,
I will not even open most of those emails, nor respond to them in anyway.
Instead I will select three emails each day to open. Here’s the kicker: Once I
open an email, I MUST incorporate whatever it suggests in that day’s writing.
My intention will be to deliberately avoid producing a book with no literary
value whatsoever. Beyond that, my task will be to supply continuity--combining
different, or starkly different, or impossible behaviors, events, dialogues
etceteras, while maintaining continuity, whatever that may require, and by that
method, produce a book which is unique, surprising and unpredictable, and
hopefully entertaining.
I don’t imagine that this will be easy. I’m not even sure it will be possible.
Though I approach this project without expectation, the results may prove
interesting. Will it be funny, will it be profound or mindless? Will it be
completely incomprehensible, a rollicking somewhat idiotic, but well meaning,
tale? Will it reveal the shameless nature of mankind or the noble yearning of the
human spirit? We’ll see.
In either case, a book produced by the method can only be novel.
After one year (365 consecutive days) of writing under the direction of a social
network, I will publish the resulting book and make it available; for free to
anyone in PDF, or in print at a more-than-reasonable price, and through at least
one e-book format.
CONCLUSION: We don't know if we'll be writing the great American novel;
however, we may well be writing the novel of the future.
REMOTE CONTROLLED HACK’S FIRST BOOK
Opening the door to the future of book publishing!
Trusting in chance and human intelligence, and employing user driven content,
I will write no less than one page per day, every day, for one year. Those pages
will incorporate randomly selected suggestions emailed to me by a pool of
contributors. Of course, in the grandest of all grand book publishing traditions,
I will not even open most of those emails, nor respond to them in anyway.
Instead I will select three emails each day to open. Here’s the kicker: Once I
open an email, I MUST incorporate whatever it suggests in that day’s writing.
My intention will be to deliberately avoid producing a book with no literary
value whatsoever. Beyond that, my task will be to supply continuity--combining
different, or starkly different, or impossible behaviors, events, dialogues
etceteras, while maintaining continuity, whatever that may require, and by that
method, produce a book which is unique, surprising and unpredictable, and
hopefully entertaining.
I don’t imagine that this will be easy. I’m not even sure it will be possible.
Though I approach this project without expectation, the results may prove
interesting. Will it be funny, will it be profound or mindless? Will it be
completely incomprehensible, a rollicking somewhat idiotic, but well meaning,
tale? Will it reveal the shameless nature of mankind or the noble yearning of the
human spirit? We’ll see.
In either case, a book produced by the method can only be novel.
After one year (365 consecutive days) of writing under the direction of a social
network, I will publish the resulting book and make it available; for free to
anyone in PDF, or in print at a more-than-reasonable price, and through at least
one e-book format.
CONCLUSION: We don't know if we'll be writing the great American novel;
however, we may well be writing the novel of the future.
THE CONTRIBUTORS WILL BE FLYING BLIND to some extent.
That which was written during the week will appear on this website each
week. However, it will be replaced on the following week with the more recent
output. So, no one will have access to the entire document until it sees print at
the end of the project. Necessarily then, cooperative contributors will follow
developments closely or submit suggestions of general nature.
Contributors are free to offer any of the following:
Title of the book
Chapter Names or descriptions
Characters and character names
Character Attitude and actions
Events
Locations and settings
Accoutrement
Conversation, to introduce a phrase or subject matter
Details and dsecriptions
Themes
Vignette
Please use one of the categories above in the subject line of your email..
That which was written during the week will appear on this website each
week. However, it will be replaced on the following week with the more recent
output. So, no one will have access to the entire document until it sees print at
the end of the project. Necessarily then, cooperative contributors will follow
developments closely or submit suggestions of general nature.
Contributors are free to offer any of the following:
Title of the book
Chapter Names or descriptions
Characters and character names
Character Attitude and actions
Events
Locations and settings
Accoutrement
Conversation, to introduce a phrase or subject matter
Details and dsecriptions
Themes
Vignette
Please use one of the categories above in the subject line of your email..
TO SUBMIT YOUR SUGGESTION:
Send an email to: estuarypublications@yahoo.com
Please keep your suggestion concise. One suggestion per email.
When offering conversation, you can be a bit more expansive, but think for a
moment about our task before submitting more than 10 lines of text. (please)
I will open and incorporate the suggestions in THREE emails each day.
IF one of the emails I open is YOURS, I will email you to that effect and thank
you (or damn you, depending upon the task you’ve laid out before me), AND
you will be entitled to one follow-up email in order to embellish your thoughts.
I may or may not include the suggestions in your follow-up email. IF I do
include it, you will be entitled to a second follow-up. IF I include that, second
follow up, in the book as well, you will be elevated to the extremely high, and
much coveted position of Contributing Editor (should you so choose). That
means that I may, from time to time, as circumstance demands, shoot you a
little email describing a situation I am facing and ask your advice.
Please note:
I reserve the right to reject any suggestion that is vulgar or stupid or vile, or
just blatantly political for that matter. On the other hand, if you're looking for
any possible reason to be offended -- either for yourself or on behalf of others
-- we hope you will find what you're looking for in this book.
Send an email to: estuarypublications@yahoo.com
Please keep your suggestion concise. One suggestion per email.
When offering conversation, you can be a bit more expansive, but think for a
moment about our task before submitting more than 10 lines of text. (please)
I will open and incorporate the suggestions in THREE emails each day.
IF one of the emails I open is YOURS, I will email you to that effect and thank
you (or damn you, depending upon the task you’ve laid out before me), AND
you will be entitled to one follow-up email in order to embellish your thoughts.
I may or may not include the suggestions in your follow-up email. IF I do
include it, you will be entitled to a second follow-up. IF I include that, second
follow up, in the book as well, you will be elevated to the extremely high, and
much coveted position of Contributing Editor (should you so choose). That
means that I may, from time to time, as circumstance demands, shoot you a
little email describing a situation I am facing and ask your advice.
Please note:
I reserve the right to reject any suggestion that is vulgar or stupid or vile, or
just blatantly political for that matter. On the other hand, if you're looking for
any possible reason to be offended -- either for yourself or on behalf of others
-- we hope you will find what you're looking for in this book.
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