Storytelling discussion- when multiple authors write.

[Dincrest]

Seeing this meme (http://www.quickmeme.com/p/3vqohh) reminded me of something: I enjoy round robins, and this tandem storytelling thing. 

I remember we used to do a ton of those here.  This one was especially fun until we ran out of gas.  http://www.rpgfan.com/boards/index.php?topic=8002.0 I love how it started out stupid, but then turned into a surprisingly good story.  I definitely had too much fun writing Taressa.   

I also remember that it was often difficult sometimes, because of keeping the integrity of what others before me wrote and hoping that what I wrote was clear enough that others would keep the integrity of what I wrote.  And when things got derailed, it was a challenge to work the derailments into the plot (e.g. the one time someone had Miles not pee in his interdimensional toilet purely for plot purposes so Taressa would spot him).  It was still loads of fun, though and it really kept my mind sharp to keep things cohesive.

I remember a professor in grad school once telling me that she and three other professors attempted to write a textbook thinking "four of us, less work" but it turned out to be more work since they all had such different writing styles; e.g. one wrote with more sweeping generalizations whereas another one wrote with tons of intricate detail and getting everyone on the same page was tough. 

So what do you think of stories penned by multiple authors?  Can you tell the difference?  And if you can't, does that impress you?  And what about book series when, say, one author is unable to continue and another one takes his/her place (like Sanderson taking over for Jordan with Wheel of Time.)  What about in games- like in Lost Odyssey where there was that vast disconnect in writing styles between Sakaguchi's penning of the game scenarios and the novelist who penned the "Power Point" cutscenes. 

So yeah, let's talk about stories with multiple authors and the fun of round robins and tandem stories.  Anyone think we should try the tandem story thing here?  Like each of us pick a partner and we do a tandem story?  Or try starting another round robin thread again?  SOmetimes those go hit or miss. 

[Aeolus]

Aside from the fact that this thread feels like it belongs in Brush and Quill, I agree with the notion of more hands not making light work when it comes to writing. Even when storyboards are involved, unless all of the writers synchronize with each other, its just going to turn into a mess. You've got matters ranging from your example of technical detail to sweeping generalization, to even simple things like where should the story or plot arc end and what plans do writers have with the setting and characters (it would suck if a story of two kingdoms going to war with each other were suddenly interrupted by an orbital strike by an alien race, killing many named and important characters, and demolishing one side completely, leaving the story with either no protagonist faction or an antagonist faction that cannot realistically be combated against by the protagonists without turning into some kind of Arms Race, either way forcing the writers away from the originally agreed upon setting purely for the sake of one participant's indulgence (unless said example was preplanned in which case they either need to turn it around or accept that they just ham-handedly shot themselves in the foot)).

[Tooker]

Aside from the fact that this thread feels like it belongs in Brush and Quill

Good point.  I moved it. :)

[Dincrest]

My bad, sorry.  Only reason I put it in general was for exposure so more people could weigh in on the topic. 

And, yeah, figuring out where to end is always a challenge.  I remember jam sessions where I'd play an ending cue and my drummer would keep going thinking "whoops!" or the drummer would play an ending cue and I'd make the oopsie not picking it up, then it would just end when one of us got tired and our arms collapsed.  

Or it could end like the meme where one party says "eff this nonsense, I'm done!" and the other party channels FF7's Cid saying "Shut up, sit your ass down in that chair and drink your goddamn tea!" and everyone's left hanging.

[kkhohoho]

I was actually one of the writers on that Round Robin; I think I used to go by 'badsanta', back then. Or was it novasod? Bleh. :P But, yeah; it was really fun, but I was also a lot younger, and much more inexperienced; I ended up having a lot of influence on the plot, and eventually, it got so big and convoluted that someone (I forget who; 'Prime' something?) just pretty much stopped, and the RP just died out from there. I still enjoyed it though, and wouldn't mind trying something like it again. Maybe a loose remake?

[Dincrest]

I think a lot of us pretty much stopped as we got busy with life.  And I won't lie, I ran out of inspiration of where to go next with the plot.  I still reread it from time to time for fun. 

I like that multiple authors offer multiple viewpoints to keep things fresh, but then cohesiveness becomes an issue.  Two authors can work, though they should be good communicators or we get a case like the meme where nobody was on the same page.