A to Z interactive story
What if writing didn’t have to be done alone? What if this thing we have here, where I write, you read, could be more of a two-way dialogue? What if you could challenge me more directly to shape a story the way you want, not only the way I want? What if I let go of control and used this for this year’s A to Z challenge?
There is a reason I love the solitude of writing, the complete power it gives me over my creation. So here’s a thing I’ve never done in the 40 years of my life: collaboration. It’s high time to change that.
Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to co-write – I know you’ll all be busy with writing your own posts. We’ll just have a little fun where your input will shape the story in my head. Some days I’ll ask open-ended questions. Sometimes you’ll be able to write the next sentence. Other days we’ll have a poll where you can just click quickly. Either way, I promise it won’t be a burden.
Let’s see the start!
Which beginning do you prefer? Vote after the first paragraphs.
1.
Aurelia could tell, the dragons were restless. Their innate need to fly was fighting with their social need of taking care of the humans. The contradicting emotions wrestled in them in a careful dance under her watch, and she almost felt them like her own. While they all knew take off was approaching, their wagon was stil down in the queue. She hated coming to the busy hub of Lucia where they had to wait sometimes hours until it was safe to start the flight. It was an impressive feat, the coordination of the hundreds of dragon-wagons, their take-off and arrival – it wasn’t long ago that her path was to lead her to the Tower of Direction Control. A shining future that could have been hers.
2.
Every parent thinks it’s their fault when something happens to their kids. Beata knew it was. After all, that was exactly what she wished for not long before: a life without Dan. They were at the airport, waiting for their connecting flight, and Dan showed no inclination to sleep. He had only allowed her 2 hours of sleep the night before between all the packing and the 2-month-old’s different needs and Beata just couldn’t take it any more. She locked themselves into the lavatory, crying and longing for the days when she controlled her own schedule – sleeping and otherwise. Now she desperately wants to take it back. But it’s too late.
3.
Would it have made a difference if she hadn’t been at the station that day? Or had fate already got its hooks in her? Carla’s mother blamed Ian who offered Carla the place on the training team. She also blamed the government for letting migrants in, Carla’s dad, who was an immigrant himself from Hungary, the weather with the global warming – she blamed everyone but herself.
4.
I never believed they were angels. Like so many of us, I’d also seen them before the Big Reveal. Seen them and studied them. It was all in the data you see. Once I complied the list of sightings in chronological order, it was all clear: they were an invasion force. But man, was I wrong, too.
Vote
Which of the above should kick off the A to Z challenge on April 1st? Vote below or simply let me know in the comments.
Poll on the blog (might not appear):
Poll on Twitter:
If you haven’t decided to join, you can still do so on the challenge’s page here. Let me know if you partake so I can check your posts out.
And if you’re interested in something else, check out my self-discovery blog that uses travel to become unapologetically me.
Love,
Andrea
Great openings, a tough choice. Look forward to following the story and participating 🙂
https://iainkellywriting.com/2018/03/19/the-a-to-z-challenge-2018-theme-reveal/
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Thank you Iain, your EU theme sounds brilliant, I will be sure to visit.
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Thank you, see you in April!
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Quite an innovative way to collaborate- look forward to your posts. Here is my theme reveal http://akswrites.com/2018/03/19/blogchattera2z-theme-reveal-2018-take-a-sneak-peak/
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Thank you and I have to say, I love your theme!
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You are brave 🙂 What a great idea. Lots of luck with it – I voted for dragons 🙂
Tasha
Tasha’s Theme Reveal
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Well, with your monster-theme it’s no surprise 🙂
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I had the same idea but it was mostly asking people to vote where the story will go next and not a lot of options because I think giving too many options, people won’t want to choose. but I like your idea. I think it’s good to let readers participate in writing/shaping a story but without too much to do.
have a lovely day.
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Thanks Lissa, glad you like it, I’ll try not to make too much for for others. Unfortunately polls don’t seem to want to work right but fingers crossed I can sort it.
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This sounds like a fun theme. Can’t wait.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
Dining with IC
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
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Thank you Patricia- are you going to take part? I didn’t see it on your blog, maybe didn’t look well 🤔
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I’m doing it on my personal blog about my chronic illness, Dinning with IC.
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Wow. I am also writing fiction. But I don’t have your kind of courage. That is a great idea and takes a lot of guts to try. I voted for the Heathrow disappearances. Please do visit my theme reveal at
http://www.jaispoetryblog.com/2018/03/a-2-z-by-blogchatter-my-theme-reveal.html
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Thank you for your visit and vote, good luck on your thriller 😉
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Whoa! This is indeed a huge endeavor. I’ll be rooting for you to pull it off.
L.E.R.T Theme Reveal
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Thank you so much, I feel it can go either way at this moment 🙂
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Now that’s really innovative but a tough choice too I must say! I have voted for “days without phone”. Would love to read what would happen to this world without phones!
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Thank you Medha, I hope I can keep it going:)
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This is such a different way to do the challenge. I’m extremely intrigued.
I woted for the first opening. I was actually very undecided between that and the angels one, but int he end my fantasy heart won out 😉
I know this had nothing to do with the challenge, but the WordPress theme you’re using is the first one I used when I first started blogging.
@JazzFeathers
Theme Reveal – Weimar Germany
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Thank you for your kind words! Glad you like the idea! As for the theme, it might be the first one for me too, definitely haven’t changed it in a very long time 😉
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This is a fun theme! I’ll be playing along 🙂 All great openers by the way
Debbie
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Thank you Debbie, glad you liked them. I’m sure I’ll need some cheer along the way 😉
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Really interesting idea, can’t wait to see where your stories go and I’ll definitely be following! As for my vote, I found all the openings intriguing… but it wasn’t really a contest. 😉
Jamie Lyn Weigt | Theme: Odds and Ends Dragons | Writing Dragons
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Halla, thanks Jamie!
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great idea.
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Thank you!
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Love the idea and the way to go about it. Like A-Z challenge wasn’t enough, you have taken a step ahead. This is so good. Loved the opening paras. Would love to know where all continued but am inclined towards the 4th. Very best wishes.
Here’s my theme
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Thank you for your vote and your visit!
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My choice is ‘When the world had no phones for six days’…but others are also good choice.
checkout my theme here: https://goo.gl/7hv2YU
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Thank you, seems to be a popular one 🙂
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