Lost in Shadow Rules and Guidelines
A Gone From Daylight Spin-off
" Lost In Shadow "
These are a few rules and regulations that wee created to keep things running smoothly. I'm sure you guys will find that the guidelines definitely leave you a lot of room to play with, and will give your creativity as much room as possible in order to make each and ever chapter your very own! The most important part of this series is having FUN , and making this the best story that it can be! With so much online talent writing amazing stories left and right, I'm sure that the combined force of us all in this one series will be nothing short of mindblowing! So let's get together and make this series something to see!#1
- If you are interested in submitting a chapter for the "Lost In Shadow" series, simply write me an email at Comicality@webtv.net, or post your request on any one of the three message boards ("The Shack", "The Library", or "The Comicality Cafe"), and I'll add you to the list in the order that I get the replies. If you have a favorite author from Nifty, or from another website that you enjoy, and think they would be good for the series...WRITE to them and let them know about the project! I'd love to have them on board! The more the merrier, I say! All authors MUST have a valid email address in order to sign up, so that we can communicate with you, as well as tell you when it's your turn to write. Then you will be assigned a chapter, and will be notified by email when it's your turn to begin. The authors will rotate in sequential order from chapter to chapter, and it will be the author's responsibility to keep up with reading the story to know where their particular chapter will pick up, and continue on. Your 'pen name' and email will then appear on a public list with others who will be contributing chapters as well. If you have any questions, please let me know.
#2
- If you are unable to write your chapter after you've already signed up to do one ('life' does tend to happen when we least expect it! Hehehe!), please let me know as soon as possible at Comicality@webtv.net, and I will then move on to the next author, who will take your place. You're always welcome back to try again later if you want.
#3
- If you want to write more than one chapter for the series, feel free! We'd love to have ya back! All I ask is that you leave at LEAST three chapters open for other authors before signing on to do another one. That gives everybody a chance to get in an episode, and lets the story evolve a bit more naturally. So, for example, since I did the first chapter...I'd have to wait three chapters, and then maybe come back and do number five. Then...if I wanted to do another one, I'd have to wait three MORE chapters, and then tackle number nine, or so forth and so on. But please don't get too far ahead of yourself. Signing up for two chapters at a time should be enough. And after your new episode is posted on the site, you're free to sign up again. Considering that you follow the above rules for a waiting period).
#4
- The "Lost In Shadow" series is an 'exclusive' series. Meaning that the chapters are ONLY allowed to be posted on "Comicality's Shack Out Back" and the "Nifty Archive". Nowhere else. However, there will definitely be a space at the end of each and every single chapter where each author is given full credit for their work, and may advertise their own website and stories with links and banners if they choose to do so. Also, if you have a website, you can link to the "Lost In Shadow" series as a whole. Cool? I definitely want your work to get noticed, and I want you all to get a piece of the spotlight for what you've added to the story. So shout your name out and let people know who you are! Hehehe! But no gigantic memory sucking animated gifs or anything like that, k? Just links and banners to let folks know where to find you if they decide that they really like your chapter and want to see more of your work! Once a chapter is posted, it becomes the property of the "Lost In Shadow" project. It will NOT be used for publication or for financial gain of any kind. Authors have the option of withdrawing a chapter from the series ONLY until it is posted on the site. After that, it stays, k? If you have any questions, or something about this arrangement bothers you, please email me at Comicality@webtv.net and I'll answer any disputes you may have.
#5
- Each chapter has a template for the header, and is written in HTML format. Please, let's keep it that way for the simple sake of consistency. You guys all know how my headers look for each story, right? We want each chapter to maintain that look. So no colorful backgrounds, or text color changes, please. No fancy texts or flashy titles. Your personality and skill should be shown in your words alone, and if your heart is in it...I'm sure that you'll stand out just fine. If you would like to add a specific "chapter title" for your particular episode, feel free. (Example: "Lost In Shadow: Blood For Blood"...or something like that)
#6
- During our discussions on the message boards, I believe that a month is an appropiate amount of time to conceive, write, edit, proofread, and possibly rewrite, a single chapter for the storyline and get it posted. Naturally, this isn't set in stone, but I definitely want to keep this series moving. And if you guys are anything like ME...it could be six months or longer between chapters if we don't put SOME kind of general time limit on this thing! Hehehe! Try to work on it and get it done when you're able, k? If you come to the end of the month, and realize that you're not going to finish in time, let me know, and a two week extention will be given to work on the story some more. If you finish EARLY and think that it's ready to go, then by all means, let's put it up! It'll be that much sooner that the next author can start on the next chapter! Either way, we'll keep things moving at a steady pace.
#7
- As far as length of a chapter is concerned, that is totally up to each author. However, as a basic guideline to abide by, I suggest that you try to fit your particular chapter's length somewhere between 30K and 100K if possible. (The first "Lost In Shadow" chapter being about 100K, and 30K being a little bit shorter than your average "New Kid" chapter) Again, this is not set in stone, so if you're a little bit under or a little bit over, that's fine. This boundary was basically set to keep authors from writing a 5K chapter with almost NO further development in the plot...followed by a 500K chapter, where one author basically takes over the entire vibe of the story. The key is to read what's been done, using your creativity to bring the plot and the characters to the next level, and then passing the torch on to the next author to see if they can build even further off of the foundation you built for them. Cool? So try to stay somewhere in between those two brackets. Now, I'm not saying that you have to be so worried about it that it strangles your creativity, or you're caught trying to stretch your ideas further than they were meant to go. Just concentrate on telling the part of the story that YOU want to tell, and worry about the length later. It'll fit, so don't sweat it.
#8
- While writing your chapter, you must stay true to the characters you are writing about. There is a lot of room for growth, and secrets, and revelations, in the story. But it's important to keep the behavior of each character somewhat consistent from chapter to chapter. Also, the world that "Lost In Shadow" takes place in is already set. If you read the first chapter, you can get an idea of how it operates. If you read "Gone From Daylight", you'll get an even greater understanding of the world they live in. Read up, study, immerse yourself in that mindset, and then make the best story you can! The rules are pretty much set. I encourage you to stretch them and bend them to create something all your own, but try to keep it in the realm of possibility as according to the 'reality' that you are writing about. Adding wizards and werewolves and demons and clowns and flying monkeys wouldn't really fit. K? So study your subject matter a little bit.
#9
- The story began in Exile's point of view, told in the first person. The object is to let it stay that way. So no switching perspectives or going off on side missions and letting the story go off track. Stay focused on Exile and his struggle to find himself as well as his struggle to open his heart to the boy he loves. No jumping aheard ten years into the future or changing the time period. It's modern day. Flashbacks, however, can be as frequent as you'd like them to be. Just stick to the story.
#10
- There is a list of basic characters for you to use in this story, as well as "Gone From Daylight" characters that you might be able to use if you feel the need. You have the freedom to use as many or as little of those main characters as you like. And if you feel the need to create and add new characters of your own, go for it! Do your worst! :) Just keep in mind the vampire storyline that you're writing for, and you are free to explore it in any way you like! Surprise us! Exile has a history, and friends, and enemies, and unexplained dreams of a life that he doesn't understand. Explore that, and take the rest of us excited readers along for the ride!
#11
- Killing off important characters or changing the storyline in drastic ways is possible, but should really be discussed, either with myself, or with the other authors who will be affected by it. (It would suck to have someone create a character, and have you kill them off in the next chapter. Or kill off a character that is a huge part of the 'next' author's storyline) So be sure to communicate with us in some way before driving up the 'shock meter' past the norm. K?
#12
- The "Lost In Shadow" series has three volunteer proofreaders available for you to use before submitting a chapter. They are basically meant as advisors, here to help everything run smoothly and keep the continuity of the story going. So they may point out small mistakes in the story, or continuity errors, before your chapter is posted. So use them to help guide you to a great chapter, k? Also, if you guys have any personal editors or writing partners that you feel comfortable working with, feel free to use them as well. The decision to change of not change certain plot points in the storyline is ultimately up to you if you believe in what you're doing. (Unless, of course, it damages the story as a whole, and further discussions are necessary) But they are only here to help you. And give you some early feedback before the big debut! :)
#13
- Cliffhangers are good! GREAT even! And danger is definitely going to be a part of the "Lost In Shadow" storyline! Just remember, there are authors that have to follow you when you finish. So putting them in a bad position with no logical way out of it isn't the best strategy. Hehehe, we want to challenge each other, not burst any brain vessels trying to figure out 'what now'? Think of the series like a game of hackey sack (which I'm TERRIBLE at, by the way!). The idea, between authors, is to keep the hackey sack in the air as long as possible without dropping it. A couple of tricks makes the game exciting, sure, but we definitely wanna keep things rolling! So remember to think of the person who has to bail your characters out of trouble if you end up painting them in to too tight a corner!
#14
- Chances are...it'll be something I'll NEVER have to do, because respecting an author's creativity and freedom is something I truly believe in. However, please understand that the ultimate 'veto' power is mine alone if any chapter turns out to be destructive, WAY too abstract, or offensive. Insulting forms of racial, cultural, sexist, religious, and/or political, prejudice will NOT be tolerated. This story is meant to be a fun experience for us all, and Shacker's come from all around the world to check it out and read what's been posted. So if you've made it a part of your personal agenda to use your chapter to intentionally offend others, I'm letting you know right now, beyond the shadow of a doubt, if I see it...it WON'T get posted! Believe me on this. You will have wasted a lot of your time and ours even TRYING it, so DON'T do it! I could go more into detail, but I assume we're all smart enough to know where the line is when it comes to posting something in a public setting. If there are any questions about the content of your story or why it can't be displayed on the site, I'll be more than happy to discuss it with you at length. But make no mistake, I have NO problem banning your chapter from the series if I even THINK that it's showing any disrespect whatsoever to the people that I am proud to call my online 'family'.
#15
- HAVE FUN!!! This is the most important rule of all! Dig deep, and take a shot at making this a wonderful excercise for you to enjoy and show to your friends! K? There are millions of ways to go with this! Go back to Adams past, enjoy dreams and flashbacks, indulge in spying and hiding, go out on exciting missions and battle it out with killer vampires, make friends, make enemies, think about the old couple and the other halflifes, create new allies, explore the drama in the underground facility, love, unreturned love, dangerous love....whatever! The story is in your hands, and you can do *NO* wrong here! So take a chance, and get those wheels spinning! Also, don't spoil the surprise! Keep your chapter under wraps until it's ready to be posted! Keep people guessing! Only share it with your editors, proofreaders, and the few folks that you know will keep it a secret! I personally almost NEVER let anyone see ANYTHING until it's about ready to be posted on the site (Not even Myriddian), and you shouldn't either! Hehehe, spring it on them and let them discover it all at once! Have a ball, and remember, you're always welcomed back if you enjoyed yourself! If you've never written anything before, give it a shot! DO IT! Try it out! You never know, you might have a spark or an idea that nobody else ever thought of! So go ahead and give it a shot! And tell your online friends where to find the hottest online talent ANYWHERE on the net! Right here...on the "Lost In Shadow" series! :)
Alright folks! That's it! Fifteen simple rules to follow, and you're all set! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! Seezya soon! And best of luck to you ALL! If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me personally at Comicality@webtv.net, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!
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