Hey all. Thanks to an off-handed suggestion by Antestarr, I've decided to try and persuade established writers into writing for the NeS. First on my list -- Joss Whedon! Please give feedback on the matter 
Attached is the original Word file, but there's also a copy/paste job below in this post.
==========================
To Mr. Joss Whedon,
First, before I say anything else, I wish to say that I am a fan of the Firefly series and the movie, Serenity. I admit, I am biased towards any science-fiction or fantasy story that involve technology (or the like) held together by duct tape, but in this case, I love the characters. Any good story is usually driven by the characters in it, and the main characters in this story are no exception. I enjoy how all the main characters -- Mal, Zoe, Wash, Inara, Jayne, Kaylee, Simon, River and Shepard -- all share an equal weight in the big picture. My other major reason for loving the series and movie so much is the dialogue. I could ramble on about all the great lines, but I’ll just say the wit and humor is beautiful, and watching the clichés set up and then take a 180°… well, it never gets old. But I didn’t write this letter to tell you how much I love your work (though it may help to understand why I did write this letter after you finish reading it).
Since the summer of 1999, I have been writing for an online, on-going, interactive story. It might be best described as an “epic comedy,” with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and meta-fiction (in the post-modern sense), and after nearly seven years, the story is still being told. That’s not terribly long, but years on the Internet are like years for a dog. Anyway, I’m always searching for new writers, to continue to give this story new life and energy, and in a state of half-ambition and half-insanity (insanity being a common factor among the writers), I decided to see if I could convince someone like Joss Whedon to write for our story. I realize that you’re incredibly busy with your own work, and that it is presumptuous to think that you would write for our story, but if I don’t ask, how will I know for sure?
Unfortunately, there is little I can offer except for the joy and challenge of writing for a story such as ours. The Internet can assure you anonymity, if you wish it. In theory, you could already be writing for our story, and I would never know. It’s your skill, not your fame, which interests me. If the idea of writing for our story intrigues you, I have included information on the story itself, as well as where it can be found. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Scott Gajewski
===========================
(NEW DOCUMENT)
===========================
What is the NeS?[/i]
The Never-ending Story Thread, a.k.a. the NeS, is an online, on-going story which, no, is not related at all to The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende (which became an 80’s movie directed by Wolfgang Petersen) or the Nintendo Entertainment System (though we certainly have parodied the two). It is an “epic comedy” all of its own – sort of a half-Lord of the Rings, half-Monty Python and the Holy Grail, or a half-Star Wars, half-Looney Toons, or a half-Matrix, half-[insert witty comic comparison here]. The story is written by approximately five to ten writers at any given time on a semi-regular basis, some of whom have been around longer than others.
The NeS began in the summer of 1999 when Ares, the god of war, stood between all would-be hero-types and a comet hurdling towards the Earth, and challenged them for the fate of mankind. The hero-types stood their ground (sort of), and Ares eventually grew bored. Other fights arose, new heroes appeared, and the comet was later destroyed, all aired on Pay-Per-View. Since that not-so-spectacular introduction, the growing band of heroes went on to fight many evils: TotallyEvil, The Last True Evil (and his army of clones), Purevil, and some others without “evil” spelled out in their names (the most notable being the Ever-ending Plot – a force opposite yet equal to the NeS), during which they visited many locales, including Stonehenge, Disney World, The Forbidden Fortress of Forbiddeness, Japan, Switzerland, a little of the solar system, the Eighth Dimension, and even the darkest depths of the ninth circle of Hell (Canada).
As one might imagine, such a summary hardly delves into the heart of the story. After all, a rag-tag group of space-pirate types making a living under the tyranny of an oppressive superpower would hardly be a good understanding of “Firefly.” There is a difference between the events in a plot and the character in a story, and unfortunately, it’s much more difficult to summarize character. Still, I’ll do my best to provide.
What types of characters are in this story?
Perhaps the simplest way to show the character of the story would be to provide an idea of what sort of characters the story has to offer. A lot of the writers often bring a character of their own into the NeS, and their characters tend to reflect significantly on themselves. Here are some of the major players in the Never-ending Story Thread:
Gebohq: A strange name for the “main character” of the story, given by his mother when she drew six random letters from a Scrabble game. He dreams of being like his role-model, Captain Kirk, but often falls short due to his cowardice. There is an odd charisma to Gebohq that, while doesn’t seem to get him the ladies, brings the most random people to work together in fighting evil. Gebohq is an all-around competent fighter, being a professional hero, but his main strength is his ability to evade... which often means running away. He likes the ladies (and porn), pastries (doughnuts in particular), rainy days and long walks on the beach, and dislikes horror movies, swimming, and evil twins.
The Last True Evil: A former Soviet spy that was once part of a great cloning project, The Last True Evil (a.k.a. TLTE) once rivaled among the greatest of NeS villains, but reformed when he fell in love with Gebohq’s sister, Losien. Even in his villainy, TLTE is a likable and honorable type, if not also ruthless and less naïve than most of the hero-types he once called his enemies. A romantic and a Russian at heart, TLTE’s strengths lie mostly in his Soviet spy qualities, such as his proficiency with firearms, stealth, and charm. He likes Mother Russia and Losien, and dislikes powerful magic users.
Losien: Gebohq’s younger sister, named by her mother with the aid of a Ouija board. Her incredible sex appeal is only matched by her incredibly low self-esteem. Losien idolizes her older brother, which shows in facets of her own character. She likes guys, working with children, cheese and crackers, and dislikes her thighs, her hips, her waist, her nose, her brown eyes, her hair, her voice, her height and weight… you get the idea.
Arknd Thand: An enigmatic, bearded old man who is dedicated to the study and scrutiny of the essential fabric of the NeS thread, and may be the most intelligent man alive. Very little is known about him or his motives, due in part to his reclusive nature. When not instructing the heroes, Thand apparently spends his time reading every book ever written. An academic, to say the least, Arkng Thand’s strength lies solely on his vast intellect and wisdom, which is apparently more than enough. He likes the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, and dislikes the unknown and, perhaps, snakes.
How would I start writing for NeS?[/i]
Well, the first thing you need to do is register (it's free) at the Massassi Temple forums at:
http://forums.massassi.net
(picture here)
Once you’re registered, go to the Interactive Story Board.
(picture here)
Click on "NeS workshop."
(picture here)
The first post contains links to The Never-ending Story Thread and its current continuation (the active one), NeSquared. The latter half of the first post also provides links and information on the current events and active characters in NeS. The NeS workshop is also a good place to ask questions and the like.
(picture here)
When you feel ready to dive in, click the “post reply” button on The Never-ending Story Thread ² (a.k.a. NeSquared) and write away, clicking “submit post” when you’re finished!
(picture here)
And there you have it! Some general information in writing a story post:
(Closing statement?)
Attached is the original Word file, but there's also a copy/paste job below in this post.==========================
To Mr. Joss Whedon,
First, before I say anything else, I wish to say that I am a fan of the Firefly series and the movie, Serenity. I admit, I am biased towards any science-fiction or fantasy story that involve technology (or the like) held together by duct tape, but in this case, I love the characters. Any good story is usually driven by the characters in it, and the main characters in this story are no exception. I enjoy how all the main characters -- Mal, Zoe, Wash, Inara, Jayne, Kaylee, Simon, River and Shepard -- all share an equal weight in the big picture. My other major reason for loving the series and movie so much is the dialogue. I could ramble on about all the great lines, but I’ll just say the wit and humor is beautiful, and watching the clichés set up and then take a 180°… well, it never gets old. But I didn’t write this letter to tell you how much I love your work (though it may help to understand why I did write this letter after you finish reading it).
Since the summer of 1999, I have been writing for an online, on-going, interactive story. It might be best described as an “epic comedy,” with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and meta-fiction (in the post-modern sense), and after nearly seven years, the story is still being told. That’s not terribly long, but years on the Internet are like years for a dog. Anyway, I’m always searching for new writers, to continue to give this story new life and energy, and in a state of half-ambition and half-insanity (insanity being a common factor among the writers), I decided to see if I could convince someone like Joss Whedon to write for our story. I realize that you’re incredibly busy with your own work, and that it is presumptuous to think that you would write for our story, but if I don’t ask, how will I know for sure?
Unfortunately, there is little I can offer except for the joy and challenge of writing for a story such as ours. The Internet can assure you anonymity, if you wish it. In theory, you could already be writing for our story, and I would never know. It’s your skill, not your fame, which interests me. If the idea of writing for our story intrigues you, I have included information on the story itself, as well as where it can be found. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Scott Gajewski
===========================
(NEW DOCUMENT)
===========================
What is the NeS?[/i]
The Never-ending Story Thread, a.k.a. the NeS, is an online, on-going story which, no, is not related at all to The NeverEnding Story by Michael Ende (which became an 80’s movie directed by Wolfgang Petersen) or the Nintendo Entertainment System (though we certainly have parodied the two). It is an “epic comedy” all of its own – sort of a half-Lord of the Rings, half-Monty Python and the Holy Grail, or a half-Star Wars, half-Looney Toons, or a half-Matrix, half-[insert witty comic comparison here]. The story is written by approximately five to ten writers at any given time on a semi-regular basis, some of whom have been around longer than others.
The NeS began in the summer of 1999 when Ares, the god of war, stood between all would-be hero-types and a comet hurdling towards the Earth, and challenged them for the fate of mankind. The hero-types stood their ground (sort of), and Ares eventually grew bored. Other fights arose, new heroes appeared, and the comet was later destroyed, all aired on Pay-Per-View. Since that not-so-spectacular introduction, the growing band of heroes went on to fight many evils: TotallyEvil, The Last True Evil (and his army of clones), Purevil, and some others without “evil” spelled out in their names (the most notable being the Ever-ending Plot – a force opposite yet equal to the NeS), during which they visited many locales, including Stonehenge, Disney World, The Forbidden Fortress of Forbiddeness, Japan, Switzerland, a little of the solar system, the Eighth Dimension, and even the darkest depths of the ninth circle of Hell (Canada).
As one might imagine, such a summary hardly delves into the heart of the story. After all, a rag-tag group of space-pirate types making a living under the tyranny of an oppressive superpower would hardly be a good understanding of “Firefly.” There is a difference between the events in a plot and the character in a story, and unfortunately, it’s much more difficult to summarize character. Still, I’ll do my best to provide.
What types of characters are in this story?
Perhaps the simplest way to show the character of the story would be to provide an idea of what sort of characters the story has to offer. A lot of the writers often bring a character of their own into the NeS, and their characters tend to reflect significantly on themselves. Here are some of the major players in the Never-ending Story Thread:
Gebohq: A strange name for the “main character” of the story, given by his mother when she drew six random letters from a Scrabble game. He dreams of being like his role-model, Captain Kirk, but often falls short due to his cowardice. There is an odd charisma to Gebohq that, while doesn’t seem to get him the ladies, brings the most random people to work together in fighting evil. Gebohq is an all-around competent fighter, being a professional hero, but his main strength is his ability to evade... which often means running away. He likes the ladies (and porn), pastries (doughnuts in particular), rainy days and long walks on the beach, and dislikes horror movies, swimming, and evil twins.
The Last True Evil: A former Soviet spy that was once part of a great cloning project, The Last True Evil (a.k.a. TLTE) once rivaled among the greatest of NeS villains, but reformed when he fell in love with Gebohq’s sister, Losien. Even in his villainy, TLTE is a likable and honorable type, if not also ruthless and less naïve than most of the hero-types he once called his enemies. A romantic and a Russian at heart, TLTE’s strengths lie mostly in his Soviet spy qualities, such as his proficiency with firearms, stealth, and charm. He likes Mother Russia and Losien, and dislikes powerful magic users.
Losien: Gebohq’s younger sister, named by her mother with the aid of a Ouija board. Her incredible sex appeal is only matched by her incredibly low self-esteem. Losien idolizes her older brother, which shows in facets of her own character. She likes guys, working with children, cheese and crackers, and dislikes her thighs, her hips, her waist, her nose, her brown eyes, her hair, her voice, her height and weight… you get the idea.
Arknd Thand: An enigmatic, bearded old man who is dedicated to the study and scrutiny of the essential fabric of the NeS thread, and may be the most intelligent man alive. Very little is known about him or his motives, due in part to his reclusive nature. When not instructing the heroes, Thand apparently spends his time reading every book ever written. An academic, to say the least, Arkng Thand’s strength lies solely on his vast intellect and wisdom, which is apparently more than enough. He likes the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom, and dislikes the unknown and, perhaps, snakes.
How would I start writing for NeS?[/i]
Well, the first thing you need to do is register (it's free) at the Massassi Temple forums at:
http://forums.massassi.net
(picture here)
Once you’re registered, go to the Interactive Story Board.
(picture here)
Click on "NeS workshop."
(picture here)
The first post contains links to The Never-ending Story Thread and its current continuation (the active one), NeSquared. The latter half of the first post also provides links and information on the current events and active characters in NeS. The NeS workshop is also a good place to ask questions and the like.
(picture here)
When you feel ready to dive in, click the “post reply” button on The Never-ending Story Thread ² (a.k.a. NeSquared) and write away, clicking “submit post” when you’re finished!
(picture here)
And there you have it! Some general information in writing a story post:
- The NeS is, on a whole, a generally flexible story. By its nature, it is confusing, to say the least. It certainly has its bad parts, but it has become progressively better over the years.
- Any traditional writer will have difficulty adapting to writing for NeS, and many writers can attest to having their plans “ruined” by another. Strong improvisation skills are needed. It’s a running joke in NeS that the plot has been flushed down the toilet.
- You do not need to read all of NeS. If you’ve noticed, there's enough material right now to put Stephen King to shame. In fact, it's likely there have been writers who haven't read anything before joining, though that's not recommended. Generally speaking, reading the last page or two, if not the current/latest story arc, is recommended, so as to pick up on the style and spirit of the story. If you wish to have a look at the beginning, I would highly suggest turning to the NeS webcomic instead, which so far covers about half of the first page. It can be found at http://nes.sorrowind.net if you wish to see it.
- You do not need to make your own character. If you wish to make a character (or five), by no means do they need to be a hero-type. Villains, anti-hero, foil… doesn’t matter.
(Closing statement?)
The Plothole: a home for amateur, inclusive, collaborative stories
http://forums.theplothole.net
http://forums.theplothole.net
