Forumshire: The First Five Years

Eldorion wrote:Just watch me.

I'm watching.

Well, the biggest problem is trying to find my "angle" for the history.  The entries for 2009 and 2010 were mostly just introductory notes and context-building.  2011 was the natural climax of the narrative and themes that started building there, and the year ended with the victory of Forumshire, its regulars, and the ideals it represents.  Obviously a lot of this is down to my interpretation of events, but after late 2011 the forum became much more stable than it had been for ages and began an extended period of growth and expansion.  There are plenty of things that I could name that grew in this period (though this would also require a good deal of research time to refresh my memory), there wasn't much in the way of structural changes to the forum as a whole.  So in order to find interesting conflicts and dynamics to discuss, any history of the forum 2012 to the present would have to focus largely on clashes between forum personalities and culture gaps between members who joined at different times.  But this is a lot more subjective than the early history of the forum, and my own hypotheses about these "cultural" changes have received a number of thought-provoking critiques when I've alluded them in public.  So I'm not entirely sure how I would really want to approach additional chapters of Forumshire's history right now.

I have spent a fair amount of time working on ideas for a fictionalized history of Forumshire in a fleshed-out fictional world (sort of like a greatly expanded version of the setting from The Needlehole Mysteries) that would aim to adapt events from the forum's actual history, to explore psychological drama in greater detail than most forum fanfic has so far, and to give me an excuse to work ideas from political science into my fiction.  But I have my doubts about whether such a story would be enjoyable to read, due to my own limitations as a writer and because it would be very different and much less lighthearted than the majority of fiction posted in the Creative Corner.

"But I have my doubts about whether such a story would be enjoyable to read" - Eldo

That shouldn't be an author's concern, Eldo Write what you want, and if you're happy with it, post it and we'll like it or we won't - either way you'll end up having written something you are happy with, and that should be good enough for anyone

I do really like some of the ideas that I've been working on, and I enjoy worldbuilding on a bigger scale than I've attempted in years, but I'm not sure if it's worth trying to polish into something presentable or if it's better left as a private amusement.

You could just document the clashes between Figgy and Petty. That's entertaining enough to carry any story.

Oi!

Go on Eldo, screw on youre thinking head, twiddle the keys & let the story floooooooooow

'Ere ? I noticed it says 8.56 am ? is it just me ? or has anyone else noticed this ?

Says 12:06am here

I think the time zone function is wonky; mine jumped forward by an hour for no reason earlier today.  If you click on the "Profile" link in the forum header, though, and then the "Preferences" tab, you can re-set your time zone to the proper one.

Ok Its me chuffing PC. Its begging for a fiddle

ok Eldo I think our posts clashed for a second

Eldorion wrote:Well, the biggest problem is trying to find my "angle" for the history.  The entries for 2009 and 2010 were mostly just introductory notes and context-building.  2011 was the natural climax of the narrative and themes that started building there, and the year ended with the victory of Forumshire, its regulars, and the ideals it represents.  Obviously a lot of this is down to my interpretation of events, but after late 2011 the forum became much more stable than it had been for ages and began an extended period of growth and expansion.  There are plenty of things that I could name that grew in this period (though this would also require a good deal of research time to refresh my memory), there wasn't much in the way of structural changes to the forum as a whole.  So in order to find interesting conflicts and dynamics to discuss, any history of the forum 2012 to the present would have to focus largely on clashes between forum personalities and culture gaps between members who joined at different times.  But this is a lot more subjective than the early history of the forum, and my own hypotheses about these "cultural" changes have received a number of thought-provoking critiques when I've alluded them in public.  So I'm not entirely sure how I would really want to approach additional chapters of Forumshire's history right now.

I have spent a fair amount of time working on ideas for a fictionalized history of Forumshire in a fleshed-out fictional world (sort of like a greatly expanded version of the setting from The Needlehole Mysteries) that would aim to adapt events from the forum's actual history, to explore psychological drama in greater detail than most forum fanfic has so far, and to give me an excuse to work ideas from political science into my fiction.  But I have my doubts about whether such a story would be enjoyable to read, due to my own limitations as a writer and because it would be very different and much less lighthearted than the majority of fiction posted in the Creative Corner.

Both of those things sound interesting to me, though a fair amount of work. So, you'll certainly hear no demands from me.

I'd say, as far as the history is concerned, just to write it, and if people have different views on it it might start some interesting discussions.  

And as for the story, if you're worried that it differs from the general trend of the creative forum you could as well put that as a strength and not a weakness, really. Perhaps it's just what the Creative Corner needs.

But you'll figure out what's best, I'm sure.