December 03, 2008

Help Me Write! - Casting a Vision

A vision is nothing if not cast. Give people the tactics without telling them what the strategy is and they’ll look at you like you’re crazy. Al Gore would never have been able to get the Internet started if he had just said, “Hey, let’s connect a bunch of computers.” No, I’m sure Al, when he envisioned the Internet, said something like, “Imagine a world where a wealth of information is at your fingertips!” I have to stop the analogy now; the sarcasm is dripping off the keyboard.

Becky left a great comment on the last blog post. I’m going to paraphrase, but it went something like, “What you’re proposing is not a good idea unless you’re doing something that I don’t understand.” As the guy who wrote about applying a core strategy and supporting it by adding value, I’m feeling a little sheepish. This week, then, let me explain the concept behind TimeSlingers.com. Let me cast a little vision.

The idea for TimeSlingers.com started a long time ago. My friend, Nathan, is an excellent illustrator. I write. We got to thinking (which is sometimes scary) and thought that we’d try something different. Our concept: to bring back classic newspaper serials, only this time, we’d use Al Gore’s miraculous invention, the Internet.

The synopsis? Science fiction adventure that felt like a television show (24, Heroes, Battlestar Galactica, etc.). Brief and action-packed. It would leave readers wanting more. The storyline would be supplemented by e-mails delivered to readers who sign up to receive them. Readers could even comment on the blog and become more involved in the storyline and the characters.

For style, we would take on a more comic book-like approach to the writing (along with the illustrations). Packed with action. Internet readers, who tend to have shorter attention spans, would need to be able to read it quickly and move on. Illustrations would be a huge part of it. It’s a graphic novel supported by prose.

I’ll stop there for now, but I’m sure this raises some questions. Please ask! I want this to be a story that people get excited about, and I’d love to hear your ideas! Poke holes! Offer feedback! Give me your opinions!

4 comments:

Sherer said...

I am thinking something that is truely original - perhaps an adventure story in a world that has different values. Whether they be moral values or different properties of physics - I want something different

Rebecca LuElla Miller said...

Ah-ha, so you are talking about a whole 'nother format—the TV version of the novel. Interesting, to say the least.

Love the Al Gore/Internet humor, BTW! LOL

Becky

J Sherer said...

Thanks for the comments, guys! Jesse, you mentioned something different, so you're basically referring to the storyline. Morals, physics, something of that nature.

What do you think of the concept? Would you read it? Who is our primary audience group?

Sherer said...

Definately a science fiction crowd. Imagine a action adventure story that takes place in a universe in which everyone can fly, or perhaps a universe in which everyone thought that a killing was a necessary if it wasnt your own family because of over population.