Comments on: A Million Decisions http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30 Can a community write a novel? Let's find out... Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:48:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: Sentinel http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-969 Sentinel Sun, 22 Apr 2007 12:49:36 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-969 Hi, I know the editing has now been closed, but if you editor guys at Penguin are still out there, can I suggest some minor corrections that have been bugging me. They don't change anything substantial to the structure of the novel, they are just correcting two glaring errors. namely....in the chapter on the main page called True story (Main_Page#True_Story) The statue of Mary Poppins is actually on the corner of Richmond and Kent Streets, Maryborough, Queensland. and not as printed here incorrectly as the corner of March and Kent. ( This is just a factual correction). Also at the very end of the novel on the main pages...there is a slight logical error: (the chapter is called Section_7# mobius_strip ) As he came closer, John asked Carlo Impatiently: "How does your book end?" John stared at him for a long hard moment and replied: "Like this!" The last lines should actually say the below (otherwise it is suggesting John is answering himself and makes no sense).... ( so can I suggest a correction that is purely logical in the structure of the text to this....) As he came closer, Carlo asked John impatiently: "How does your book end?" John stared at him for a long hard moment and replied: "Like this!" Hi, I know the editing has now been closed, but if you editor guys at Penguin are still out there, can I suggest some minor corrections that have been bugging me. They don’t change anything substantial to the structure of the novel, they are just correcting two glaring errors.

namely….in the chapter on the main page called True story

(Main_Page#True_Story)

The statue of Mary Poppins is actually on the corner of Richmond and Kent Streets, Maryborough, Queensland. and not as printed here incorrectly as the corner of March and Kent. ( This is just a factual correction).

Also at the very end of the novel on the main pages…there is a slight logical error:

(the chapter is called Section_7# mobius_strip )

As he came closer, John asked Carlo Impatiently: “How does your book end?”
John stared at him for a long hard moment and replied: “Like this!”

The last lines should actually say the below (otherwise it is suggesting John is answering himself and makes no sense)…. ( so can I suggest a correction that is purely logical in the structure of the text to this….)

As he came closer, Carlo asked John impatiently: “How does your book end?”
John stared at him for a long hard moment and replied: “Like this!”

]]> By: jane http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-934 jane Thu, 12 Apr 2007 00:22:49 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-934 hello jon, just a thought, may be interesting if the evolution of your 'book' was subject to some visual analysis, perhpas by way of ibm's 'history flow' tool at http://www.research.ibm.com/visual/projects/history_flow/ for example; who knows, a picture may still be worth a million words, and would certainly better than one million penguins? hello jon, just a thought, may be interesting if the evolution of your ‘book’ was subject to some visual analysis, perhpas by way of ibm’s ‘history flow’ tool at http://www.research.ibm.com/visual/projects/history_flow/ for example; who knows, a picture may still be worth a million words, and would certainly better than one million penguins?

]]> By: Sentinel http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-904 Sentinel Wed, 04 Apr 2007 14:06:54 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-904 Hi Joanna, I tried putting my info on your website, got right to the end and it said "error not sent" and wouldn't let me go back. in any case if you like, please contact me at holyjoe@ozemail.com.au cheers, Paul Hi Joanna, I tried putting my info on your website, got right to the end and it said “error not sent” and wouldn’t let me go back.

in any case if you like, please contact me at holyjoe@ozemail.com.au

cheers,

Paul

]]> By: joanna howard http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-902 joanna howard Mon, 02 Apr 2007 15:56:20 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-902 sentinel do you have a way I can contact you? or you could email me from my website www.joannahoward.net. This goes for anyone else who's interested sentinel do you have a way I can contact you? or you could email me from my website www.joannahoward.net.

This goes for anyone else who’s interested

]]> By: Giant Mice :: The story behind the story. http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-899 Giant Mice :: The story behind the story. Sun, 01 Apr 2007 00:30:59 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-899 [...] The story behind the story. No, what’s been shown is that a bunch of strangers with both nothing to lose and nothing to gain worked toward a nebulous common goal. I guess its the sheer benevolence on display that amazed me most.  — Jon Elek [...] […] The story behind the story. No, what’s been shown is that a bunch of strangers with both nothing to lose and nothing to gain worked toward a nebulous common goal. I guess its the sheer benevolence on display that amazed me most.  — Jon Elek […]

]]> By: Neri http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-898 Neri Sat, 31 Mar 2007 18:53:16 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-898 After the work, and the pleasure, of writing now I am checking the various sections. The descriptions of the ambiences are accurate and intriguing. The psychological types are less evident and intelligible. The ambience dominates. The course of the story goes on and yes indeed. Modern fiction is very difficult and one can see it. But this is fiction. We are not more a community, but this community, ours. For example I am happy to have a sharp and serious co-author as Johanna Howard. I shall continue my check. Bye. After the work, and the pleasure, of writing now I am checking the various sections. The descriptions of the ambiences are accurate and intriguing. The psychological types are less evident and intelligible. The ambience dominates. The course of the story goes on and yes indeed. Modern fiction is very difficult and one can see it. But this is fiction. We are not more a community, but this community, ours. For example I am happy to have a sharp and serious co-author as Johanna Howard. I shall continue my check. Bye.

]]> By: sentinel http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-883 sentinel Fri, 30 Mar 2007 11:39:07 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-883 Hi Joanna, I would be interested in reflecting on the process, cheers sentinel Hi Joanna,
I would be interested in reflecting on the process, cheers sentinel

]]> By: joanna howard http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-847 joanna howard Wed, 28 Mar 2007 14:45:25 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-847 I interested in reviewing the overall progress of the wiki, having been involved along the way. If anyone is interested in sharing their own experiences, please let me know how I can contact them. My reasons for this are that I'm fascinated by collaborative writing, I was totally absorbed in our process as it was happening, I am (unlike most others) sure that writing collaborative fiction successfully is possible using what we learned this time around. Maybe I can get something more substantial than a general impression by discussing this with other contributors one-to-one. (or here if that's the only possibility) My interest is in * the overall group process and experience, as described in the last few posts * what do we wish we'd done differently? * what do you think about the possibilities of writing fiction collaboratively, what would it take, would it be worth the effort? If you need to know more about me before deciding to, ask here. I interested in reviewing the overall progress of the wiki, having been involved along the way. If anyone is interested in sharing their own experiences, please let me know how I can contact them.

My reasons for this are that I’m fascinated by collaborative writing, I was totally absorbed in our process as it was happening, I am (unlike most others) sure that writing collaborative fiction successfully is possible using what we learned this time around. Maybe I can get something more substantial than a general impression by discussing this with other contributors one-to-one. (or here if that’s the only possibility)

My interest is in
* the overall group process and experience, as described in the last few posts
* what do we wish we’d done differently?
* what do you think about the possibilities of writing fiction collaboratively, what would it take, would it be worth the effort?

If you need to know more about me before deciding to, ask here.

]]> By: M http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-845 M Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:07:48 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-845 The body found cold, is dissected, analysed. A turbulent mess, who fractured, capsized. A million minds who worked only as one. can you now try, make sense, what was done? Follow their wisdom, interpret the thoughts, chase ideas unexpanded, re-expunged, barely caught? Beauty in the rough; how does it shine? All of those penguins, retire, bide their time. To wonder if this is the first, or the last. Hoping the moment hasn't already past, but rather will come to be something quite fine. To bring us back together, another week, same time. The body found cold, is dissected, analysed.
A turbulent mess, who fractured, capsized.
A million minds who worked only as one.
can you now try, make sense, what was done?
Follow their wisdom, interpret the thoughts,
chase ideas unexpanded, re-expunged, barely caught?

Beauty in the rough; how does it shine?
All of those penguins, retire, bide their time.
To wonder if this is the first, or the last.
Hoping the moment hasn’t already past,
but rather will come to be something quite fine.
To bring us back together, another week, same time.

]]> By: ConstructionDestruction http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-841 ConstructionDestruction Tue, 27 Mar 2007 03:24:15 +0000 http://amillionpenguins.com/blog/?p=30#comment-841 Edgar Allan Poe (in The Philosophy of Composition) remarked that no author would be brave enough to detail the actual steps involved in creating their stories. He felt that authors (and poets) would be decidedly uncomfortable to reveal the discarded ideas; the anxiety and indecision about word choice and imagery. The wiki novel is a very rough diamond and I expect Mr Poe would disapprove of the denouement. He might, however, enjoy the history, discussion pages and the blog revealing the intricate detail of its construction. I particularly like your statement, "a bunch of strangers with both nothing to lose and nothing to gain worked toward a nebulous common goal." Thanks for the opportunity. Personally, I've gained something from the experience. JohnH Edgar Allan Poe (in The Philosophy of Composition) remarked that no author would be brave enough to detail the actual steps involved in creating their stories. He felt that authors (and poets) would be decidedly uncomfortable to reveal the discarded ideas; the anxiety and indecision about word choice and imagery.

The wiki novel is a very rough diamond and I expect Mr Poe would disapprove of the denouement. He might, however, enjoy the history, discussion pages and the blog revealing the intricate detail of its construction.

I particularly like your statement, “a bunch of strangers with both nothing to lose and nothing to gain worked toward a nebulous common goal.” Thanks for the opportunity. Personally, I’ve gained something from the experience.

JohnH

]]>