On the “the next web” blog, Martin Bryant
describes a few ways social media are being used to tell stories. One is a
novel being released one Twitter tweet at a time,
another is having a fictional character tell his or her story using Facebook or
MySpace. It’s the third I found more interesting as a format, a one-month project called
“November in Manchester”:
“What if you gave your fictional characters a
variety of accounts on different services? November in Manchester is one project
trying just that. Billed as a ‘Social Media Love Story’, its eight characters
have their own Twitter feeds and blogs. By following the characters involved
you can see the story unfold in a much more ‘personal’ way that you would if
you were just being told a story in a traditional way.
With so many accounts to keep up on you could
easily fall behind so the project’s website gives you a daily overview of the
plot and a news feed of all the characters’ accounts.
…The author, Tom Mason, wants the city of
Manchester to be a key part of the plot. Photos and videos submitted by readers
have become an important part of the story. The characters have even ‘attended’
real events in the city as suggested by readers.”
I have to be honest--the site didn't interest me any more than any other soap opera does (in other words, not much) but using this kind of format could be a fun way to collaborate—to have one author per character, perhaps starting with only a loose outline for the structure of the story, allowing room for spontaneity and response to events in the real world.
(for tips on how to be more creative and productive, sign up now for my free monthly Brainstorm e-bulletin by sending an email request to [email protected]. If you might be interested in a six-week online coaching program that will help you achieve your own creative projects, read about the Breakthrough Strategy program at www.jurgenwolff.com)
