If so, then we could post the individual sections in a webdip thread, as well as the URL for the doc each time one of us finishes a section.

I agree with Warden. That simpler approach is the better one.

I'll check back in in 3-ish hours, time for more classes.

Yeah, that works.

Now, are we going to round robin it freeform? Or will we discuss the next step in the stories evolution then let one of us have a go at fleshing out the outlined section?

There will be some overview discussion between us but each person's 'turn' to submit will be up to them how they want to proceed. that's my idea anyway.

Overview was what I meant. Not details, but where are we going to take the next paragraph as in, will a major breakthru occur and where? At the beginning? At the end? Major plot points that need to be covered somewhere along the way kind of stuff.

Yeah, we'll talk about that and make suggestions. Still, the individual authors will have a lot of leeway in that regard but if they go too far away from what all the others want, the rest could override with a unanimous vote like we said but I don't want to stifle the creativity. Everyone should feel comfortable to go how they feel the story is moving along with the general discussion.

Agreed. But without a definite timeline and overarching plot, this book will be the never ending story. :-)

haha, that's very true. That's what we're trying to do here, setup that overview with the major plot points, directions, etc.

OK, so we have our premise...

Time to define characters? Kind of need them to further define the plot beyond the premise.

Well, we have to wait to be sure Warden, Thucy and Abge agree with the premise. Warden seemed to agree but we still need the other two as well. Don't we?

Yes, we should.

OK, basic setup. Sign your name below if you agree.

Scientist loses loved one to evil person with long family history together (hatfields and mccoys type thing). Goes crazy and decides to go back in time to change things so evil guy no longer exists. In process, screws up and causes timerift when he goes to chronoshift. Pulls people from his own time as well as other times with him and ends up in medieval Europe.

Insane scientist is still determined to change the past and recruits some of the characters to join him with the promise to return them while others are more concerned about the rift in the space-time continuum (mostly his peers from the "present") even if it means they are trapped in hsitory.

I agree to this premise:

Draugnar aka Robert Bolin

I agree as well

FirstApple aka Steve Spence

@Thucy, Abge, Warden - we're waiting on you.

Yes, this is a shameless bump in reality.

Agree except one thing - we have no explanation why he is going to the middle ages. if he has a time machine he could just prevent the initial event.

i would vote to change the motive from a loved one which is a small and specific event and change it instead to him having some kind of other motive that requires a large and difficult change, the assassination of a king or the starting of a war for instance. a bit of research may be needed

Okay, that makes sense now that you mention it.

I can live with that change too.

So what then is the new motive lol.

What was going on in Medieval Europe that you could change?

And when I said before "why would you oppose changing history for the better" perhaps the correct answer is to avoid creating some kind of "rift" as you mentioned, with the "good guys" voluntarily staying in the past forever so as to save the universe.

YOu could even make it ambiguous by having neither side really knowing if there would be a rift, but there being a risk, and the bad guys are willing to risk it the good guys are not

Feudalism, right? Landrights and all that. Land was power. A blood feud over land given to one over the other by the king at the time could do just that.

I like having a rift that is pulling more and more people and things through time and causign a real mixup with the potential for paradox as a result.

explain what you mean about feudalism - the main character is trying to abolish feudalism or what

Just thinking of his family losing land because of something the rival family did.

No you don't understand what I'm saying lol if the guy has a time machine he could just as easily prevent the event happened by going back like 1 week not 1000 years or whatever.

It's not convincing at all that he would decide the middle ages would be a good time to visit for that

Unless it was a pattern of events and something just got discovered. Something that should never have existed to begin with as far as he was concerned. Or something that should have been brought to light back then.

okay so like his family rival like

tells him that back in 1300 his family like.... took his farm?

i dunno its just a lot more convincing (and exciting) that someone would want to change the course of broader history, not just his own history

But what motivates him and drives him mad about the broader course of history? Grief can drive one insane and trigger self destructive activity and explain away extreme and unwarranted actions.

There has to be a combination of the two I think. something personal AND broader, it's the only thing that would drive a man crazy enough to risk something so huge like this trip back in time. He has to be truly passionate about it and thus there needs to be more than one reason for a particular time and place.