Young Writers Society

@Elinor and @Plume, I created it!

So, Elinor, you said something about having it set in the 1920s (although you aren't totally sold on it) - I'm fine with that, but it is one of the decades I know less about. :/

I just thought of the 20s because I've been wanting to do something in that decade for a while and something centered around a speakeasy came to my mind. However, I'm open to other ideas!

A speakeasy type thing would definitely be super fun; the 20s are one of my favorite 20th century decades. But also if it is one of the decades you know less about, looseleaf, I don’t want to force you to do something you’re not super jazzed about! What are your favorite time periods throughout history? Maybe we can find one we’re all super excited about! I also think it could be good just to do some brainstorming even if we do end up circling back to the 20s.

Hi,

is there still a place available here?

There's still room, @MailicedeNamedy, if you would like to join!

I know the most about the 30-50s, along with the 80s, but I'm good with the 1920s if you guys want to do it!

Thanks! I´m in.

I am quite open to other periods and decades as well. We just have to choose one where we all have a bit of knowledge, don't we?

Do we maybe want to do the late twenties? (Also, in terms of historical accuracy/knowledge, I feel like it doesn't need to be totally textbook accurate. As long as you're not throwing in cellphones, I think it should be fine. The internet is also a great resource if you want to fact check stuff; I know when I've written historical fiction I've had to google some very specific questions.)

I think we should also determine a place (even if it's just a general area) of where it's taking place. I'm thinking more along the lines of a big city, but do we want it to be in the US, or Europe, or somewhere else? Just to kind of solidify maybe what would be going on then and to have a concrete environment for our characters to occupy. My first thought was good old New York City— it's definitely got the cultural and economic explosions that characterized the 20s, and it had a pretty diverse population. It is a little cliché, though, so if you're dead set against it or you have other ideas, I'm totally open to hearing them!!

Maybe we could start around 1928 - 1929 before the Great Depression? That would also fit with the Golden Twenties if we would stay in Europe as in Germany there was inflation until the end of 1923 and in France the années folles also only began in the mid-20s, I think?

You're right, Plume, that we don't have to be 100% accurate. I think it's fun to research all that, but it also prolongs the writing a bit. Maybe we can share some websites here where there are some lists of inventions, everyday life, etc. I also have some info lying around somewhere about that time, but it's more about fashion, the role of women and how the different classes lived.

For the place, I would say Berlin right away, because I lived there for a few years, and it's just a beautiful city (because it isn´t an actual "city" like others but more a merger of several suburbs and two rival smaller towns.), today as well as then, of course not without its problems ("Ring clubs" some sort of mafia, instability, growth of the city and the rise of illegal prostitution, and the rise of the Nazi Party), but I think maybe (if Europe is chosen) Paris would also be very interesting, because of the art, the music, culture and the different people during that time, etc...

NY sounds nice already. LA would also be a possibility? Maybe Sydney could also be an option?

What do the others think about this?

Sorry, I wasn't get these notifications because I wasn't subscribed.

I'm cool with New York. I'd also like to have it set in the US so we could play with Prohibition and the culture of organized crime that came as a result of it. When I think of the 20s I actually think of Chicago, which is why NY is cool with me. And when I think of New York in the 20s I think of The Great Gatsby, but Gatsby is set in 1922 and written in 1925, before the crash was on anyone's radar.

I like 1928 or even sometime before October 1929 because it was just as the culture of excess was starting to hit a breaking point. It's also an interesting period because sound film was in its infancy.

To be honest, @looseleaf the 1920s is also one of the decades I know the least about (my comfort zone is the 40s-70s) but I wanted suggest it in the hopes I could get out of my comfort zone.

I have an idea for a character that's left home, cut her hair and wants to reinvent herself. Maybe we could start with the setting as a speakeasy they all frequent and then go from there? Open to other ideas as well.

@Elinor Chicago could also be fun! That was really where the organized crime was centered in the US, I think, especially with all the bootlegging, so we could also do Chicago if we want to focus on a speakeasy. I really enjoy the speakeasy idea, though!!

Paris would also be cool, but I do admit to knowing less about places outside the US during the 20s (curse the US-centric American history curriculum). I'd be fine with either Paris, Chicago, or New York, but I think it'll also somewhat depend on what we decide to focus on plot-wise.

I also like 1928 as a year; I'll wait on everyone weighing in but it seems like everyone is generally okay with it?

In terms of plot: I feel like generally, most roleplays have a concrete obstacle for characters at the beginning. I definitely don't want this to lose steam, especially if we plan on winning LSS. Does anyone have any ideas in terms of problems or premises? I like the speakeasy idea, but what causes these characters to interact/what drives the plot past the exposition point? Are we leaning towards mystery, drama, society life, crime, or other genres? Just to get the ball rolling on brainstorming, you know.

Sorry I haven't responded! I went back to school yesterday so it's been busy.

I'm good with 1928 and any of the locations. I really don't care about the location as long as you guys are good with it.

Plot-wise, I'm a sucker for murder mysteries and just mysteries in general, but that would probably be repetitive/overused and I don't know if there'd be a big obstacle like @Plume suggested. It's always an option, though, since there are plenty of motives we could come up with that fit with the speakeasies and the general vibe.

Otherwise, I'm good with society live and maybe drama, since I'm not the greatest at writing drama.

That sounds already really neat when starting in a speakeasy. And Chicago is a great setting for it! (Now I want to watch the film Some Like it Hot again...)

For plot things: As for the plot itself, I don't have a concrete idea yet, except that maybe one of us is the owner of the speakeasy and the characters have been friends since childhood. But we don't really have anything to do with the gang wars because at the speakeasy "all" gangs come and go and it is a neutral ground for them.

But somehow this neutrality crumbles apart as we get older (we could have had a speakeasy since 1920 / 1921 and so have already experienced a lot) because we all have other dreams (like becoming a film star, starting a family, etc...) but we can't leave because we already know so much about the part of the gangs. The friendship could start to fall apart because everybody has another opinion or we are getting threatened because some members heard about us talking and now we have to decide which gang we are going to join or are getting killed. Or we have to create our own gang, and so we are falling deeper and deeper into organized crime etc...

I like a lot of that idea! I don't know how deeply women were involved in organized crime.

I want my character to be a little bit younger, maybe 19ish, but it could be interesting if she was a little girl in 1920/21, maybe the younger sister or child/niece of someone else's character, depending on what you all hand in mind.

I also like the idea of the speakeasy being a neutral ground.

I agree we need a driving plot/conflict though.

@looseleaf I think we could make a murder mystery work! (I'm a sucker for them too, and I know they're a tad overused but goodness they are certainly fun.) It could also incorporate the organized crime Mailice mentioned along with some other obstacles. If the characters frequent this speakeasy and maybe one of them owns it, that would provide an incentive for the characters to try and solve the murder, since police getting involved could get them busted too, especially if there's some upstart cop not willing to be paid off to ignore the barrels of illegal alcohol and gang ties. The dead character could have had connections to several gangs or to each of our characters, too, possibly. It depends how much y'all are vibing with the murder mystery idea vs. focusing more on the organized crime/mafia/criminal underworld aspect.

Also: maturity rating. How far do we want to take violence descriptions/substance consumption/cursing/other iffy topics? Cause we're probably bound to have some, because, you know, it's the 20s, but we can also keep it on the tamer side if anyone doesn't want that sort of stuff. I personally am fine with violence, substances, and cursing (as long as it's not absued/overused) so around something that would warrant something like PG-13/TV-14, but if someone wants to move it lower, that's alright too!