Young Writers Society

1. What is a Storybook

A storybook is a story created by a group of people. The storybook creator decides on the ground rules and the overall plot but after that, it's up to everyone involved to come up with characters and plot twists. The storybook creator can be as vague or exact as they like but should always leave room for creativity as it's no fun being in a storybook where every event has already been decided!

2. Are there different types of storybooks?

Yes there are! The most popular kind on YWS is known as an RPG Storybook. This is where each member creates their own character, first posting a mini biography for them to help other participants get to know who they are, what they look like and how they might speak or act. Each person then either writes from that character's first person view point or a third person view but with their character as the main focus. They do of course mention the other characters too and write dialogue for them, but should be careful when controlling another member's character - it isn't polite to make your character too powerful or to neglect the personality that a writer has created for their own character.

3. So what's the other type?

Shush, I was getting to that, honest I was! The other kind is the standard way to storybook. The creator gives a quick overview of the plot and maybe writes a bio for the main character, but not always. Then they write the first section of the story. This is usually a few paragraphs but can be longer or shorter and then the next person to join simply adds to the story. They write from the same perspective and after that you just take it in turns. Standard storybooks can have any number of participants and people are free to join or leave as they please. There's no set order to who posts next and they're great for people who don't have time to commit themselves fully but still want to have a go at co-writing a story.

4. How do I join a storybook?

First read through a few plot outlines until you find one that you're interested in and then jump right in! Some will have restrictions on characters so you may not be able to join if they're full but you're sure to find a space somewhere. Then you need to fill out a character sheet. Sometimes the creator will give you one that you simply copy and paste and fill out the blanks. Other times you'll need to make your own. They're pretty simple, just remember the key details like appearance, personality and skills. It's also good to keep in mind that you should list both the strengths and weaknesses of your character so they have a nice rounded personality. Never forget that nobody is perfect and therefore no character should be either!

5. How often do I need to post?

This varies from storybook to storybook but you should avoid posting more than once a day and certainly shouldn't post twice in a row. It's good to let at least two or three other people add something before you go again, unless the storybook is going slow. If its been a week or two with no advancement then feel free to add another post to try and get it moving again. I'd suggest that it's good to post once or twice a week. Some storybooks may be a little more demanding than that, while others will go for many days without any activity.

6. Can I make my own storybook?

You sure can. There's an approval system in place so it won't show up straight away but it won't take more than a few days before you can see it. The approval system isn't very strict, it's just a way of checking that you've used good grammar and have an idea of what you're doing. You'll need to write out a quick plot summary first. This can be any length but try to make it long enough to catch people's attention but short enough that they don't get bored halfway through. Other things you might want to throw in are a rule list or a character sheet. Feel free to take a look at some of those already out there if you're unsure of where to start.

7. I don't know where my storybook went!

If a storybook that you created or were a part of is missing, this might be due to inactivity. If there are no posts on a storybook for a period of three months or longer, it gets moved to the storybook archives. If you'd like to revive it though, no worries, just contact one of the current storybook moderators and ask them to move it for you. At the moment those are Lumi, Ben Franks, Octave, and Kitty15.

8. Do you have any other tips for me?

Just be friendly and remember that this is all about having fun. If you're having an issue with the way someone writes your character or where they're taking the plot then talk to them about it! Most members here are really nice and willing to work together so that everyone's happy. Of course if it becomes a bigger issue, you can talk to one of the moderators about it and they'll help you mediate. Storybooks can be serious or they can be silly, they can be long or they can be short. It's entirely up to the creator and the members taking part but they should always be fun and creative. Enjoy! And feel free to ask any further questions here. If they're asked often enough, I may even add them to the list.