Tales
of Ryh’na (TofR) is a Shared Story World (SSW). You may be thinking, “What the heck
is that?” Put simply, an SSW occurs when someone creates an in-depth background
canon around a proposed universe. The canon
is then made available to anyone who wishes to create content. The contributor can
write a story, create a graphic or video, use whatever form of self-expression is
most comfortable, or not. SSWs are a great medium for stretching artistic wings.
SSWs
function under a Creative Commons License. By that I mean the content that exists in the canon or is provided
by a contributor can be reused by another contributor as long as the second person
gives appropriate credit to the initial creator. Sounds complicated, right? The
Cliff Notes version goes like this. If I were to write a story based on the canon
and create a mean, horrible, fluffy, heart-of-gold Yeti named Marvin, you could
then write another story using Marvin as long as you didn't turn him into a blood-sucking
killer (since I didn’t create him that way) and give me credit as Marvin’s creator. Now, if your story absolutely
requires Marvin to be Uber Meanie Yeti, all is not lost. You simply e-mail me and
ask whether I will approve the character change. If I say no, Marvin remains a Teddy
Yeti at heart. If I say yes, you can have Marvin slash and burn the neighborhood
as long as you give proper credit. The other point you need to know and remember
is that only the original creator can kill off a character permanently. You can
sling him in stasis for a time or put him into a healing hibernation that the characters
in your story think is death, but you have to bring the lovable/killer Yeti back
to life by the end of your creation. Also, ways exist to handle the original creator's
decision to kill Marvin while folks are still writing Marvin-based stories. It works
a lot like how fanfiction and the disclaimers and warnings a fanwriter has to do
in that genre.
Another
great point about SSWs is that canon is often flexible. Any and all contributions
can be evaluated by the individual or team that oversees maintaining and expanding
the canon for that creative work to be included in the main canon of the SSW. Basically,
you can add to canon with your work. So, if your story has Marvin meeting Mavis
and falling in love, that can become part of the canon once approved. You can contribute
characters, plot points, or overall story arcs. I’ve used stories as the example
so far, but all of this also applies to graphics, videos, or other forms of creative
work. Your graphic, for instance, of how Marvin and/or Mavis look can become canon
as well. Fun, right?
There
are several SSWs in existence, though TofR is the first to be created and executed
entirely by committee. We’re breaking new ground! All SSWs function basically the same way: with
the use of a pre-existing canon/universe, creator contributions under the Creative
Commons License, and fully or partially expandable canons. To participate, you simply register; study the
pre-existing canon, maps, stories, graphics, videos, etc.; form an idea; and get
to work. Submission practices vary a bit
between SSWs, so be sure to read the contributor agreement and contribution guidelines
that are provided. You’ll usually have to cite the Creative Commons Licensing Agreement
provided, which will tell you how to share in existing parts of canon/other’s works,
how to give credit, and what, if any, fees you might collect in the future. Yes,
some SSWs provide for contributors to receive real coin for their works. Be sure
to read that part carefully! Which is the one aspect where SSWs have it all over
fanfiction. You get to own your stories and sometimes even get paid.
So,
that’s basically what you need to know about Shared Story Worlds, a bit simplified,
but still covering a few of the most important aspects. Fun and creative satisfaction ready to be had.
Don’t
you think it’s time you joined in?
QH
Fletcher
