well, eto na mga folks, and rules at storyline ng collaborative short story na gagampanan at isusulat ng ilang manunulat natin (3 pa lang sa ngayon). sundan natin kung paano nila idedevelop ang kwento. ilalabas natin iyon sa isa pang post na work-in-progress kasi pag idudugtong dito mahaba masyado.

hasta luego, amigos!

COLLABORATIVE LONG SHORT STORYtbdtbd925:TheFilipinoWriter

Concept

The concept for the collaborative long short story project is for a number of writers to write a long short story under the following conditions:

a.       Each writer contributes one chapter to the story.

b.      He chooses the length, style and mood (funny, mysterious, etc.) as he likes but the chapter must conform to the storyline for that particular chapter.

c.       The chapter’s plot should conform to the intention of the preceding chapters.

d.      No changing of characters, nor introduction of new major characters not listed in the storyline.

e.       No foul language, explicit sex, cuss words or any other improper language or description in the contributions.

f.        The story will be written in first person point of view. In Tagalog or Filipino.

g.       Extra characters, those that appear only once or twice may be invented by the chapter writer.   

Mechanics

a.       The storyline for the collaborative story will be sent (along with this paper) to each writer for their acceptance or rejection. Suggestions for amendments are very welcome, but author will always have the decision on whether to accept or deny the suggestion.

b.      Each writer should reply within 3 days if he is amenable to the conditions set forth herein. Chapter assignments will be by reply: first to reply gets Chapter 1, second to reply Chapter 2, etc. Final chapter assignments will be sent to each writer. Unassigned chapters will be free for anyone who wants them.

c.       Chapter contributions will be sent to the author for publication at TFW within 7 days after the previous chapter is published. Should there be objectionable items in the contributed chapter, the author will in two (2) days contact the writer for editing or rewriting the contribution and resubmission within seven (7) days.

d.      If no objectionable items are seen, the contribution will be published in its entirety with the name of the chapter author within 3 days from receipt of the final writing. 

e.       Each writer will receive the previous writer’s contribution a few days ahead of publication in the TFW for his study.

f.        Since the writer has his chapter storyline beforehand, he can then prepare the story ahead, only trimming it for final submission  

Storyline

Setting is at a small town near the sea. Main character, Ruben, is a balikbayan who is living off memories of his wife’s death by taking a vacation in his hometown. As such he is an observant guy who knows many of the oldtimers there. His constant companion is Mang Anton, an old friend, with whom he shares many memories, as well as opinions and suppositions. Most of the conversations depicting what’s happening should be between them, though dialogues among others are encouraged. 

An odd couple comes into the town, old man Delfin, 50-ish and rich, and wife Carla, 30-ish, obviously someone who came from the night ‘patay-sindi’ trade. Old man is a sportfisherman who frequents the lonely and stony parts of the town to fish, mostly alone, for anything. There is also Robert, about 20 years old, wildlife photographer and infatuated with beautiful Carla, spending his free time making ‘palipad-hangin’ to the wife if not roaming the town taking shots at the wildlife and scapes.  Then there is Ernesto, hypocrite, married and obsessed with Carla, whom he peeptoms at. He denounces to anyone young Robert for Robert’s show of infatuation yet secretly craves to possess her. 

One day Ruben inadvertently drops a theory, within hearing of Ernesto, and while talking with Mang Anton that the danger for Delfin to fall dead among the cliffs of the island while fishing is also best way to murder Delfin with the least chance of suspicion on the killer. Accidents happen, it is said.  Later in the month Delfin disappeared for a few days, then was found dead floating in the sea, his head bashed and bruises all over. Robert has disappeared at the same time so those suspecting murder suspects him.  

Then late one night Robert appears in Ruben’s home, explaining his predicament. He has seen who killed Delfin, taking along some photos but also dropped his wallet among the rocks where the crime took place. He must retrieve his wallet and have his film developed to clear his name, now being touted as the criminal. He was thought to have fled to escape. Turned out Ernesto killed Delfin, bashing Delfin’s head with a rock, then throwing him into the sea to make it look like Delfin fell in an accident. The whole act was photographed by Robert, who hid himself fearing for his life: he had been seen by Ernesto right after the killing, who rightly suspects him to have seen the crime.

Solution to story: Robert and Ruben report to the police, who raid Ernesto’s home to find sodium cyanide there, to which he confessed he would use to kill his wife so he can marry Carla when she becomes a widow and he a widower.  
 

Chapter divisions 

Chapter 1. Intro of story, Ruben, place, mang anton, and describe setting. Must be first person dialogue of reminiscing between Mang Anton and Ruben. Place’s history, their relationship, the people. Make the title. You choose the mood: happy, dramatic, etc.  

Chapter 2. Intro of Delfin and Carla. What people think about them, what ruben and mang anton think of them. Describe the characters and their interests. Invent something for Carla as she is minor character. Introduce Robert and how he acts with Carla. Show Delfin not taking Robert’s flirting seriously. 

Chapter 3. Intro of Ernesto. Describe his character, propensities (peeping tom), wife and how he relates with others in the story and the people in the town in general. Opinions about him by other people and those by Ruben and Mang Anton. Mention or make him show his diatribes against Robert and others (if any).  

Chapter 4. Ruben’s dialogue with Mang Anton about many people, including Delfin. Here Ruben mentions his comment about the possibility of Delfin having an accident of falling from a high rocky place when fishing. Ernesto overhears this. 

Chapter 5. Illustrative examples of Robert’s infatuation with Carla, Delfin’s reaction to it, some people’s comments. Create subplot if needed. 

Chapter 6. Delfin disappears for a few days. Describe uproar in community, suspicions floated, and condemnation of Robert without proof. No mention of Ernesto to be made. End with Delfin’s body being found floating in the sea with bashed skull, obviously murdered. 

Chapter 7. Delfin’s body autopsied. Describe people’s opinions and suspicions. Ruben’s and Mang Anton’s. Mention Carla but she has nothing to say to answer queries and suspicions. 

Chapter 8. Robert shows up at Ruben’s house late one night. He explains the crime and his fears. Detail the crime for the benefit of succeeding chapters via Robert’s explanations in dialogue with Ruben. Build up story as whether the truth will come out especially with the predicament Robert is in: the threat on his life by Ernesto who has seen him at the crime scene. 

Chapter 9. Present the resolution of the case: what happens to Robert, Ernesto, Ruben, Carla, explaining what actually happened via dialogue between Ruben and Mang Anton and a few others if you wish to.  

Chapter 10: Epilogue. Invent present circumstances of leading characters of the story as aftermath. Be sure that what they are doing now stemmed largely from what happened.