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Round Robin Traveling Short Story - USA ONLY

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Round Robin Traveling Short Story - USA ONLY
Swap Coordinator:redsockz (contact)
Swap categories: Letters & Writing 
Number of people in swap:5
Location:Regional - USA
Type:Type 2: Flat mail
Last day to signup/drop:June 2, 2009
Date items must be sent by:November 30, 2009
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

This is a round robin type swap. (thanks to scottishlass for her fantastic idea!)

Each participant will write the beginning of a story (any genre) in a notebook that is clearly marked with the originators name, email and postal address and swapbot username. The notebook will be sent round partners in order, who will continue from where the previous person left off, until it gets back to the originator, who will finish the story. You should write at least 4 sides of 5x7" (2 sides of 8.5x11") in each story but can write as much as you wish. Handwritten or typed and glued in, it's up to you. Also, feel free to illustrate the stories as you see fit, although there is no obligation to do so if you feel you can't draw.

You will receive all books from your receive partner and send them onto your send partner. I hope this is simple to understand. Please let me know if you have any questions.

I will create another private swap when this one is finished for people who participated in this one to copy their story and send it to all participants. I hope everyone is willing to do that so we can all read the completed stories.

The schedule is as follows:

21 June (or when there are 5 participants) - sign ups close and partners are assigned

19 July- send 1st (original) part

16 Aug - send 2nd part

14 Sept - send 3rd part

11 Oct - send 4th part

9 Nov - send 5th part (this is the swap send date, although I want to be absolutely clear that this is the date by which the notebook should be on it's way back to it's owner)

Second swap set up to send copy of completed story to all participants with deadline sometime in September.

Some small print:

This is a complex swap that is going to take some time. If you know now of any reason why you might not be able to participate later in the year please don't bother to sign up.

I will allow only 5 swappers to participate (including myself) to keep the chances of things going wrong to a minimum. Once 5 people, who meet the requirements, have signed up the swap will be closed.

Only those swappers with a perfect 5 score (must have participated in non-email swaps) are invited to participate and absolutely no newbies. Sorry, but it's really difficult to gauge the reliability of newbies. If this goes well I will do it again and by that time you shouldn't be a newbie anymore.

Once partners have been assigned I will post the sending order for all to see in the comments below. We will work in 4 week blocks and it is expected that your work is on the move by the time 4 weeks is up. Don't stockpile stories to send all at once. Let's keep them moving.

You must leave a comment when you receive and send stories. Failure to do so will result in much harrassment from me. The key to this being successful is communication. Make full use of the comments, PM and email to ensure your partner and I are kept up to date.

Rate your partners as follows:

5 if stories were sent on within the 4 weeks and the person had completed their part of all the stories.

3 if stories were sent on, but the story had not been completed in any of the cases or any were sent late (use the post mark as a gauge for this).

1 if stories were not sent on.

Hearts as you see fit.

Only swappers from the USA (with a 5.0) may participate as posting abroad would take too much time and be too expensive.

I hope this covers everything. Please let me know of any questions you may have.

Discussion

kangarueg 06/ 1/2009 #

ok - i have two questions (i have never done a round robin like this before, so if these are dumb questions, please pardon my ignorance!) first - the notebook. do we just we a simple, spiral notebook at the dollar store or something? or do we need one of those fancy hard bound journal type books? or do they have to be handmade? and are your looking for lined or unlined pages? second - for our part of the story, does it have to reach a "conclusion" of sorts? or do we avoid conclusions until the last person gets the book and try to push the story with twists and surprises? (ok, just thought of one more question!) bonus question: if we finish our part of the story early, can we send it on. i mean, we get the minimum number of pages completed, or we are happy with what we have written within the first week, do we send it on? this is definitely on my watch list!

spin 06/ 1/2009 #

This sounds like fun and I will watch it, since I am a newbie now, I really reeeeeeeally hope you host one like this again :) By then I might have what it takes! :)

euphoria 06/ 2/2009 #

May I join again? I LOVE this swap!

bren 06/ 2/2009 #

I've been in a few round robins. A story one should be interesting!

redsockz 06/ 2/2009 #

Kangarueg, Any notebook is fine. I am running a similar swap now and one person sent only paper so she could bind the book later. The lighter the book, the less expensive it is to mail around. You should take each story not to a conclusion...but to the next logical step. Lastly...if you finish..send it on! The 4 weeks is to give everyone plenty of time to write.

euphoria 06/20/2009 #

Mine is ready to go! I'm using a comp book that I've pulled about half the pages out of to make it lighter for mailing. Do we send to the person we're assigned to send to, like last time?

redsockz 06/21/2009 #

Yes, exactly like last time. You send always to your partner. :)

euphoria 06/25/2009 #

My story is on its way to Kangarueg; just dropped it in the mailbox on the way home from work. I got done super early because I mis-read the "sign up-by" date as the first send-by date. :p Anyway, this will give him plenty of extra time to write a fabulous second installment!

bren 07/ 1/2009 #

My book is on its way to SunArtist.

SunArtist 07/12/2009 #

Rec'd book from bren, will be sending on in a day or so. Also will be sending my story on tomorrow.

kangarueg 07/16/2009 #

I am sending out my first chapter today, along with the second chapter of euphoria's story, to redsockz. (i got hers at the end of last month, so i actually was thinking about hers at the same time i was writing mine, and ended up finishing both stories within an hour of each other!... it is ok to have cross over characters, right? j/k! they are actually nothing alike. she did a great job. you know she did when her characters were bouncing around in my head while my characters were still trying to come to life!) anyway, i hope you all enjoy!

redsockz 07/21/2009 #

Kangarueg and Euphoria's stories arrived in the mail yesterday. I will crack them open this evening. :)

euphoria 07/21/2009 #

I received Bren's story from Sherry today. Can't wait to read it!

redsockz 07/24/2009 #

Oop...forgot to say I sent my story to Bren!

bren 07/25/2009 #

Received from redsockz. I will have to try the recipe for inspiration! ;D

euphoria 07/30/2009 #

Rec'd Sherry's (SunArtist) today. Sherry, did you make this book? It's really fab! Love the beadwork. I haven't read it yet (just came in from the mailbox), but I'm excited to have another story to work on. I'm nearly done with Bren's and will mail it off soon. You won't believe what's happening! ;)

bren 08/ 4/2009 #

Can't wait!

I've finsihed writing in redsockz' story. Barring any drama in my household, it should be in the mail tomorrow(tues).

kangarueg 08/ 5/2009 #

i rec'd bren story today (via euphoria). am going to sit down tonight and begin what i know will be a great read!

euphoria 08/11/2009 #

Sunartist's is on its way to kangarueg as of today. :)

redsockz 08/19/2009 #

Hi Everyone...sorry for the radio silence! I am sending out Kangarueg's story today. (on my way to the p.o. now) and euphoria's is almost complete.

bren 08/26/2009 #

Received kangarueg's book.

Sunartist, you must have rcvd redsockz' by now, yes?

euphoria 09/ 1/2009 #

Rec'd redsockz' story from SunArtist yesterday - can't wait to give it a read!

kangarueg 09/ 4/2009 #

barring any complications, i will get bren's story in the mail today! (i think i am a day late on this... sorry! school started and i got caught up in things and have been missing the post office!)

euphoria 09/11/2009 #

I'm just now getting ready to leave work and drop redsockz' story in the mail to kangarueg on the way home. Oddly, I'm the mood for chocolate cake now...

redsockz 09/13/2009 #

Ha!! I can hardly wait to see what you all have done with the story

bren 09/18/2009 #

Kangarueg's book is on it's way to Sunartist. I almost thought I would have to send this on without writing an entry. I had NOTHING. Complete writer's block. Fortuantely, I had an idea pop into my head right before bed. I jotted down some notes, so I wouldn't forget, and spent the last week fine tuning the details. Sent it Priority since I had it so long.

redsockz 09/19/2009 #

I had been frantically searching my house for euphoria's story...It had apparently found it's way into a stack of art books belonging to a friend of mine. (I think it was because I showed her the story while we were packing up her books from my studio). She still has it and I will see her on Tuesday of this week. So sorry for the long time I have had your book!! I was horrified thinking I had lost it somehow

redsockz 09/23/2009 #

OK, update to the update. I will get the story on Friday 9/25. Sorry for the delay! :(

bren 10/ 5/2009 #

Any updates to where all the books are? I know Sunartist recvd kangarueg's on the 21st of Sept. I am still waiting on euphoria's book to arrive. It's going to be a push to write and send it on its way to keep it on time.

bren 10/14/2009 #

I am afraid euphoria's story is lost. I have recvd nothing in the mail since kangarueg's book back in August and it has been almost 3 weeks from when redsockz said it was to be posted for 9/25. If everyone has kept copies of what they wrote for euphoria's story, we can restart it and get it pushed out. I have extra books I can use for it. Please PM me.

redsockz 10/25/2009 #

We still need to hear from kangareug and sunartist about the status of the books they have!

redsockz 10/28/2009 #

Hey everyone I am going to extend the end of the swap to take the pressure off. If you finish ahead...no harm! :)

bren 11/ 2/2009 #

OK, I have everyone's part so far for euphoria's story. You don't realize how bad a story gets thrown off when a chapter is missing! I'll work on this and get it sent out on its way as soon as possible! I'm doing some demolition work in the next few days. Alot of time to think while I work!

redsockz 11/ 4/2009 #

Thanks Bren! I am confident in saying we all appreciate you re-assembling euphoria's story! Let's see the rest of the stories moving along soon.

euphoria 11/10/2009 #

Yes, thank you so much for that! I got Kangarueg's story in yesterday's mail; haven't had a chance to read it yet, but I can't wait to work on it! I'll try not to "finish" it like I did the last time. :)

bren 11/18/2009 #

Euphoria's story is out the door! With Priority Mail and DC.

redsockz 11/20/2009 #

Thanks Bren. If everyone else could let us know where they are with the stories they have. I would appreciate it. Thanks!

kangarueg 11/23/2009 #

Sent redsocks completed story about 30 minutes ago. kept trying to get it in the mail last week, but stuff kept happening. it is in there now..... i do hope you like what was done with it!

euphoria 12/ 1/2009 #

I thought I had commented that I sent Kangarueg's story a few days ago, but apparently I didn't! Anyway, his story is on its way home and I hope he likes what's been done with those hapless lads! ;)

redsockz 12/ 1/2009 #

OK...so where are Bren and SunArtists's stories now?

euphoria 12/ 4/2009 #

Mine hasn't arrived either; I'm hoping it's just a slow time of year for mail.

redsockz 12/12/2009 #

Bren could you check the DC on Euphoria's story? It seems to be lost AGAIN. (U.S. postal service...what gives!!!!)

kangarueg 12/13/2009 #

i just did my weekly checked of my pobox, and found a plastic envelop with the remnants of two books! these were the books that i sent out WAY back when - they look like they got caught up in some kind of machine/vice. one book does not seem to be too worse for the wear, but the other one.... it had beads on the outside - they are gone. (several broken ones were in the bottom of the what was left of the original envelop. maybe they got caught in a machine and held it up? don't know) there are some creases, but what i scanned through was still legible. anyway, i will go through the books tonight and put the pages back in order. i will re-post them in SEPARATE envelops either tomorrow or tuesday at the latest. i may not sew them back together, because i am hopeless with a thread and needle! but i will do what i can!

euphoria 12/14/2009 #

kangarueg, did you story come back yet? I sent it about two weeks ago. I'm a little worried, because one of the parts was hand-written and had a really nice drawing with it. I did make a photocopy of the entire story, if it comes to that. WHY do these stories keep getting lost? :(

bren 12/15/2009 #

DC says- Your item(euphoria's story) was delivered at 11:25 AM on November 20, 2009 in ASHBY, MN 56309.

kangarueg! At least the PO didn't throw it out!

This has been an intersting if not frustrating swap!

redsockz 12/16/2009 #

well once we hear from kangareug about his story...we will at least know where all of the books are now. (I don't think I will host a snail mail version of this swap in the future. I will make an email version....that way at the end of the swap....everyone can read the final drafts, and nothing will get lost)

redsockz 01/ 4/2010 #

I have received the last two stories. I am doped up on cold meds. Once I shake this illness I will write!

bren 01/ 4/2010 #

Cool! Hope you feel better!

euphoria 01/11/2010 #

So...who has my story now? (I don't know who's in MN!) And Kangarueg, did you get your story back?

bren 02/ 3/2010 #

Sunartist is in MN. I have not received anything since.

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