Seven Year Story
I’m starting a story to which anyone can add. I want to see where it’s taken— and where it takes us. If the idea below interests you, please contribute.
Here’s what I propose: I start the story, and provide a general outline of where it leads, but you add to it. I don’t really want to limit it, other than to say that it should be quality writing. Certainly, if someone submits something horridly nasty, or not at all cool, it won’t be included.
The story is contemporary; it’s happening now. There is a main character-- we’ll call him or her the protagonist, possibly the anti-hero. She or he is unwittingly involved in a grand sort of scheme, hatched by a group or individual working for the greater good or evil of the world. Our main character is swept up into mysterious actions brought about by this group or individual, aided of course by interesting characters and twists of fate, and ultimately either saves the day, or learns a great lesson about change, or fate, or personal honor, or the nature of the inevitable universe, or something perhaps profound, or maybe just hilarious.
But let’s hinge it all on the ancient Mayan predictions about the year 2012. If you don’t know about it, read up on it--it’s all pretty cool. They ended their count of time on December 21st, 2012. See, the Mayan’s put out this prediction--actually a simple observation--about our Earth and its relationship to the galaxy. In the late 20th Century, New Agers and other fringe groups started talking about the enigmatic date as the end of the world--actually stating that the Mayans predicted it. That’s most likely not what the Mayans meant.
There are many theories about why the Mayans held this date sacred, and ended their long, long count of time with it. I think we should explore some.
Modern scientists know this about December 21st, 2012: Our sun and planet will align with the center of the galaxy: a massive black hole.
The Mayans not only knew that there was at least one black hole at the center of the galaxy, but they somehow knew exactly when the Earth aligned with it and how many times it had happened throughout the solar system’s epic history. They used this event to begin their count of time.
A leading interpreter of Mayan Glyphs says that the Mayans ended the count in 2012 because it was the beginning of a new age, a new cycle of life. They said the Earth would begin a new spin around the galaxy, and that the marking of time would begin again.
What does that mean for us? What could that mean for our story?
So here’s what we do: I’ll start the story, and leave it. You send me an email with your part of the story in it…say…five to ten double-spaced pages worth, maybe more if you’re really on a roll. Then each Friday, I read the continuations you’ve sent, and pick one that furthers the story. Every Monday there will be a new part of the story.
If this system doesn’t work out, we’ll construct another one.
This could be really cool. Let’s see what happens, and let’s make it interesting.
We’ve got Seven Years.