LibriVox

[Gesine]

This project is now complete and the text and audio files are available from this LibriVox catalogue page: http://librivox.org/the-librivox-nanowrimo-novel-2006/

The LibriVox NaNoWriMo Novel: The Mystery (working title)

Please read all of this carefully if you'd like to participate.
We also welcome comments and ideas from non-participants.
I've created the NaNoWriMo 2006 pages on the LibriVox wiki. (Main Page links to all others.)
Main Page | Sign-Up Page | Chap Outlines | Characters

• Read the novel here: http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dt724vw_1cp54m7
  
• Listen to chapters here: http://www.archive.org/details/nanowrimo2006audio_librivox
  
• The xml for your podcatcher to get these audio files is http://librivoxpodcast.googlepages.com/nanowrimo_podcast.xml
  
• Our NaNoWriMo profile page: http://www.nanowrimo.org/userinfo.php?uid=180543
  
• LV Project Catalog Page: http://librivox.org/the-librivox-nanowrimo-novel-2006-index-page/

Volunteers needed
* writers * proofreaders * readers (some writers prefer that someone else record their chapter) * prooflisteners * NaNoWriMo liason * podcast host * research assistant(s) * promotional wizard(s) *
Please read this page to get up to speed with the workflow: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006process

[by the way ... This thread sprang up from an earlier thread: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3869 ]

Project overview
The idea is to write a whole novel in the month of November, based on the guidelines of the National Novel Writing Month. The twist is that we will have up to 30 people writing together, instead of one toiling alone. Each writer will sign up to do one section of 1,700+ words, in English. The plot emerges as each chapter is written, and writers don't know beforehand what new developments they will be faced with when it comes to their turn to write a chapter. Each writer also records his/her own section, or they can ask someone else to do so. Both the copy and the recordings will be made available on the LibriVox site. We'll have a special podcast and will release one section per day during the month of November. The full novel will remain on the !LibriVox catalogue as an extraordinary !LibriVox project.

Rules

1. When you sign up for a section, you agree to
   
   1. put the writing and your recording, and everything else surrounding this project, in the public domain. Reminder: this means that you give up all rights to it and that your work may be altered and used by anyone, for any purpose.
      
   2. follow this thread closely and to read, or listen to, all chapters up to the one for which you signed up, so as to be aware of the plot on which your section will be based.
      
   3. produce a chapter and a recording on a specific day in November - the day for which you have signed up.
      
   4. minimum chapter length: 1,700 words - no maximum
      
   5. sign up for an account on the LibriVox wiki and familiarise yourself with using it in the next couple of days (it's really easy and if you get stuck, just post here for help). A lot of the project will run from the LibriVox wiki. See also section below "How to use the LibriVox wiki"
   
   
2. Writers can take more than one section, though if possible not consecutive chapters.
   
3. Writers can have their chapters recorded by someone else but it is the writer's responsibility to submit the recording on time.
   
4. Chapters shall have no titles, just numbers (easier to catalogue)
   
5. There is no fixed plot - writers read the previous chapters and continue how they like, bearing in mind that we're trying to produce a halfway coherent novel.

Coordination
This project will be coordinated by Gesine. Please remember that this is one LibriVox project that is very time-sensitive, and only sign up if you can really commit to the time required.
I set up a project on Writely for the documents. I also set up a couple of pages on the LibriVox wiki so people can volunteer for various tasks (help with the podcast, proof-reading, recording, proof-listening, editing, promoting the event) and comment right there and then. I won't be around the forum 24 hours a day so this will make things easier to manage. Please read this page to get up to speed with the workflow: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006process

How to use the LibriVox wiki
Signing up for the wiki is really easy: Just go to any LibriVox wiki page (I'm linking to two in the forum thread, or go here: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/LibriVoxWiki ) and click on Login at the top of the page. Fill out the required details. When you're logged in, you should see at the top of each page: your login name, User Preferences, Logout.

Once you're logged in, go to the NaNoWriMo 2006 Main Page (all other pages are linked from that one, and back to it, too). To update a page, you click the Edit button. Wikis work like any other text editor, but the formatting is a little different. There's formatting help below the editor; if in doubt, copy from what someone else doing. If you're stuck, please post here in the forum. - Also see the Beginners' Guide to the LibriVox Wiki here: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/BeginnersGuideLibrivoxWiki

Signing up and deadlines
Please read this page first: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006process

It would be kind if anyone who can spare time during the week would sign up for chapters on those days, leaving the weekends for those who are not as flexible.
Deadline: Since most of our volunteers are in the US, we'll set the deadline in EST (Eastern Standard Time). Please remember that DST (daylight saving time) ends on 29 Oct in the Northern hemisphere.
Deadline for submitting the copy is 23:59 (1 minute before midnight) EST on the day for which you sign up. Deadline for submitting the proof-listened, edited audio file is midnight EST the following day.

Examples:
You sign up for the first chapter, 01 November 2006. Deadlines by location:

• Boston, New York (USA): 11:59pm (23:59) on Wednesday, 01 Nov.
  
• San Francisco (USA): 9:59pm (20:59) on Wednesday, 01 Nov.
  
• London, Berlin, Rome (Europe): 5:59am (05:59) on Thursday, 02 Nov.
  
• Athens (Greece): 6:59am (06:59) on Thursday, 02 Nov.
  
• Melbourne (Australia): 3:59pm (15:59) on Thursday, 02 Nov.
  
• Tokyo (Japan): 2:59pm (14:59) on Thursday, 02 Nov.

To find out the equivalent of midnight EST in your location, go here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Chapters will be published and catalogued shortly after submission.

Work load
In the normal Word set-up (12pt, Times Roman, some margin on each side) 1,700 words are about 4 pages. My guess is that each recording will be around 10-15 minutes long. If you don't know how long it takes you to write 4 pages, perhaps you can look through some old writing and estimate. Remember that you only have one day to write it - and on that day, you'll also have to read the previous day's section and come up with ideas for your own chapter. You can find someone else to record/edit your chapter.

Technicalities
How to format the document
Don't worry about it. I'll see what can be done on Writely, otherwise I'll be happy to put everything into a coherent format as the chapters come in. I'll post some simple guidelines later.

Recording
Please record the following LibriVox disclaimer at the start:
This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit librivox.org. - You're listening to a section of the LibriVox NaNoWriMo project, in which a number of LibriVox volunteers write and record a whole novel together, in serial form, during November 2006. The project is based on the idea started by the National Novel Writing Month.
Chapter [your chapter number]. Written by [name of author(/URL of author)], recorded by [name of reader(/URL of reader)].

Please record the following LibriVox disclaimer at the end:
End of chapter [your chapter number]. Recorded on [date]. (If you like, more info on writer/reader, such as name(s), location(s), URL(s))

Please leave 5 seconds silence at the end of your recording, or 10 seconds for files longer than 30 minutes!

File format
Bit Rate: 128 kbps
Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz preferred, 32 and 22.5 also acceptable

Filename:
nanowrimo2006_[your chapter number in two digits]_[your initials].mp3 (e.g. nanowrimo2006_03_ge.mp3)

ID3 tags:
Please take care to enter these exactly as below, with upper and lower case!

Name: NaNoWriMo 2006 - Chapter [your chapter number in two digits] (e.g. NaNoWriMo 2006 - Chapter 03)
Artist: Written by [insert catalogue name], recorded by [insert catalogue name] (e.g. Written by Hugh MacGuire, recorded by Hugh MacGuire)
Album: LibriVox NaNoWriMo 2006

Don't worry about any other tags as these will be completed during cataloguing.

How to send the file
- Post a link to your own server space
- Use my Uploader - go to http://librivox.gesine.org/ and read the info there. Password is upl0ad1t
- Use Yousendit (as email recipient use your own email) and post the resulting link.

I've created the NaNoWriMo 2006 pages on the LibriVox wiki. The main page contains links to all other pages: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006mainpage


(BC admin link)
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[a.r.dobbs]

Anita would like to point out her own wisdom (the opportunities are rare) in putting Gesine's name forward as project manager for this enterprise.

Thank you Gesine!
_________________
Anita
Slacker MC -- it takes all kinds
"Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of words required to explain anything"
William of Ockham (1285-1349)

[a.r.dobbs]

Suggested revisions to the schedule:
1. In order that the writing can occupy a full 24-hour period, I recommend that the recording be permitted (though not required) to happen the next day.
Result: Day 1, 24 hours of writing, 1600+ wrds submitted by 20:00 EST. Day 2, record, edit, prooflisten, post, podcast the recorded version, also by 20:00 EST.
2. Day 1 podcast -- a special LibriVox Community podcast focused on NaNoWriMo, not as part of the word count for the book, but to kick off the LibriVox involvement and get the podcast rolling.
Because November has 30 days, the final chapter would be submitted right at the deadline, and the final podcast would be Dec 1 (unless the final writer is able to do both the writing and the podcast in a single day).

Recommendations:
Allow a period (say 5 days) during which authors may sign up for 1 section only.
Then a period (say 5 days) during which authors may sign up for a 2nd section if available.
Then whatever it takes to fill out the roster.
And do what we can to spread the word throughout LV that this project is happening, so many people can join in, in time.

Repeat of Request:
As Gesine says, "It would be kind if anyone who can spare time during the week would sign up for chapters on those days, leaving the weekends for those who are not as flexible."
_________________
Anita
Slacker MC -- it takes all kinds
"Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of words required to explain anything"
William of Ockham (1285-1349)

[Gesine]

Anita - yes, I was contemplating that - having the writing and recording deadlines on consecutive days. It would make cataloguing easier, too, as I could do it in the morning (i.e. the European morning).

OK, I'll set it up accordingly.

Everyone - please note: when you sign up for a part, please also sign yourself up in the table just below (catalogue name etc).
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[kayray]

Neat idea! Um, cough, librivox only records published works... I know rules are made to be broken but this might open a Can of Worms :)
_________________
Kara
http://kayray.org/
--------
"Mary wished to say something very sensible into her USB MacMice MicFlex, but knew not how." -- Jane Austen (& Kara)

[Gesine]

Kara - true, but this is a LibriVox promotional piece, not any old novel. And it's written entirely by LibriVox collaborators. After all, the Anniversary project wasn't a regular project, either.

Anyway - if anyone wants to argue precedent, tough. It's just not on ;)
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[kayray]

[Gesine]

Would all writers please PM me their email addresses so I can add you as collaborators to the Writely document.
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[Gesine]

All volunteers: please read this wiki page I've just created; it explains the workflow in detail. http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006process
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[Caeristhiona]

kk, I hope I did that right...signed up for Nov 24th (which is also my birthday ).
_________________
In my experience, nothing ruins a party like someone suddenly speaking Latin in reverse.
-- Jeffrey Rowland

[a.r.dobbs]

It's your birthday!? Wow, that's a pretty cool way to celebrate.
_________________
Anita
Slacker MC -- it takes all kinds
"Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of words required to explain anything"
William of Ockham (1285-1349)

[Gesine]

All Writers - may I urge you to participate in the plot deliberations: http://librivox.org/wiki/moin.cgi/nanowrimo2006plotoutline
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[raezel]

Didn't find an appropriate place in the wiki, so I'll ask here. Is it ok if I change my chapter? And is there some special arrangemts about the first chapter (since that's what I'd like to change to)?

[Gesine]

Perfectly ok to change your chapter (or to claim more!). Go for the first one, by all means! Just make the changes in the two tables on the signup page in the wiki.
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination circles the world." Albert Einstein

[heatherausten]

Are we still planning on doing this book? I'm not the world's most amazing plotter (it takes me a long time!), but I'd be happy to chip in my vote on the suggested plots so far.
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~Heather~