What is World Weavers?
The World Weavers Club is an on-line interactive fiction writing group, which combines elements of traditional role-playing games with the challenge of writing as part of a group. Members create and develop one or more characters, and cooperatively write the stories which advance the lives and careers of these characters.
WW, while originally Star Trek based, has now expanded to include realms of fantasy, intrigue, horror, comedy, and other science fiction motifs.
Existing realms include Starfleet [SF]; DragonLands [DL], a world of fantasy where humans and dragons have a unique bond; Vampire [Vampire-WW], a world based on White Wolf's World of Darkness RPG Vampire: the Masquerade; and Changeling [Changeling-WW], based on White Wolf's Changeling: the Dreaming. New worlds are proposed and reviewed all the time, so if you don't see something that interests you, let us know what you'd like to see.
Each world may also have one or more subgroups. For example, in Starfleet, there are a number of ships, each acting independently on their own missions. Dragonlands has many Warrens in which the dragons and their humans reside.
The FAQs and Guides for each of the worlds and subrealms are available from the administrators of each world; their names and address are listed at the end of this document.
What is the goal?
The object is to have fun! There are many storylines proceeding at one time. The administrators and several players of WW have been doing this for many years, so some of the characters are quite developed and have long histories. Others are brand new. There is no overall objective, but most of the action centers around a "mission" or "quest" which is ultimately resolved, just as an episode of Star Trek or some other TV show or movie would be at the end of the show. The real fun is to see how the story develops over time, and how the characters grow through their relationships with others. Who knows, maybe you can hone your writing skills a bit while you're at it, too.
How do I get started?
You join WW by posting your request indicating your desire to join on our newsgroup. This should be posted to the WeaversFiction group on yahoogroups AND addressed to the World Admins.
This should not yet be a fictional post for your character, but rather an introduction for yourself, indicating what sort of character you'd like to write and in which world. So tell the Admins what kind of RP experience you would like to start with. You are not restricted to just one except at the very beginning while you learn the ropes. Once you understand how we operate, you are free to field as many characters as you can handle. If you are not certain which world is right for you, the Admins will supply you with more information and help you make a decision.
For more information on Camp Venture and our training procedures, please see the WW Guide to Camp Venture, available from the club administrators or on our web site. To put it briefly, though, after selecting a world, you will create a character biography, or bio, and be assigned to an instructor who will give you a scenario in which to write. Your instructor will also assist you in developing your bio. This will help you to get accustomed to our style of interaction, and many of the common practices and conventions we use, as well as ensuring that your choice of character is appropriate for the world you have chosen.
Each world has its own version of Camp Venture, so training and orientation takes place in a setting which is appropriate for your new character. You'll spend somewhere between a few days and a few weeks in training, either alone or with one or two other new arrivals. There may be a short delay before the scenario begins, if other new writers are expected to join you. This will allow us to run the scenarios without having to interrupt as new folks arrive.
Once your training is complete, you will be assigned to a regular writing unit. The Admins and your instructor will assist you with finding a good fit.
What happens once I get assigned to a ship
or world?
You will report to your Captain or Unit Leader and then you will be assigned to a position. Your group may be just getting started, or you may be joining a mission or quest in progress. Either way, plunge in. Imagine yourself actually being in this world. You are a newcomer. You will not know your companions nor the routine. That's what you are there to learn. At the same time, you ARE a Starfleet officer, or a companion, or an operative, and you will be expected to be able to contribute to the action. Add your own ideas and complications to the story.
I want to play, but none of
the worlds are quite right for what I want to do. Now what?
We are always considering ideas for new realms to expand the club. If there is something you'd like to see, let the Club Administrators know.
How should I title my posts to
reflect where my character is?
WW is a complete galaxy in virtual reality. We "go" places by the subject line in our posts. When you are told to "go" to Engineering or "report" to the Warrenlady, you can do this by posting your message with a subject line reading "USS <shipname>: Engineering" or "[DL] Warrenlady's Chamber". This enables everyone involved to find the notes they are looking for, quickly and easily. Even when posts have actual titles rather than locations, they should always be prefaced by the proper realm designator in square brackets, or ship or station name for Starfleet.
More detailed information on titling and posting format can be found in the WW Writer's Guide, again available from the administrators or on our web site.
How can my characters advance
in rank or status?
Some realms have a promotion ladder. In Starfleet, for example, your early promotions are made by the Captain of your ship or station. They come fairly quickly at first, as you get into the swing of things. They are based on the frequency of your posts and the quality of your contributions. As you rise higher in rank, it takes longer to move up.
In realms where there is no actual rank, there may be some sort of status to be gained, such as Wingleader or Hatchling Trainer status in DragonLands. There are also awards to be gained in some realms.
Most folks, however, don't really care as much about rank and status as they do about having fun. Characters of any rank and status are equally enjoyable.
What about me, as a member?
How do I advance?
There are often openings in the administration for dedicated and helpful individuals. If you think you'd like to help out, be sure to let the Club Admins know. If we're favorably impressed with your abilities, you may be offered a position in administration. Most members don't become administrators until they have been with us for at least a few months, however, no matter how dedicated they may be. Administrative positions may include training instructors, unit leaders, and greeters, as well as specialty and one-shot jobs such as web page design and archiving, document revision, and recruiting. Running a group this size takes a lot of hard work, and we can always use extra help.
Club-wide administration is handled separately from each world's individual management; the Club Admins handle broad policy questions and grievances and disputes between members and other administrators. Character concerns are handled by each Unit Leader or World Admin individually. World Admins are also appointed by the Club Admins, and likewise, Unit Leaders are appointed by the World Admins. We try to maintain as much of a "hands off" environment as we can, in order to maximize enjoyment for the members, and minimize interference.
You may also be interested in starting and running your own world. This if very time-consuming and requires constant attention, but if it's something you'd like to try, you can present a world proposal to the club admins. Please don't do this, however, unless you have been with us a long while and are very familiar with how we do things. We're not likely to make too many exceptions to general policy just to add a new world.
Can my character from one
world visit the others?
Worlds within WW may be "open", which means they can be visited by characters from other settings, or "closed", in which case they may not. There are also "partially closed" settings. In all cases, cross-genre characters must be approved by the World Administrator of the realm you wish to enter. Visitors, of course, must then reconcile their own views and behavior with those of their hosts. We recommend that you not try this until you have significant experience in the club.
Rules for each realm vary also, depending on the motif. This is left to the discretion of the World Admin. Be sure you know what you're getting into before you try entering another world.
Can I use my own name for my
character?
The vast majority of our writers find the experience of interactive writing to be very involving, often putting considerable time and effort into their contributions. In the group's origins, when some writers used their own names for characters, a few occasions cropped up where intense scenes or conflicts that were meant to be between the characters in the story, were inadvertently misinterpreted as being directed at the writer personally.
For this reason, among others, we ask that you NOT use your real name for your character. Using real names for characters often leads to confusion. It is better to keep your character distinct from yourself.
How do I learn more?
The complete description of WW and its rules and style is available in the World Weavers Writer's Guide, and the Camp Venture and Traveler's Rest Guides, which can be obtained by request by e-mailing one of the Club Admins listed below, or accessed from our web site. The FAQs and Guides for each realm are available from that realm's World Administrator, or on that world's web site.
We invite you to journey with us beyond the threshold of imagination to weave yourself into the fabric of adventure. Enjoy yourself! Your journey begins momentarily.
