This sounds like a neat idea for a book event: The Hugo House just announced a week-long project in which a bunch of Seattle authors will collaborate on writing a novel in public:
On Sunday, October 10, story elements for “The Novel: Live!,” including themes, characters and locations, will be decided upon with input from the community at the kick-off party for Arts Crush Literary Week at Elliott Bay Book Company, and then beginning 10 a.m. on Monday, October 11, [Jennie] Shortridge will have a seat and begin typing at a computer stationed on Hugo House’s Cabaret stage. Every two hours until 10 p.m. each evening, a new, nationally published Northwest author will assume control of the computer—and of the story—until the novel is completed by [Garth] Stein on the evening of October 16.
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Through screen projection at Hugo House, live streaming online at thenovellive.org and regular updates from authors on Facebook and Twitter, the novel will take shape before the eyes of its readers, who will have the chance to participate in the story too by offering audience suggestions, online comments, submitting to the cover design contest, writing their own “fan fiction” and purchasing character naming rights.
I'm not saying the resulting novel will be any good as a work of fiction, but this is a great way for aspiring writers to take a look inside the writing process in a very public way, and it seems to be a good cross-section of local authors. Maybe I'll do some live literary criticism on Slog, too. The full press release, including the list of participating authors, is after the jump.
Seattle7Writers and Richard Hugo House Present “The Novel: Live!”
Thirty-six Pacific Northwest authors write a 60,000-word novel in six days before your very eyes
October 11-16, 2010 at Richard Hugo House
Made possible with a grant from Amazon.com
SEATTLE — On October 11, 2010, thirty-six authors will begin one of the most stunning literary feats ever imagined—they will collaborate on a book-length piece of fiction in a marathon writing session over six days. This real-time performance, called “The Novel: Live!,” includes Seattle7Writers Garth Stein and Jennie Shortridge as well as bestselling authors Jamie Ford, Elizabeth George, Erik Larson and Nancy Rawles, among many others, and will occur at Richard Hugo House, a nonprofit center for writers and readers in Seattle, before both a live and virtual audience as part of Arts Crush, a month-long festival and celebration of the Seattle-area arts scene.
Why a marathon novel? To raise both awareness of and money for literacy causes in the Pacific Northwest, the primary missions of Seattle7Writers, say co-organizers Stein and Shortridge. The event is being made possible with a grant from Amazon.com.
On Sunday, October 10, story elements for “The Novel: Live!,” including themes, characters and locations, will be decided upon with input from the community at the kick-off party for Arts Crush Literary Week at Elliott Bay Book Company, and then beginning 10 a.m. on Monday, October 11, Shortridge will have a seat and begin typing at a computer stationed on Hugo House’s Cabaret stage. Every two hours until 10 p.m. each evening, a new, nationally published Northwest author will assume control of the computer—and of the story—until the novel is completed by Stein on the evening of October 16.
To assist the authors in this risky challenge, each will have three “lifelines,” which can be used to call fellow authors or their own agents and publishers, and the advice and encouragement of “TN:L!” official “spokes-librarian,” Nancy Pearl, famed Seattle librarian and author of “Book Lust.”
“Our mission with Seattle7Writers has been to energize the reading and writing communities of the Northwest,” says Stein, author “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” “‘The Novel: Live!’ is that mission, taken to an extreme. At first we all thought, ‘There’s no way; it’s too crazy!’ But then we realized we all feel the same way when we start a new book: ‘I can’t pull this off.’ But we do pull it off. And so we will pull off ‘TN:L!’”
Through screen projection at Hugo House, live streaming online at thenovellive.org and regular updates from authors on Facebook and Twitter, the novel will take shape before the eyes of its readers, who will have the chance to participate in the story too by offering audience suggestions, online comments, submitting to the cover design contest, writing their own “fan fiction” and purchasing character naming rights.
“Every moment of ‘The Novel: Live!’ will be different from the one that preceded it and the one that comes after,” says Shortridge, author of “When She Flew.” “Each author brings ideas and experiences and imagination into the mix that we can’t even fathom right now. The community will also be involved in the outcome of the story. It will truly be a Seattle novel.”
Upon completion of the novel on Saturday, October 16, it will be published and available for purchase as an e-book in all formats. Proceeds will be donated to Northwest literacy nonprofits via Seattle7Writers.
“The Novel: Live!” runs at Richard Hugo House 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, October 11-16, 2010. The event is free and open to the public throughout each day. In the evenings from 5-7 and 9-10 p.m., Hugo House will host happy hours with drink specials, refreshments and snacks available at its bar/café.
Details at thenovellive.org and hugohouse.org.
A List of Participating AuthorsGarth Stein
Jennie Shortridge
Carol Cassella
Mary Guterson
Erica Bauermeister
Kit Bakke
Susan Wiggs
Erik Larson
Jamie Ford
Kevin O’Brien
Maria Dahvana Headley
Matthew Amster-Burton
Suzanne Selfors
Ed Skoog
Sean Beaudoin
Robert Dugoni
Kathleen Alcala
Karen Finneyfrock
Nancy Rawles
Craig Welch
Julia Quinn
Deb Caletti
Dave Boling
Peter Mountford
Kevin Emerson
William Dietrich
Elizabeth George
Clyde Ford
Stacey Levine
David Lasky
Greg Stump
Indu Sundaresan
Teri Hein
Jarret Middleton
Frances McCue
“The Novel: Live!” is one of a diverse range of not-for-profit programs receiving support from Amazon.com for its commitment to fostering the creation, discussion and publication of new works and new authors. Other local recipients include 826 Seattle, Richard Hugo House’s Youth Writing Program and its Hugo Literary Series, Hedgebrook, Port Townsend Writers Conference, Humanities Washington, Seattle Arts & Lectures Writers in the Schools Program, Clarion West, Copper Canyon Press and many others.
Food for participating authors provided by Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria.
About Seattle7Writers
Seattle7Writers is a collective of Pacific Northwest authors whose mission is two-fold: to raise awareness of Northwest literature, and to give back to their community by doing good works for literacy causes. seattle7writers.org
About Richard Hugo House
Richard Hugo House is a home for writers and readers. Our mission is to provide writers of all ages and backgrounds with the resources they need, connect audiences with the world of writing, foster the creation of new work and promote the literary arts as a vital part of our culture. Richard Hugo House is located at 1634 11th Ave. in Seattle.
Calendar Listing
Seattle7Writers and Richard Hugo House present “The Novel: Live!,” a real-time performance where thirty-six Pacific Northwest authors collaborate on a 60,000-word novel over six days, on October 11-16, 2010, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. at Richard Hugo House. Details at thenovellive.org.
