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agilebritI will not name names here, but I will put forth the story as a cautionary tale.
I freely admit that I am mercenary, and I will write damned near anything if you throw enough money at my head. So when someone approaches me with an opportunity to "write for a movie or TV show," sure, I'm intrigued, but wary. When you say "Don't ask me about the money because I'm the least qualified person to handle it," I am less intrigued and more wary. When you tell me that you want ten professional writers for main plot, character, and worldbuilding stuff, plus an unknown number of amateur writers giving input (that can be vetoed by the "pro" writers), it starts sounding like a mess. Especially when you have yet to explain the actual premise of it to me but are acting like I'm wholly on board and signed up when I've said no such thing.
And then, when I put the title of the project together with the art you show me, and the penny drops for me that this thing is probably something not in my wheelhouse--that it is, in fact, an x-rated outer-space harem manga with one human-looking dude and seven human/alien hybrid women and a "feminist balance" (whatever the hell that means--I'm going with "lots of voyeuristic lesbian sex," here, but I could be wrong)? And I mention that I don't write women too often and that I have a problem with third-wave feminism? And your reaction is to block me from your personal facebook and the project's facebook too?
Well, dude. I think I just dodged a bullet.
I mean, this is clearly one of those "I have this great idea, you should write it (along with nine other people and these artists too!) and we'll split the proceeds!" things. This guy has no earthly idea what he's really getting into, or trying to get other people into. The mind boggles at what kind of contract he'll come up with. Successful shared worlds do not work like this, or, at least, do not work like my tiny peek behind the curtain seemed to imply.
I would love to know why this guy thought I'd be perfect for writing his furry space orgy porn for him, or why he thought such a project would appeal to me, the conservative Christian who is (probably) old enough to be his mother. But he blocked me in a snit, so I guess it shall remain a mystery.
I freely admit that I am mercenary, and I will write damned near anything if you throw enough money at my head. So when someone approaches me with an opportunity to "write for a movie or TV show," sure, I'm intrigued, but wary. When you say "Don't ask me about the money because I'm the least qualified person to handle it," I am less intrigued and more wary. When you tell me that you want ten professional writers for main plot, character, and worldbuilding stuff, plus an unknown number of amateur writers giving input (that can be vetoed by the "pro" writers), it starts sounding like a mess. Especially when you have yet to explain the actual premise of it to me but are acting like I'm wholly on board and signed up when I've said no such thing.
And then, when I put the title of the project together with the art you show me, and the penny drops for me that this thing is probably something not in my wheelhouse--that it is, in fact, an x-rated outer-space harem manga with one human-looking dude and seven human/alien hybrid women and a "feminist balance" (whatever the hell that means--I'm going with "lots of voyeuristic lesbian sex," here, but I could be wrong)? And I mention that I don't write women too often and that I have a problem with third-wave feminism? And your reaction is to block me from your personal facebook and the project's facebook too?
Well, dude. I think I just dodged a bullet.
I mean, this is clearly one of those "I have this great idea, you should write it (along with nine other people and these artists too!) and we'll split the proceeds!" things. This guy has no earthly idea what he's really getting into, or trying to get other people into. The mind boggles at what kind of contract he'll come up with. Successful shared worlds do not work like this, or, at least, do not work like my tiny peek behind the curtain seemed to imply.
I would love to know why this guy thought I'd be perfect for writing his furry space orgy porn for him, or why he thought such a project would appeal to me, the conservative Christian who is (probably) old enough to be his mother. But he blocked me in a snit, so I guess it shall remain a mystery.
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no subject
Date: 2016-12-08 05:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-08 05:41 am (UTC)The kicker is that a conversation kept going before he kicked me out of the chat that I didn't know I was privy to until I opened a new FB window and it popped up. And in this conversation, this guy admits he doesn't even have a contract for any of his creative people yet! And apparently his money guy is some actor no one's ever heard of.
This is a trainwreck waiting to happen.
Seriously, you don't lead with "have you ever wanted to write for movies or TV." You lead with "I have this concept I want to pay you to write" and then outline the damned concept and the payment terms. Then I can tell you if it's in my wheelhouse and we don't waste a bunch of time.
Wow...
Date: 2016-12-08 03:02 pm (UTC)Here's to bullets dodged, and better things that will come along,
G
RE: Wow...
Date: 2016-12-08 05:46 pm (UTC)You can't make this stuff up.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-08 09:52 pm (UTC)Yep, well dodged.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-08 10:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-10 06:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-11 05:25 pm (UTC)Apparently he's "only" after five "professional" writers now instead of ten, and still does not realize that the first and foremost goal of a pro writer is to get paid. With his Gofundme only trying to raise $3000 (and no donations after something like a month, poor fellow), and the mention of $3000-$5000 as an initial goal, he's terribly naive if he thinks anyone remotely professional is going to want to be involved in this, especially at the level of payment he's looking at, with an essentially work-for-hire job.
Also, wrangling writers is a lot like herding mountain lions. I don't think he realizes this either.
no subject
Date: 2016-12-11 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-11 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-12-11 05:32 pm (UTC)That being said, what he really should have done was search out the sort of harem manga he likes on AO3, find some writers who are actually good at writing it, and hit them up. Then he would have known that a project like this was in their wheelhouse, and he would have been talking to people who are already used to working on other people's properties--and who would have probably been more willing to take the paltry payment he was offering.
I've got all kinds of advice for this guy, but, alas. He blocked me.