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October 23, 2009

BY CHIP MINEMYER The Tribune-Democrat Fri Oct 23, 2009, 04:12 PM EDT

We all know the traditional relationship between a newspaper and its customers: The newspaper produces stories, and the customers read them.

Well, I think it’s time we break from tradition and have some fun.

Throughout November and December, we’ll be inviting you, the readers, to come along on a wild ride of expression and creativity.

In fact, we’ll let you drive this bus and take it where you want to go.

You see, together, we’ll be writing a fictional serial story.

Is there an F. Scott Fitzgerald, Harper Lee or William Faulkner hiding within you?

Have you dreamed of following in the steps of Jack London, Ernest Hemingway or J.D. Salinger?

Not into the “classics”?

Perhaps you’re the next Stephen King, James Patterson or Danielle Steel.

Or maybe – and more likely – you just have a flare for language and a creative streak.

That’s what we’re really looking for here.

On Nov. 1, we’ll supply the first chapter – just to get things started.

Then every other week right up to Christmas, you’ll write and we’ll print the sequels in an unfolding story.

We’ll publish those chapters in the pages of The Tribune-Democrat and online at www.tribdem.com.

There will only be two rules for this project:

* The story must be set in the Cambria-Somerset region.

* The narrative must take place during the holidays.

We’ll do our best to set that stage with our opening chapter. After that, it will be up to you.

Will this be a romance story or a mystery? A tale of adventure, or perhaps a comedy?

You get to decide.

The protagonist could fall in love, open a business or get wounded in a bank robbery.

You make the call.

We publish numerous submitted columns on our pages – from news to sports to living to opinion. So I know there are lots of people out there who have writing talent.

But this will be something a bit different. This will be a fictional narrative.

And since each chapter might be written by someone different, authors will have to be able to pick up the thread of the story with each installment and move it forward.

The staff of The Tribune-Democrat, and perhaps a few helpers, will judge the submissions each time. And we’ll pick the chapter that we think is most creative and entertaining, and that keeps the story rolling.

We also plan to write profiles about the chosen writers to accompany their respective chapters.

Writers could emerge from the ranks of area high schools and colleges – students or faculty.

We hope to get submissions from retirees, businesspeople, bus drivers, short-order cooks and CEOs.

In the end, we want to have a good time, and perhaps create a buzz in the community in the process.

So loosen up those fingers, fire up the PC and crank up your imagination.

And watch for details in our Nov. 1 edition.

I can’t wait to see how this tale ends.

Chip Minemyer is the editor of The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 532-5091.

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