Okay, this is just something to give you a rough idea of what the Writer's Cafe is all about, as well as some of the dos and don'ts. The best way to learn the ways of the Cafe is through the reading the stories and this FAQ.
Part I - What the heck is this place?
Part II - Is this a weird thing I see before me?
Part III - Umm.. I want to write a story...
Part I - What the heck is this place?
What's Subreality?
What's this Subreality Cafe I've been hearing about?
CFAN also houses the Subreality Cafe round robins,
but they're a different breed unto themselves. ;) I suggest that you visit the other two sites first.
Okay, so what is the Writer's Cafe?
How does it look like?
Part II - Is this a weird thing I see before me?
Who are all these... people?
Writers
Muses
Note that much of this information on the Muses and their hierarchy was developed in the SC round robins. You don't have to acknowledge it outside the round robins if you don't want to. Personally I'd prefer you to, for the sake of continuity, but that's entirely up to you. ;)
The staff
Why aren't there any fictives in the Cafe?
Part III - Umm.. I want to write a story...
Do I need to have permission?
Are there any rules I have to follow?
Ack! Do I have to write each and every one of the staff into my story?
Okay, I've written one. What do I do with it?
1. Post it to the OutsidetheLines (OTL) mailing list.
2. Submit it to me.
Either way, I'll get the story. No worries. ;) Please refer to the submission rules for more details.
Suggestions, comments, and questions can be directed to me at themuseandi@subreality.com.
Refer to Kielle's Subreality Central.
There are several sources from which you can find out about our "big sister":
The Writer's Cafe (or WC for short) is a bar/pub/tavern/watering-hole-of-your-choice for fanfic Writers in Subreality. Just imagine a place where Writers can drink themselves into alcoholic oblivion, grumble about writer's block, and generally hang out without anybody telling them to move along. The concept is very similar to Subreality Cafe, except that WC caters solely to Writers and has a "fixed" staff. There are also other minor differences.
Just as a Writer can alter his/her appearance in Subreality, the cafe looks the way the Writer wants it to be -- it's 100% powered by imagination. It can be a nice homey diner, or a seedy bar in the darker side of town. Heck, make it a fantasy-style tavern if you want. The most popular look seems to be that of an old English pub, an idea which took root during a round robin. However, there are a few consistencies: the bar, for one, and the kitchen.
There are three categories of sentient beings you'll run into at the WC:
Yes, the "w" is capitalized. Usually. ;) Seeing as this is their Cafe, it stands to reason that they'll make up most of the clientele, yes? They can be recognized by their laptops, the glazed/desperate/manic look of creative processes taking place, and a certain undefinable aura. The Writers you meet in the Cafe are usually avatars, a writer's persona in the Cafe (to use Kielle's phrase). They can also be a favourite original character which has taken on a life of his/her own, but only the former are allowed in the WC.
Muses are inspiration personified. There used to be few of them around, as Writers don't usually feel compelled to give their inspiration a physical form. However, it looks as if their numbers are growing. The appearances of the Muses vary. For example, Acetal's Muse is a flock of tiny blue sheep. ;) They have a personality distinct from their Writers, though they tend to absorb small parts of the Writer's personality. The Queen of the Muses is Calliope, one of the original nine Muses. She's extremely powerful, almost a demi-goddess. She can be kindly described as autocratic and difficult to get along with. The unkind description is unprintable in Geocities and Marvel comics. Muses are assigned to different departments, Fan Fiction being one of them.
They have their own page which you should read, but basically the Cafe employs a permanent staff of six: Peregrine, Manager; Hank McCoy, Assistant Manager; Mary Shiva, Bartender; Pinocchio, Bouncer; Makoto Kino, Cook; and Alfred Pennyworth, Janitor.
Just as a Writer is not supposed to enter the Subreality Cafe except on designated nights, fictives will be kicked out unceremoniously from the WC. However, that won't prevent them from trying to sneak in...
No, you don't. However, if you're including other Writers in your story, please ask for their permission. A "mentioned" cameo doesn't seem to require permission, but if you're unsure, just ask.
I'm glad you asked. ;) Here're a few basic rules:
Nope, you don't have to. The Writer's Cafe is about you. ;) If you do write them, however, don't have them acting out of character.
Well, if you want it to be archived here, do either of these: