Long ago I was a member of an online group of upcoming authors. The website, The Online Writing Workshop for Fantasy and Science Fiction still exists. If you want to be a writer, check them out.
It's a great workshop where members post writing and other members review it and give feedback. To post a chapter, you must review what others have posted.
Back then, several members discussed writers’ block. As a solution, I created a virtual pub named the Serendip. It was a pub whose patrons were characters from stories being posted on the writing site. I was a moderator and did a tiny bit of editing and checked for appropriate content. I dubbed myself Mike the Janitor. For example, a character from my novel might have a beer at the Serendip with a character from your short story. My character would bemoan how his author (me) broke a promise to set him up with someone.
It was a lot of fun and really helped overcome writers' block. It became a place for "no pressure" writing where the rule was simple -- have some fun.
Self Publishing began and all of us writers had more questions than answers. To learn by doing, myself and another workshop member, John B., self published an anthology of stories subbmitted to a Serendip Pub writing contest. We learned a lot and had a great time. The book is still avliable from iUniverse.com, but you can read it here.
Preface
This is a book written by writers about the process of writing.
Wait! Before you close this book and place it back on the shelf, realize that most books about writing aren’t co-written by wizards and dragons, or talking heads and damsels in distress, or giant trolls and frenetic leprechauns.
But this one is.
See. First you must understand that writers of speculative fiction, that is to say; science fiction, fantasy and horror stories, do not have a complete grip on reality. In fact, most writers firmly believe that during the process of creating a story, the characters in the story actually begin to tell the writer what comes next.
Scary, isn’t it?
Which is how the Serendip Pub came into being. It is a virtual, imaginary bar created and maintained by members of the Online Writ- ing Workshop. It exists only in the imaginations of the workshop members and is a place where, given a few rules and a common backdrop, writers can create small vignettes to explore new story lines, break writer’s block, or experiment with new characters.
Plus it helps to keep them all out of the psychiatric ward.
These vignettes are posted and maintained on a web site so that others may share the vision and enjoy the humor. For, if nothing else, the Serendip is about having fun.
Where else can you go to sip fine Akuvian cinnamon wine and have a heart-to-heart with one of your more troubling characters? Or maybe you choose to sit in the Writer’s Nook discussing magic spells and comma usage with other writers while slugging down mugs of Korone Dwarven Dark Ale.
Bar fights, bad puns, a bouncer named Grendel (yes, The Grendel), and a bartender who can dispense advice and drinks simultaneously, all exist inside this fabulous place.
The Serendip was created from a unexpected and fortuitous idea. Thus, its name. It has become a place that is filled with fabulous treasures and fueled by the collective imaginations of people who are destined to become tomorrow’s Asimovs, Heinleins and Le Guins.
Although hundreds of “Tales” have been written about the Serendip Pub since it opened its electronic doors, Tales of The Serendip is a collection of stories from the first writing contest centered around the virtual pub.
Our judges for the Tales of the Serendip writing contest were Charles Coleman Finlay and Karin Lowachee.
Editorial Method -If there is one
Tales of the Serendip was written and edited by writers of science fiction and fantasy. Therefore, any grammar or punctuation errors which you may find within this book are not actually there. They only appear to be there through an errant bit of magic that escaped from the Serendip, or maybe from a time-travel experiment gone wrong (for you science fiction fans). I’m sure that next time you pick up this book they will all be gone.
Oh. You will also see American and English spellings scattered throughout this book. We figured that, given the intellectual level of our readers, this would present no problems.
The other day while shaving, I accidentally looked into the mirror with one eye closed while thinking furiously about my latest story and hum- ming ‘Die Niebelungenlied’. Blinded by a flash of light, I found myself transported to another place. I was in a dark cobblestone alley, facing a door. Over the doorway hung a smudged sign that read, The Serendip. I went in.
I found a place where Ellen and Charlie tend bar and dispense advice. And you and your characters are anything your choose. Here’s a chance to sip fine Akuvian cinnamon wine and have a heart-to-heart with one of your more troubling characters. Or you may choose to sit in the Writer’s Nook discussing football and comma usage with other writers. If you request you can be seated in the villains corner, or drop in on review groups in the back room. I’m sure The Serendip, like all good fictional bars, is much bigger inside than the outside suggests.
GRENDEL (THE BOUNCER’S) WELCOME
“Welcome to The Serendip! I’m glad you found us. Is this your first time? It is? Great! Come on in. Would you like a table. I have a nice four-top near the fireplace in the mead hall if you’re expecting friends. The bar? Fine. Follow me. “Please step over the dragon’s tail. He’s feeling a little short-tem- pered…or well-tempered, depending on how you look at it. We had a Brobdignagian in last week who was about seventeen sheets to the wind. He stepped on the poor darling’s tail. Today is the first day we haven’t smelled burnt flesh. Did I mention that our pub grill is featur- ing a nice arm roast tonight? The portions are giant!
“Keep walking this way please. If you are interested, I think that some of our guests are playing trivia on the big holo screen in the Moonview lounge. You are welcome to join in any time. And the writer’s nook always seems to have a seat available. Just ask anybody for directions. “I’m am so pleased that you found our little place. We keep the location intentionally obscure. Whoops! Watch your step. “Larin. Please pull your sword out of the aisle.
“Now, where were we. I mean one can’t let just any hack into a place like this. After all, this isn’t the Vulgar Unicorn! I remember a certain snockered elf, who shall remain nameless, who swore that he got here by taking the second star to the right and traveling straight on ’til morning. I mean, come on! That’s ridiculous. That place only serves Kool-Aid. The only intellectual discussions that those people have revolve entirely around the various means to dispose of pirates.
“One lady told me she was actually looking for Calahan’s Place, but took a wrong turn at Albuquerque. Philistine! Anyway I’ve talked long enough. Here is your seat. Charlie will be along soon to serve you— he’s bartending tonight. My name is Grendel. I’m the greeter and the bouncer. Enjoy yourself, but don’t let this sweet, innocent fang-filled face fool you. You cause trouble and you’re out on your ass!
Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. About the only thing that will get you tossed out is unrepentant bad writing. There is a couple more things you should know, then I’ll leave you. All drinks are on the house, cour- tesy of Mr. Redley. You can see him sitting over there in his private booth. We leave him alone, but most people like to raise a glass in appreciation towards his table.
“Last of all. Most of our patrons aren’t too dangerous, but we do have our share of surly warriors and out-of-sorts space cowboys. Oh! I almost forgot. It’s always good to keep a general purpose reverse-peri- stalsis counter spell handy. Some of the magicals have a very weird sense of humor.”
The Serendip Staff
Grendel the bouncer. Yes. THE Grendel from Beowulf fame. Hey, he hasn’t had a gig in over a thousand years. Give him a break! Grendel is one of the constants of the Serendip. He maintains order, occasionally has to throw out disruptive elements, and although he can be loqua- cious, he usually does not talk much.
Charlie the Bartender. Not the Online Writing Workshop Charlie, but close. So, we at least tried to be respectful. A quote from the OWW Charlie: “I don’t really care if people are respectful, as long as they give me good lines. And you can quote me on that.”
The Dragon’s tail. The dragon’s body is off stage, maybe in the kitchen keeping the stove lit. All we see is it’s tail extending out into the bar.
Mike the Janitor. He lives in the basement, keeps the furnace lit, maintains communication with the ‘real world’ by writing on old potato peelings (spud notes) and ejecting them into various e-mail servers. Mike is usually found behind the furnace leaning back in his chair and napping.
Mr. Redley is the Serendip Bar’s patron. He is a shadowy figure who sits in a dark corner sipping a drink. Most new comers raise their first glass of drink towards Mr. Redley and thank him (the drinks are free, after all!). Who’s Mr. Redley? Well, come into the Serendip some night. Ask Charlie to speak with Miss Gramme. Her first name is Anna. She’ll tell you.
Charlie is well on his way to becoming one of today’s premier sci- ence fiction and fantasy writers. His stories have appeared in Fantasy & Science Fiction and elsewhere including, Footnotes, F&SF, August 2001, and The Political Officer, F&SF, April 2002. Karin is the author of WARCHILD, winner of the Warner Aspect First Novel Contest for 2000.
Before you wander through these pages, you might like to know a bit about the place.
Enjoy!
John Borneman and Mike the janitor March 2000
