Planning & Brainstorming

This is the planning and brainstorming topic for the Minds Collab.

haha nice intro ;D

Haha isn't it? I just wanted to get the topic posted, and I that was my intro lol. Anyway- first off, we ought to decide how many characters each of us wants to have. I suggest we choose and equal number so that each person's turn takes relatively the same time to complete.

We will also have to explain why and how the mind interlock just suddenly happened. I'm thinking that the outside world thinks they are insane (but not all of them turn to others for help so that they don't get stuck in an asylum) the characters think it's a disease, but actually it's some form of alien interference.

I'd also suggest that the characters, after much confusion and frustation, eventually learn how to communicate through their thoughts. Also, when the story first begins (and they are not sure whats going on) whatever thoughts and feelings one character affects the thoughts and feelings of whoever his mind is interlocked with and vice versa.

I was thinking about creating more than one interlock. Then maybe each group of people whose minds are interlocked can somehow meet each other (probably by going to the same asylum or something) and help each other.

Ooh this just got really interesting!

I think, with all the drama, that one character each will be enough, and it won't get to copmlex. I LOVE the disease idea, but instead of an alien interference, maybe an 'upper force' could have made it- not a God exactly, but a higher power. I dunno, just an idea. :P
I also really like the communication idea, but maybe they could learn to develop it further and learn how to shield their thoughts.
I like the idea of more than one interlock, but we'll need to make sure it doesn't get too complicated XD

Yea one character is enough. Yea, like a celestial being with an interior and exterior motive for melding these people's minds- I could definitely see that. True, and eventually they are going to have to develop it to a point where they can break the interlock (but they can only make progress inside their dreams whereas when they're awake they can only try to figure out a way to break the interlock). Yes, it's going to be complicated as is, so we'll need to make sure we don't overload.

Yeah, so there's a higher power who's making the interlock between them, but why? And why them?

I also thought, when they're really close to breaking it, the higher power could make it so they sometimes get it whilst their awake? But then it could backfire because it's helping them.

Exactly. I'm thinking that maybe the higher power is dying and needs a certain kind of brainwave activity in order to survive. But this brainwave activity is uniqe to telepathy only. And since this dying being is too sick to travel to a planet that is inhabited by telepathic people, he forces telepathy onto these humans on Earth (except it's more like a mind-meld rather than telepathy, because telepathy is excercised at will whereas a mind-meld is involuntary; but the brainwaves produced are the same). And science never knew that these brainwaves existed, or that it was possible for the human brain to emit them.

Actually, since it's a mind-meld, I was thinking that they would always get it (always recieving each others thoughts) while they were awake (were you wanting to change this?) and there dreams would also be mixed together. Are you saying that they would get something like daydreams or hallucinations or something so that they could work on breaking the interlock, because they can only try to break it (or make progress in trying to break it) in there dreams (but they can speculate as to how they need to break the interlock while they are awake)? Phew, this will be confusing, but awesome haha.

I really like the dying being idea with the brainwaves etc. ^.^

maybe they could always be able to hear each others thoughts when they're awake but be unable to answer them and it's only in dreams that they can have actual conversations and work out how to break it. Ooh, maybe when they get more advanced they can communicate whenever they like! But, the price for answering on another when they're awake is having hallucinations.

I'm starting to get really excited about this! xD

That sounds awesome, Isi! Makes a lot of sense, since humans obviously aren't used to trying to control this interlock to their benefit. Thanks accioheadphones. So am I!

And I was trying to think of what they would have to do in order to try to break the interlock in their dreams. I was thinking that since it's basically a battle against their subconscious (which is being manipulated by the higher power) they would have to rely on each other to break it in each other's dreams (because each one's subconscious will be able to beat them. So, in essence, they cannot try and break their own side of the interlock- only other's).

Additionally, they have to break the interlock one mind at a time. And in order to free one person from the interlock the others have to pretty much solve or outsmart that person's subconscious (whether it be through riddles, equations, puzzles etc.)

If any of you two want to add or change something just say so. These are ideas that I'd like to implement, but I want to make sure that you guys like it all, so feel free to speak up about anything.

Ooh yeah! maybe the higher power could realise they're close to breaking free so he sets them riddles and puzzles etc. that he thinks only he can do!

I had another thought - where and at what time is this set? I think the present time would be easiest because then we wouldn't have to work out details about the time era on top of everything! The country doesn't particularly matter either, we all speak english here! haha ^,^

haha it's okay, and thank you! ^.^

I definitely think the present era is the best. I was thinking that eventually all the victims would meet, but when they are first hit by the mind-meld they can each be anywhere their authors (the three of us) want them to be. So your character can be in the country and place of your choice.

Haha, thanks accioheadphones. No problem.

Awesome! Yeah I love that :) can either of you think of anything else, or shall we post bios?

I was thinking we ought to decide how the story will end, but we don't have to right now. Sure! I was also thinking of asking you guys to write introductory chapters- they introduce the character and also show how the character reacts to the mind-meld etc. when it first gets put on them. Remember since the mind-meld includes more than one person the thoughts and feelings that you character recieves will change constantly just like his probably will (at the beginning there will be either confusion or fear or anxiety or all of those and more).

I'd like to work my bio into my introductory story if thats ok with the both of you. I don't care if you want to do your bio separate from the intro piece- both ways are fine with me.

Actually I'm thinking I might do the bio separate- I saw how others did it on here, and it's cool.

Awesome! yeah, I think separate bios would be better - then you can put them into the author guidance so it's easy to refer back to them when we're writing our chapters :) We are writing in first person though aren't we? I always write better first person :P

I'll put my bio up later, I'm meant to be doing homework now XD

I was orginally planning on using both first and third person (probably mostly third person); but know I'm not so sure. Do you think it matters if we write in different persons? Perhaps I should wait and see your intro chapter (and accioheadphones' intro chapter) before I continue. And now that I think about it, first person might be superior to third person in this case, cause' we have more than one main character. But I'm think I might just wait to see you guys' intro chapters. Then I can write mine and probably write a preface also.

okay, yeah, I just write way, way better in first person ^,^ I'm at school atm, but I'll post my bio later, what's the setup you want? Just the usual

name:
age:
appearance:
personality:
other:

is there anything else to add to it?

No, I think that's good!

:D