by Jade Harmer
What is Story City?
Story City is a unique, digital story-telling experience founded by talented entrepreneur, Emily Craven. It combines traditional choose-your-own-adventures with real-life locations.
How did you become a Story City writer?
I’d read about Story City in Brisbane and was intrigued by the concept, but I learned that Story City was coming to Adelaide when SA SCBWI Coordinator, Katrina Germein, shared the call out for artists with SA members. I saw it as a unique and challenging opportunity and I knew I had to apply.
Until that time my focus had been on writing picture book manuscripts and flash fiction so I figured I was out of my depth, but on the flip-side I’d come up with a story idea that I thought had potential. When I was chosen as a writer I felt a healthy mix of excitement and trepidation.
What was your writing process?
The timelines for the project were tight and the story structure was unlike anything I’d experienced. A matter of weeks to complete fifteen locations and devise eight alternative endings, and, like everyone, I needed to juggle the project around the rest of my life! I wrote through the evenings when the house was quiet, drank copious amounts of tea and ate way too much chocolate.
It wasn’t until my second draft that I worked out a manageable process and found some rhythm. Walking around the Adelaide CBD kept my ideas fresh and taking a ridiculous number of photos helped me to enhance the locative elements of my story. Ultimately, after numerous drafts, some insanely late nights and plenty of great editorial guidance, my story emerged.
The illustrator, musician, narrator and sound engineer then worked their magic. They brought my story to life and I was blown away by the outcome.
What is your story about?
You are an entrepreneurial alien Captain from the Never Galaxy who offers immersive tours of Earth to wealthy alien tourists and dabbles in the intergalactic black market. You are caught up in a game of hide and seek with a cheeky pair of alien tourists, but you need to evade the big, blue guardians of the Never Galaxy who are committed to sentencing you to a fate far worse than death!
Would you do it again?
Yes! Being a Story City writer presented me with an incredibly steep learning curve, but the opportunity to take a story idea from concept to completion was invaluable to developing my skills as a writer and collaborating with the other artists and the Story City team was a pleasure.
Want to get involved?
Download the Story City App and choose an adventure, or register you interest in becoming a Story City artist!