The Writers' Block

[The United Penguin Commonwealth]

Technically, that's not a reversal issue, so feel free to write one if you would like.

Doh! You're right.

okay, I’ll work on it.

just have to find reasons to keep the lowest denomination coin.

[Honeydewistania]

So I was watching Adaptation. (starring Nicolas Cage) the other day and the premise begins with a guy who legally steals orchids because he gets the natives to do it for him (whom are allowed to do so due to being indigenous) so I was wondering if there was 1) any issue covering a topic on this 2) if it would be a good idea. Thanks!! :3

[Tinhampton]

In the latest version of his SPOILER ALERT thread changelog, Valentine Z says that he:

May change the macros to have underscores on them. For example: @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@ -> @@RANDOM_LAST_NAME@@ in order to improve readability. Will be large-scale across all posts.

For official clarity purposes, will either format of macro be accepted by the editors in submitted draft issues? (I know I've seen macros with nonstandard names, such as @@LASTNAME@@ or @@LASTNAMERANDOM@@, in the past - but never with underscores.)

[Pogaria]

In the latest version of his SPOILER ALERT thread changelog, Valentine Z says that he:

May change the macros to have underscores on them. For example: @@RANDOMLASTNAME@@ -> @@RANDOM_LAST_NAME@@ in order to improve readability. Will be large-scale across all posts.

For official clarity purposes, will either format of macro be accepted by the editors in submitted draft issues? (I know I've seen macros with nonstandard names, such as @@LASTNAME@@ or @@LASTNAMERANDOM@@, in the past - but never with underscores.)

As long as we can understand the intent, I don't think it will be a problem.

[Kurnugia]

Hey is there an issue about the dreadnought effect?

Basically a nation that does a lot of science and has a large military invented a weapon system that rendered most of its arm obsoloete.

[Ambrossa]

Is there an issue about an entertainment corporation (like Disney) gaining self-governing rights by the state (like Florida) and now a corrupt politician wants to take that away because of a disagreement over a contraversal bill (like the Don't Say Gay Bill)? I think it would be brilliant and totally original and a great first issue authorship for me, you know?

[Outer Sparta]

Is there an issue about an entertainment corporation (like Disney) gaining self-governing rights by the state (like Florida) and now a corrupt politician wants to take that away because of a disagreement over a contraversal bill (like the Don't Say Gay Bill)? I think it would be brilliant and totally original and a great first issue authorship for me, you know?

I don't think there is. Feel free to draft away.

[Verdant Haven]

Hey is there an issue about the dreadnought effect?

Basically a nation that does a lot of science and has a large military invented a weapon system that rendered most of its arm obsoloete.

While there are plenty of issues about military spending, and some that are about upgrades specifically I'm not aware off-hand of any specifically focusing on the Dreadnought Effect. Since the effect wasn't just obsoleting the fleet of the nation that created the Dreadnought, but rather obsoleting the entire world's fleets such that even now 100 years later we define naval eras based on it, you could also consider a presentation wherein an NPC nation has created the "Dreadnought" technology in question, and the player nation has to make decisions related to keeping up or not. That would make it a valid issue for far more nations than if it's limited to just those who are already the military and scientific elite. Just a thought.

Is there an issue about an entertainment corporation (like Disney) gaining self-governing rights by the state (like Florida) and now a corrupt politician wants to take that away because of a disagreement over a contraversal bill (like the Don't Say Gay Bill)? I think it would be brilliant and totally original and a great first issue authorship for me, you know?

It may be difficult to write an issue that manages to introduce the concept of private companies gaining government power, then declare that that has happened in a player's nation, and then state that there are politicians trying to take away this power that you have only just introduced for the first time. It would have to be something pretty deep in Devolution territory, Capitalist only, with probably some other checks on it... but it can't hurt to try. Give it a go!

[Jutsa]

That being said, an issue giving corporations self-governance to begin with would be an interesting one all on its own. Then again, it might be a bit hard to make an interesting set of options out of that, so maybe your approach would be better.

(Funnily enough, there IS an issue about Eisnerland i.e. Disney Land ;p)

[Luna Amore]

Issue 414 treads this territory. I based the private option (#3) off of Disney and Epcot: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=88#414

[Attack Helicopter]

Is there an issue about devolution being a problem (the citizens of a province want independence because of it)?

[Jutsa]

Not exactly (I think), although we do have several issues about secession in general so I don't think that'd be necessary.

We also just recently got an issue about devolved regions legalizing something illegal in your nation, so even autonomy is now being covered. That said, there's probably a bit of wiggle room if you want to try something else out. (I'd be interested to see an issue covering state media and devolution ;p)

[Wind and Void Rapture 1]

I'm just poking my beak in here for a moment to say that #1498 Flight 201: An Airspace Oddity really needs a fifth option: to rebroadcast the works of the two journalists who were captured in it. The Streisand effect should be weaponized against "Blackacre"!

[Outer Sparta]

I'm just poking my beak in here for a moment to say that #1498 Flight 201: An Airspace Oddity really needs a fifth option: to rebroadcast the works of the two journalists who were captured in it. The Streisand effect should be weaponized against "Blackacre"!

You can make a threat topic on why that issue deserves a fifth option and elaborate on that or you could contact the editors directly and see what they might think.

[Attack Helicopter]

Not exactly (I think), although we do have several issues about secession in general so I don't think that'd be necessary.

We also just recently got an issue about devolved regions legalizing something illegal in your nation, so even autonomy is now being covered. That said, there's probably a bit of wiggle room if you want to try something else out. (I'd be interested to see an issue covering state media and devolution ;p)

Do you mean devolved regions choosing to host their own news network instead of the country's news network?

[Jutsa]

Do you mean devolved regions choosing to host their own news network instead of the country's news network?

Exactly.

[Kiddian States]

Is there an issue about electric collars for dogs/other pets?

[Attack Helicopter]

Is it a good idea to make an issue about a leader of a devolved region threatening the independence of the region in anger?

[Outer Sparta]

Is it a good idea to make an issue about a leader of a devolved region threatening the independence of the region in anger?

That concept has been covered in past issues regarding secession.

[Attack Helicopter]

Is it a good idea to make an issue about a leader of a devolved region threatening the independence of the region in anger?

That concept has been covered in past issues regarding secession.

How about a top military officer threatening to use @@NATION@@'s weapons on itself?

[Trotterdam]

1. "No one even thinks to look at us funny now," says Field Marshall Lionel Mandrake as he taps a swagger stick against his hip. "So think about how they'd act when the military is in proper charge of the country? We'd say jump, and they'd jump, by jingo. Oh, and if you don't agree with me, consider this a coup."

[Wind and Void Rapture 1]

I'm just poking my beak in here for a moment to say that #1498 Flight 201: An Airspace Oddity really needs a fifth option: to rebroadcast the works of the two journalists who were captured in it. The Streisand effect should be weaponized against "Blackacre"!

You can make a threat topic on why that issue deserves a fifth option and elaborate on that or you could contact the editors directly and see what they might think.

Not while you're calling it a threat topic. That is seriously discouraging. That's two letters out of the way! Plausible deniability on typos involves either adjacent letters or broader scrambling, and don't pretend this outs me as faking typos either. I only do that in labeled contexts for humor value.

[Trotterdam]

Probably a Freudian slip. "t" and "d" sound fairly similar, it's a mistake someone could plausibly make.

Not every misspelling is the result of a slipped finger.

[Outer Sparta]

You can make a threat topic on why that issue deserves a fifth option and elaborate on that or you could contact the editors directly and see what they might think.

Not while you're calling it a threat topic. That is seriously discouraging. That's two letters out of the way! Plausible deniability on typos involves either adjacent letters or broader scrambling, and don't pretend this outs me as faking typos either. I only do that in labeled contexts for humor value.

Lol didn't notice it autocorrected from thread to threat. But yeah make a thread about it to get some more feedback.

[Electrum]

That concept has been covered in past issues regarding secession.

How about a top military officer threatening to use @@NATION@@'s weapons on itself?

Sorry, I've edited an issue where the seceding region has nuclear weapons (#1411).