It’s time to start thinking about writing for the Knudepunkt 2011 conference. We have formed a book group and are already ambitiously planning the book project, but we now need you to get in touch with us so we can start discussing your ideas for content.
This year, we are looking for 3 distinct types of content. Each with seperate goals, audiences and editors. We are looking for: concise descriptions of recent larps, academic analyses relating to larp and opinions on the future of larp.
We want your larp blueprints
We want to document a selection of larps organized in recent years. These larp descriptions will be presented in an internal tone directed at larpwrights and organizers. The texts themselves will be rather short, but all cases must be also presented with a number of quality images. The papers will be selected in an editorial process, based on abstracts or samples.
The goal is to engage larpwrights in a tradition of writing down a blueprint of their larps as a mandatory part of their post-scenario reflections. Our purpose is to create a platform for peer-to-peer communication of larps among larpwrights and organizers. We will search for a format that is both short and precise while still allowing for a comprehensive description and reflection of the game.
The editors will both ask specific people to contribute blueprints of certain projects, and accept open submissions. Willingness to contribute can be expressed immediately. Contributions are selected based on abstracts or representative samples of 500+ words and a few full-resolution images, with an editorial review.
The editors will provide feedback in all phases of the work,
consulting external experts if needed. You should expect around two-three rounds of feedback on the text, one based on an abstract and another based on the full paper. We want your academic papers
What if larp wasn’t an academic discipline of its own? What if we did not try to invent theory on larp from scratch, but started really using the astounding amounts of knowledge already available in the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities?
The papers are to use theory, methods and terminology from
independent, previously recognized academic fields. You are encouraged (but not required) to use examples or cases. The articles should be mainly analytical and focus on the development of new theory or on the transformation of existing theories, all aimed at providing better understandings of larp, its process, its structure, and so on. Our goal is to make a series of articles which show, that LARP as a phenomenon can be described from many different academic standpoints.
These papers will be written, peer reviewed and maybe only read by academics. As the papers in this category are qualified through the use of double-blind reviews, it is recommended that authors do not share their drafts on the internet before the review is completed. The aim of this process is to qualify the contributions in this category to a degree, by which it earns its authors academic merits. Contributions are selected a) on basis of submitted abstracts, and b) on basis of the reviews. We want your strongest opinions.
We want your opinions. Strong opinions. In the world of larp, opinions are everywhere and these opinions are what bring us forward. The challenge here here is to write a short and precise text about something you feel strongly about. So if you’re tired of the way orcs and elves dominate the media image of larp, rant about it. If you have a manifesto that needs to be released from the closet, show us your vision. And if you believe that we’ll be extinct as a community in ten
years, present us with your prophecy.
The format is a maximum of 5000 characters (spaces included). The style is personal, passionate and to the point. And the words are yours.
Timeline
* July – August: Development of ideas and sparring
* August: Writing of outlines
* September: Writing of first drafts
* October – November: Online reviewing by the editors and by other authors
* December: Editing and proofreading
* January: Layout and printing
What to do now
Start thinking book thoughts: the sooner, the better. The editors will both ask specific people to contribute and accept open submissions. Willingness to contribute can be expressed immediately. Mark two important dates in your calendar: August 1st: deadline for informally getting in touch with us about your idea so we can get back to you with more information. September 1st: deadline for the first
outline or abstract of your text.
Get in touch with us at book@knudepunkt.org. We look forward to hearing from you!