Tagging in scenes

Tag, as we use it, is “tagging a partner in”. Think of a wrestling arena with wrestlers tagging in or out. Tagging allows you to direct your contribution a little bit. If you have an idea or plot in mind, it is best to discuss that from the get-go on a new post. That is called Out Of Character, or OOC. For example:

***
(OOC: hey I wanted to do a post with our characters on a date in a shuttle, up to you where we go :)

-Start-

{Lt. Todd’s Quarters}

Todd checked his reflection in the mirror, and nervously wiped his brow. He always wore his uniform and to wear the civilian black-tie attire made him feel trapped. Still, she loved it, and he would do anything for her.

He waited for Emily in their apartment. Soon, she would come in the door and find flowers waiting for her and chocolates pressed into hearts with cute candies dotted all over. Any minute she would walk in the door, he was certain of it. She was never late ... except for today.

Tag Emily

***

We -start- the post after our comments, as discussion is best for the top of the box. I told Emily’s writer it’s a date on a shuttle, yet I started in our quarters with a surprise, letting us write ourselves into the shuttle. Always try to set up or help your scene partner by letting them mold the scene as much as you do.

The Tag for Emily indicates that is where she is expected to pick up the story and continue. She has an excellent teaser because there are a few different options letting her have fun with taking the scene to its next paragraph. Let’s continue on with our example text:

*** {Lt. Todd’s Quarters}

Todd checked his reflection in the mirror, and nervously wiped his brow. He always wore his uniform and to wear the civilian black-tie attire made him feel trapped. Still, she loved it, and he would do anything for her.

He waited for Emily in their apartment. Soon, she would come in the door and find flowers waiting for her and chocolates pressed into hearts with cute candies dotted all over. Any minute she would walk in the door, he was certain of it. She was never late ... except for today.

(This is where the TAG is resolved and Emily adds to the story.) Emily knew her husband was up to no good, because she had clearance to ship's systems. There were no outbound flights on the duty roster, but a shuttle was prepped. It was her birthday, and her husband was nowhere to be seen, and he wasn't answering his comms.

She laughed at how cute he was, the little devil. When the doors opened, she had her surprise ready as well, a small ice cream cone in a waffle wrap. The line had been long but the immediate joy it brought to his face was worth being a half hour late.

“So, are we going out on the Zephyr or what?

Tag Todd (OOC:Todd- that’s funny, let’s end it there and move on to the next scene.)

{Shuttlecraft Zephyr}

Todd had a destination mind, and he showed it to her on the map. The tidal basin on Regulus would have tidal waves for surfing all day. She would be thrilled.

Tag Emily

***

So you see how to use tags (in text citations) to help direct a scene. Do not use it to bully a scene. It is important that you let your partner write and be creative; otherwise, they are just following instructions, which isn’t fun. As the scene moves on, clear out old tags which have been fulfilled.

Also, see how ,when they transitioned to the shuttle craft, we broke scene and inserted the {brackets}? That helps tremendously, but you don't do that when they transition to a different place in text as you write. In other words, you don't do it when the transition takes place within the scene so the reader knows about it. This is more like a scene cut on a TV show.

One more example: this conversation shows how tags would be used to do dialogue. This is useful for many people in a scene.

***

(OOC-Remember this episode guys, I’ll be Worf, you be Crusher, and Person can be Picard, sound good?)

-Start-

...Worf looked to Picard with disgust in his eyes. The Romulan wanted no part of any help offered by a Klingon, and that was okay by Worf. Picard had made his case and argued passionately, but it wasn’t his choice to make. He refused to give his blood to save a Romulan life. Turning to look at Dr. Crusher, Picard spoke with great weight to his words.

Tag Picard- “Dr. Crusher, you will have to do what you can without Mr. Worf’s Ribosomal RNA.”

Tag Dr. Crusher- “The Romulan will die.”

Tag Picard- “Yes, he will.”

Tag Dr.Crusher- Dr. Crusher was furious, this was truly savage and not something she ever expected out of Worf.

***

Tags are also used if changes are needed in previously written text. If you have to change some thing leave a note at the top and Tag your change suggestions in at their location. Do not write over someone else's words, but this is how you can highlight problem areas. Example:

***

(OOC: hey I wanted to do a post with our characters on a date in a shuttle, up to you where we go :)

-Start-

{Lt. Todd’s Quarters}

Todd checked his reflection in the mirror, and nervously wiped his brow. He always wore his uniform and to wear the civilian black-tie attire made him feel trapped. Still, she loved it, and he would do anything for her.

He waited for Emily in their apartment. Soon, she would come in the door and find flowers waiting for her and chocolates pressed into hearts with cute candies dotted all over. Any minute she would walk in the door, he was certain of it. She was never late ... except for today.

Emily knew her husband was up to no good. She had clearance

(Tag Emily- Emily is a cook, she doesn't have any clearance like that. Can you maybe change it so she gets a tip or a clue or something?)

to ship's systems. There were no outbound flights on the duty roster, but a shuttle was prepped. It was her birthday, and her husband was nowhere to be seen, and he wasn't answering his comms.

She laughed at how cute he was, the little devil. When the doors opened, she had her surprise ready as well, a small ice cream cone in a waffle wrap. The line had been long but the immediate joy it brought to his face was worth being a half hour late.

“So, are we going out on the Zephyr or what?

Tag Todd (OOC: that’s funny, let’s end it there and move on to the next scene.)

{Shuttlecraft Zephyr}

Todd had a destination mind, and he showed it to her on the map. The tidal basin on Regulus would have tidal waves for surfing all day. She would be thrilled.

Tag Emily

Tag Above- Emily

***

See how the Tag breaks the sentence at the point of the correction? You put the Tag on its own line so it's easy to see. Fill in the box below for any unresolved tags, just character names. Include “Tag above- Charactername”