This is an article that I wrote quite some time ago.  It took me forever to find it, so I decided to paste it here, which is where I think I'd look first the next time I wanted to find it.

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This is a great question, and finding the balance of this within each game, is very key to the success of the game.  I've been wanting to write an article about this very thing.  So, I used this question as an excuse to do it.  If the rest of you old timers could chime in, I'll add your suggestions to it and post it somwhere!! 

The people that thrive and enjoy this method of game play, the most, are story based players.  Players that enjoy the game because of the story they can create with it, and that are willing to take care, that the finished product, is something that they can be proud of.  Each of the games here should produce, by the end of each game move, a story that someone can read from start to finish, that has a flow and engages the reader.  There will be errors, each GM can choose to edit and clean those up as they choose, but the idea of the finished move being a fluid easy to read story, should be a common desire for GMs that choose to run their games here.

Differences Between Collaborative Fiction & PBP or PBEM

For people that enjoy a fast paced game, or a game where they're always the star, would be better served in an pbp or pbem game.  First let me define what I mean by fast paced.  I don't mean that our games move slower than the other two, from my experience they tend to run just as fast or faster, and the reason for this, I believe is that we add an additional element.  We add an audience.  Since the stories/games on the site are easy to read, people are more likely to lurk and follow the other games, than they might in a messier pbp or pbem game.

What I do mean by fast pased, is hurried posting.  Other styles of text based gaming, while there are always those that focus on quality, are more likely to nurture a hurried post.  With less care to tense, style of writing, perception points and other things that make a story a good read.  You can sling a post back and not worry so much about if it flows with the rest of the game so far.  So it has that fast paced, quick and fun feel.

Another great thing about a pbem game or a pbp game is that each character can feel like the star almost all of the time.  An NPC can ask a question, and EVERY player character can reply to that same question.  And then, the GM can answer every question that every interested PC asked.  So each and every PC can feel like the star of each scene that they want to participate in.  How cool is that! 

UNTIL, the poor GM if they're so inclined, decides to compile the posts into a single easy to read story.  And realizes that the story they just wrote sprang into 2 different directions and had 4 simultaneous conversations going on at once.  Oops.  Makes for a great game!  Doesn't make for a great story, unless the GM can spend a significant amount of time and effort to clean up the compile, and sacrifice the pieces of the story that turn it from an impossible story to a possible story.

The collaborative fiction style of play, that we use at NextGen RPG, is geared to creating and archiving game stories.  Producing well written, realistic within the chosen genre, stories and preserving the work that the GM and all of the players put into their games, so that they can read them later and enjoy them all over again.  Unforutunately, creating a realistic story means that egos have to be put aside and that every player can't be the star whenever they choose to be.  Instead, it's a collaborative effort with a team approach to writing.

How do you write collaboratively?

With the words team in mind, I'd like to explain things that seem to work in this method of game play.  This is not an all inclusive hand book, we're all still learning, but I've been doing this for about as long as the tools to do it have been available.  I've also had the opportunity to struggle and triumph with some of the best writers I've had the privilege to write with in the past eight years.  So, while I'm not an expert, I think I can share some things that will help newbies to this genre.

When a GM/Storyteller is involved in a game it is their job to drive the story and present the challenges.  Each time they do that, it's then up to the players to respond.  It's not necessary for every player to respond to every GM action.  Before a player responds they should ask themselves some questions.  

1. Does what I have to say contribute to the scene?  Anything can contribute, usually, any character defining detail.  ...but if it doesn't feel right, feels repetitive or redundant.  Don't use it and wait for another opening.
2. Does if it flow with the scene?  If it opens up too much other stuff or sprouts another dialogue, be tactful of how you handle it.  A joint post on the side might be more appropriate, or * * * * * to show a segregation of the story's time line.
3. Is what I want to add better as a mild (and NOT OVERUSED) internal? Sometimes a well thought out internal can add a lot to the story without demanding screen time with a vocal.  Do be careful of internals if they become insulting, those while appropriate sometimes, should be used sparingly, because it can become a burden NOT to reply to them when you know they're influencing the readers.
4. Is my character the best to take the lead in this situation?  If there is another character better suited to take the lead in a situation, step back and let them.
5. Have I been monopolizing the scene?  If you have, pause for a day or two, make sure nobody else wants the line, that might be busy with real life stuff.  After 48 hours, if you're itching to post and no one else has, do it.  Most players can usually check in at least 3 times a week, even if they can't always post.  If they ever leave a comment, saying they want that tag, but don't have time right now, try to respect it.

Combat

I really don't have a lot to say about combat.  What you see should read like a story.  :) 

The GM really has their job cut out for them in this department.  I have found that speed charts with mandatory tag ins ONLY on the players phase or round or Dex, whatever the case may be - depending on system, works very well.  It requires that the players respect their tags and only go as fast as their character can go.  Utilizing your OoC Game forum or the comments section at the bottom of the move, will help keep things moving and questions answered.

Player Empowerment

For a game to thrive the players need to feel empowered as co-authors to the story.  While the GM drives it, it's the players job is to help keep that momentum, without it the GM can't tell their story.  It's easy when you first start, to feel confined by this open empty document.  You need to feel empowered to make your contributions, and not JUST at the end.  You need to read over each game move and look for opportunities to showcase YOUR character.  It's mostly your job to make your character a palpable force in the story.  This can be done in all cases without overpowering the story and the other cast, you just have to find that balance.

As you scan the new additions look for places everywhere that you can contribute.  Here are a few helpful thoughts.

1. Make sure it doesn't contradict anything that has already been written, further along in the story.
2. Know that it's okay to add to an EXISTING paragraph that someone else wrote, to show a bit about your character.  Just be sure to keep it from their perspective when you do so.  Sometimes, I simple line w/i an existing paragraph, can totally jazz it up and give your character a presense w/o needing to write a new paragraph.
3. IF you see something that someone else has written that you do feel contradicts the flow of the story, and can be moved with no affect.  Feel empowered to move that line up or down the story to accommodate your response, or to remove the offending nature of it's presense.  Be courteous and careful, of course, but this is usually acceptable.
4. The biggest one for me, and the hardest one to 'get', it seems...is GROW the story from the top, the middle and the end.  Seriously.  You need to look for every opportunity throughout the document to add your bits and peices in.  Sometimes leave the obvious tags for others, while you find more subtle ways to make your character's presense felt.  Feel free to have your character be in multiple parts of the story at once, remember though that it isn't simultaneous, each part of the story represents a time zone of sorts.   
5. Tagging people helps.  A nice, non intrusive tag seems to be, ?- Character Name.  That allows a person to know that you think there's a tag opportunity for them, but the ? usually indicates that it's an optional request.  

 

Common Frustrations - Player Courtesy

Sometimes, people will add things into a file before your text that might frustrate you. Make you feel like it negates what your character already did or said, or make the story as a whole confusing. This is a touchy topic. If it's something simple, and you can move that players line of text to a different spot in the story, where it makes sense and betters flow, without compromising the addition, move it. Sometimes this happens because people just don't know where to put it, or feel uncomfortable adding to an existing paragraph. Often times it is just an oops.

The GMs will be monitoring the game moves closely, and moving things around in a way that makes the story feel right to them. Sometimes, entire chapters may go by where they don't need to move much of anything. IF they miss something, which we all do sometimes, send them an email or PM, tell them your feelings and they'll do their best to remedy the situation. It may not remedy in your favor, but they'll make a determination. Player Courtesy will be closely monitored, and we will all extend each other the courtesy to believe that anything that upsets us was an unintentional slight. Then we will resolve it in the best interest of the story.

Take care with your posts!  Please.  Since we're going for a readable story, try to bring your top game and skim it for errors, before posting.  Make sure you're using the same tense as the GM and the rest of the players.  Keep your paragraphs tidy and short when possible to allow for frequent tag ins.

If you're writing with someone that you haven't written with before, in a joint post, keep the communication lines open.  Especially if you're dealing with any mature themes, and make sure there's a consensus as to where the piece is going.

Another huge one for me, is Pay Attention to your co-writers.  Really hear what they're saying before you craft your reply.  Worry as much about making THEIR CHARACTER look good, as you worry about making YOUR CHARACTER look good.  Try to make it your business to know how the other players would like for people to see their characters, and help them meet their goal.  Try to make it your business to know what powers, stats or characteristics that other characters have so that you can react appropriately to them.  HELP them show that 30 presnece, or that 20 Comliness, it really adds an element when the other characters help build each OTHER up, and not just themselves.

REMEMBER.  :)  This is a team effort to create a GREAT story.  This isn't the style where you get to be the star most of the time.

Game and Community Courtesy

Try to support the other players in your game.  If they post a fiction piece, do your best to make time to read it.  To really enjoy the games here, it helps to be plugged into the characters and not just the active game move.  If you enjoy it, support them with a comment.  It can be hard to get the nerve to post a fiction piece.

If you write a piece solo, and it incorporates another player's character, do so with a lot of thought and care.  Consider if it would be best as a joint post, or if you should run a comment by them.  The more you write with people, the more you will know whether or not they're likely to care.  But do be cautious any time you speak for another character.

Try to remember to assign your blogs to your Game Book Outline.  Remember to assign the Story, Rating, Character and NPC tags that are relevent.

Don't obsess about front page realestate.  :)  Sometimes a post might sit at the top of the page for a week, and sometimes you might have 4 or 5 posted in a single day.  Remember to use the drop down boxes at the top of the pages to help find your content.  While visibility, for our fiction pieces, is nice to have...let's not get silly about it.

Make sure that your blog pieces are character related and substial enough to require a blog entry.  Usually it should be at least one page long in a word processor and be character driven or entertaining on some level.  Don't post shopping lists, drivel - unless it's a very entertaining shopping list!  *grin*

Feel free to comment on games that you aren't in.  If you read a blog and enjoy it, whether you're in the game or not, give it some love!  Having a thriving community with an audience, is only going to help player enthusiasm, and it's the enthusiasm that we need to help drive the momentum in the games!