A Mission to Manifest the Collective Imagination

Newsletter 002

Dear Switch-Lit Writers,

Whenever I talk about Switch-Lit with someone new, people usually respond with three points of reference – the “Exquisite Corpse” drawing game, improv acting, or a story they fondly wrote with a friend or classmate when they were younger.

These are all beautiful and true, but after developing Switch-Lit for the past two years, we see something more extraordinary at play. We choose to see collaborative fiction as a catalytic structure that can unlock new power dynamics, deepen social connections, and most of all, manifest what arguably makes the human species unique – our collective imagination.

Perhaps it helps you to know that this our long-term mission:

To manifest the collective imagination of an increasingly diverse generation of writers and storytellers around the world through the connective power of collaborative fiction

And yet, in our more mysterious and romantic approach to collaborative fiction online (we could have done it a million different ways!), there will be many more choices, decisions, and paths to take so how and why will we choose then?

I’d like to share five new points of reference – our core values – by which we’ll use to grow Switch-Lit throughout this unchartered semi-secret realm of the larger, ever-changing online media landscape:

Equals in Imagination

“Imagination is a primal power within all humans existing in an unequal society. In the Switch-Lit universe, writers are given the power of equal say in a story that weaves multiple perspectives together and makes new realities possible.”

Cross-Cultural Connection

“When conflict-driven cultures push people apart, collaborative storytelling can provide a safe and infinite space for active listening, creative accountability, and deeper connections between writers from different walks of life.”

The Aliveness of Surprise

“Structure is productive, but the element of surprise keeps a connection alive. Unexpected characters, random encounters, and twists of chaos turn into joy for those who choose to embrace it all.”

Artistic Traditions

“The future of collaborative fiction remains rooted in artistic traditions of the past – Surrealism's dreamlike experiments, the spiritual improvisation of jazz, creation myths of indigenous cultures, hip-hop cyphers, and beyond.”

Cognitive Responsibility

“In the age of social media, the makers of technology-enabled media are in the position to safeguard, if not enhance, a healthy state of mind. What is the cognitively responsible approach, decision, and design at every turn?”

Do you have any feedback, ideas, or wishes for the future of Switch-Lit? Email us at editors@switch-lit.com and we will be happy to discuss further.

Have you felt the aliveness of surprise in writing a Switch-Lit story yet? If not, start your first Switch-Lit story and we’ll be rooting for you until the very end.

Don’t give up,

Kenneth Chu
Executive Editor, Switch-Lit