Permie Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Book

When I was young, I fell in love with reading primarily through choose-your-own-adventure books, and others that allowed the reader to select different options at certain branching-off points in the narrative. The result was that the reader/player could experience different events and/or endings within the same book. When I was younger these books were intended primarily for young readers, however as time has gone on, the format has matured and there are now countless examples of these stories available, providing a variety of genres, intended ages, lengths, and experiences. There are also software suites that provide the opportunity to craft these types of stories on a computer, so writers are no longer limited to physical books to provide the experience.

To sum up, I'd like to hear your input:
- What might be some of the possible storylines to explore with a permaculture-themed choose-your-own-adventure book?
- Would something like this be better-suited for younger readers, or adults?

I'm considering creating something like this while I am here at Wheaton Labs as a boot, and any suggestions or input are welcome. Thanks in advance.

Stephen B. Thomas wrote:
To sum up, I'd like to hear your input:
- What might be some of the possible storylines to explore with a permaculture-themed choose-your-own-adventure book?
- Would something like this be better-suited for younger readers, or adults?

I'm considering creating something like this while I am here at Wheaton Labs as a boot, and any suggestions or input are welcome. Thanks in advance.

What a great idea! I guess we're all living a permie style adventure in our own lives anyhow!

Second question first -
- Would something like this be better-suited for younger readers, or adults?
My own preference would be for an adult book, but I don't see why it shouldn't work for a younger audience. Obviously the  way it is written and the storylines would have to suit the audience...On balance I would go with young adults: 14-18 years. Young enough to be idealistic, old enough to comprehend and appreciate more complex themes. Then you get the best of both worlds.

- What might be some of the possible storylines to explore with a permaculture-themed choose-your-own-adventure book?
Oh where to start?! Any story book has to be primarily about people (human or otherwise!) characters and the challenges they face. From classic boy meets girl, to other overcoming challenges in life. If I were writing it I would have a family moving to a new area for some reason (could be career or other family member related - caring for a grandparent might be a good theme. Then the choices they make in their new environment - maybe a different climate, home energy, food choices and making friends and building communities - lots of potential outcomes with building a fantasy permaculture life. The nice thing is with permaculture there is no right answer - you can have lots of good endings - it all depends...

Hi Stephen,
There are three main times where I think a  book can provide some permies influence.  These are newly out of school and in the gap year (18 - 21ish),  Looking for new digs with the expanding family (kids coming along), and retirement/ looking for a tree change.

If we can get SkIP into the hands of the first group, there is an opportunity to build a future life without more classroom work.  Combine this with a lived journal showing how it can be done.  Maybe publish your boot experience for this group.

The second group are the "Little House on the Prairie" [Laura Ingalls Wilder] where people are moving for a better way of life and are not established in their career.  If you make your book to include a little romance, trials of having kids and the idea of improving the environment, so it is real and offers solutions, for less stress. I would write it as a journey log with the odd recipes, tidbits in boxes through out to break it into readable chunks.

The older group could be grey nomads, so travelling and looking out for new experiences.  Perhaps, the romance of opportunity, gardening, homesteading, introducing the grand kids to animals, self sufficiency and growing and cooking food.

Just some thoughts about the types of things I have read over time.  Good luck with it all.

I've also been thinking about writing fiction with the intent of tickling the desire to get in the garden and grow vegetables and such. But writing fiction is very very low on my list of things to-do these days. I tried it a while back and found that I don't really have the knack for storytelling.

Anyway, whenever I read Lord of the Rings it makes me want to go for a really really long walk.

Whenever I read the Name of the Wind it makes me pick up my guitar and start playing again.

I think just weaving gardening, self-sufficient life, and various cottage industries into an otherwise engaging story will do a lot to tickle that desire to do permaculture.

I also like how Nancy suggested that with permaculture there's no one answer, there could be so many different good endings. You could always have the bad ending be something like the farm gets bought out by a conventional farmer trying to expand their monoculture agro business.

Stephen said, "To sum up, I'd like to hear your input:
- What might be some of the possible storylines to explore with a permaculture-themed choose-your-own-adventure book?
- Would something like this be better-suited for younger readers, or adults?

I would suggest writing a book for the 15-25 age group.

My thinking is that this would be a great book to attract new Boots and Ants.

Some of my favorite books are children's books like Anne of Green Gables.

There is a thread here on the forum where someone was using something like this software.  I don't know the words to use to search for that thread.

By all means, write a book about your adventures at Wheaton Labs.