Session Zero Is a Working Agreement
Online groups often skip session zero because everyone wants to start writing. Ten focused minutes of alignment can prevent weeks of mismatched expectations. The goal is not to predict every problem. It is to make the first problem discussable.
Premise and Tone
- Can everyone describe the premise in one sentence?
- Is the story hopeful, tragic, comedic, frightening, romantic, or mixed?
- What kinds of character belong naturally in this setup?
- What would take the story outside its intended tone?
Boundaries and Control
- Which subjects are excluded or kept off screen?
- Which developments require permission: romance, permanent injury, death, betrayal, or mind control?
- How will someone pause or revise a scene?
- May other writers move an absent character through routine actions?
Character Connections
- Why does each character stay with the group?
- Which two characters already share a history?
- What can every character contribute that the others cannot?
- Which profile secret is safe for writers to know even if characters do not?
Pace and Format
- Is play live, asynchronous, or hybrid?
- What reply range feels comfortable?
- Is there a turn order?
- How long should the group wait before moving a scene forward?
- Where are recaps and out-of-character decisions recorded?
Absence and Endings
- How should a writer signal a busy week?
- What happens to a character when the writer leaves?
- Does the first arc have an approximate length?
- How will the group decide whether to continue?
Finish with a Playable Opening
End session zero by choosing the starting location, the immediate change, and the first decision. Assign the opening post and a realistic date. Planning should deliver everyone to a scene, not become a substitute for one.
Save the answers somewhere all participants can revisit. A short shared agreement that stays visible is more useful than a perfect conversation nobody can remember two months later.
