The Four Part Method

PART I: SETTING PARAMETERS

This is basically setting guidelines (like some thing to conquer or pass) for the segment of the story we�re working on. Things are discussed in the parameters such as where the general story is going and the general description of what the characters will encounter. This will be the basis for what will occur in each segment of the story.

PART II: WE EACH WRITE THE STORY SEGMENT

Each of us writes a segment about all the characters while keeping in mind the set parameters (so the stories can overlap). Including other characters in the story also gives us ideas about how others see our characters and the possibilities for that character. But the story will be based on our own character, since you represent that character.
For example:
With the developed idea of a town, each of us creates a story that happens at this town. Each person focuses on their character, but includes the others in their story (so that there are 4 stories for what happens in the town). This would yield a lot of ideas and a lot of quality to the story. This process of pre-writing will not be as subject to arbitrarity (as GMing can be), which can lead to bad story lines.

PART III: READ EACH OTHER�S STORIES AND COME UP WITH AN INTEGRATED STORY

After reading what everyone has written about what may happen at this town, these four stories are integrated enough to have a flow to them. Similar and bad ideas are pruned out creating a better story.

PART IV: REAL TIME PLAY

The story is played out in real time. The real time can add a lot to the story in a spontaneous way: battles outcomes and such can have interesting quirks through quantifying at least the basics by dice, randomness, etc.

A. THE GM
I think the bad thing about just GMing as you go is that there isn't always a good story flow. The writings will sort of take on this role of the GM. One person may have a developed story about some path taken. So for that path, the person who wrote it is the GM since he has already described how things happen and has an idea how things work on his path. The story can go down each path or integrate paths. The GM will be whoever authored that path. While taking that path in real time, the author explains what is happening with the surroundings of the characters and decides the results of their decisions.

B. INTEGRATING STORIES
One story can greatly influence the other in real-time play. Thinking very simply, if we all got drunk in one person�s version of the story, and then took a path that we all should be very sober on in a different person�s version of the story, it could be interesting. I think that this type of integration would automatically make the story spontaneous and unexpected. In one scenario, there is a certain set of ideas, but things will not be as the original author expected, so a spontaneous integration is the result.

C. PLAYING
With the written stories, we'll each kind of know what to expect from each path. If there is a surprise on the path, the characters should act accordingly, but the characters can do whatever at all they want in the situation provided. The story will thus take path changes. As the story goes, the character won't know what will befall him, but the player has an idea, though he doesn't know completely either. For example, a character may have a great idea about solving a certain problem that arises during real-time playing that could make a good story line.