Wrecking Havoc and Getting Published in the New York Public Libary
For the 100th anniversary of the New York Public Library, Jane McGonigal, with Natron Baxter and Playmatics created an overnight scavenger hunt in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building called Find The Future- The Game.
I was chosen as one of the participants in the game, where I would spend the night locked in the New York Public Library, complete tasks based on items on exhibit in the library, and collaborate on writing a book. Using a QR code reader app, I ran around the library with a team, unlocking codes from items including Jack Kerouac’s harmonica and The Declaration of Independence. Then, I would write short stories based on writing prompts based on the items, including writing rules for a unique approach based on Kerouac’s “Spontaneous Prose.” Others, too, would write their own version and a bookbinder set our contibutions in to a physical book.
As the night wore on, the delirium from being awake for 20+ hours began to set in. Quests were abandoned for activities like “Freeze Tag in the Foyer” and absurd photo shoots.
At the end of the night, however, everyone reconvened to celebrate the creation of a physical book, based on the collaborative story writing, to be a part of the NYPL permanent collection.
