Protocol Fiction
An emerging genre exploration group developing protocol fiction — primarily for Protocolized magazine — as a mode of inquiry into how protocols shape worlds.
Associated Project
- Jamverse — near-future protocol fiction extended universe
Meeting Archive — 17 sessions
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July 9, 2026Introduction to Jamverse protocol fiction universe and its four worldsJamverse Jam contest and artifact creation processWriting exercise using provided promptsBrowsing and analyzing existing Jamverse storiesPublishing artifacts to the contest platform
Participants: sachbenny, randylubin, suspencer_nit, drevius., _vgr
The ProtFiSIG group held a writing exercise focused on creating artifacts for the Jamverse Jam contest. Sachbenny introduced the Jamverse platform, a protocol fiction universe with four separate protocol worlds, and directed participants to browse existing published stories. The group spent the first 20 minutes reading stories from the site to familiarize themselves with the existing universe, including examining a story by randylubin. Participants were then prompted to create their own artifacts that could exist within one or multiple of the Jamverse worlds, with the intention of publishing these creations as contest submissions.
- Jamverse is a shared protocol fiction universe comprised of four distinct worlds: Ledgers & Legends, Zoothesia, Stockton Chronicles, and Trainverse.
- The group conducted a structured writing workshop where participants read existing stories before creating new artifacts that could exist in single or multiple Jamverse worlds.
- The Jamverse Jam contest invites creators to submit original artifacts that expand the protocol fiction universe's worldbuilding.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
June 25, 2026Donald Barthelme's 'The Balloon' as exploration of place and environmentPrivate vs. public meaning in public spacesThe relationship between intent (or lack thereof) and meaning-makingPlayfulness as a literary technique in fiction writingParallels between the balloon and AI as ambiguous objectsPlace-and-object forward approaches to protocol fiction
Participants: suspencer_nit, randylubin, cameronisok, sachbenny, thingparty
The ProtFiSIG group gathered to discuss Donald Barthelme's short story 'The Balloon' as a case study in how place and objects shape narrative and public behavior. The discussion centered on how the balloon—appearing in the city for twenty-two days without clear purpose—generates meaning through its randomness and ambiguity rather than through intentional design or messaging. A key observation emerged around the tension between structured urban grids and the balloon's capacity to dislocate people from predictable spatial logic.
The group explored how playfulness functions as a serious literary tool, particularly relevant to protocol fiction's aims. A significant parallel was drawn between the balloon and AI systems: both are ambiguous objects that lack clear intent yet profoundly shape how people interact with and interpret them. Cameron's insight that the balloon is 'self-soothing' connected this analysis to emotional and psychological dimensions of how objects occupy public space.
The conversation concluded with interest in how protocol fiction might develop place-and-object-forward writing that leverages these insights about ambiguity, randomness, and the gap between intent and interpretation.
- The balloon creates meaning through randomness and the 'mislocation of self' rather than the grid-like precision of urban planning, suggesting how objects can disrupt and reshape public behavior.
- Exploring 'serious' ideas playfully is a creative priority for protocol fiction writers, requiring careful attention to tone and technique.
- The balloon's lack of explicit intent mirrors AI systems—both are ambiguous objects that people project meaning onto, raising questions about agency and interpretation.
- Cameron's observation that the balloon is 'self-soothing' connects object design to psychological and emotional functions in urban spaces.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
June 11, 2026Stigmergy as a literary concept in Edgar Allan Poe's fictionThe Pit and the Pendulum as an example of stigmergic storytellingPoe's essay on furniture and taste as environmental emergenceThe Jamverse shared universe project and websiteStigmergy as a cross-institutional topic at the Protocol Institute
Participants: suspencer_nit
The ProtFiSIG group convened to explore stigmergy through the lens of Edgar Allan Poe's literary and philosophical work. The session examined how Poe employs stigmergic principles in his fiction, particularly in The Pit and the Pendulum, where indirect coordination and environmental cues drive narrative tension and meaning. Additionally, participants reviewed Poe's essay on furniture and taste, analyzing how his ideas about the emergent nature of aesthetic preferences align with stigmergic theory—the concept that complex behaviors arise from simple environmental interactions rather than centralized control.
As a practical component, the group tested the new website for the Jamverse, an experimental shared universe being developed by the Protocol Institute. Sachin presented the technical infrastructure he built and announced an upcoming contest that would invite ProtFiSIG members and the broader community to contribute to the Jamverse. This integration of theoretical exploration and practical application exemplified the institute's approach to protocol fiction.
- Poe's work demonstrates how stigmergy—indirect coordination through environmental modification—operates in narrative structure and thematic development.
- Poe's thinking about taste and furniture reveals how aesthetic preferences emerge environmentally rather than through direct prescription.
- The Jamverse project applies protocol fiction principles to create a shared universe with community participation through an upcoming contest.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
May 28, 2026Novums in weird fiction and their theoretical foundationsM.R. James and the Quantum Vampire essay by China MiévilleProtocol Novum as a concept for protocol fictionStrong image motifs in weird fiction (tentacles as examples)Stigmergy as a potential image motif for protocol fictionRecurring themes and images in protocol fiction
Participants: sachbenny, suspencer_nit
The ProtFiSIG group convened to examine China Miéville's essay "M.R. James and the Quantum Vampire," which explores novums—distinctive conceptual elements—in weird fiction. The group selected this essay because developing a "Protocol Novum" has been a recurring discussion point, and they wanted to understand how weird fiction uses strong image motifs (such as tentacles) as organizing principles. By studying these patterns in established weird fiction, the group aims to identify similar recurring images and themes that could define protocol fiction aesthetics.
The discussion centered on leveraging Suvin's science fiction theory of novums as a theoretical foundation. Participants noted that stigmergy—a concept previously explored in the Formal Protocol Theory group—represents a potentially strong image motif or novum that could be developed within protocol fiction. The meeting established a framework for identifying how specific visual and conceptual elements can become defining features of a fictional genre or subgenre.
- The group seeks to develop a 'Protocol Novum' concept by understanding how weird fiction uses distinctive images and motifs as organizing principles.
- China Miéville's essay on novums in weird fiction provides a theoretical framework for analyzing how protocol fiction might employ similar image-driven approaches.
- Stigmergy, previously discussed in the Formal Protocol Theory group, emerges as a potentially strong recurring image or motif for protocol fiction development.
- The concept of 'novum' (originally from science fiction theory by Darko Suvin) offers a useful lens for identifying and analyzing distinctive elements in protocol fiction.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
April 23, 2026Protocol comedy and Looney Tunes as explanatory frameworkPhysics and computational limits in simulated/imagined spacesPost-hoc rule-making versus inherent comedic structureNarrative rhythm and story physics across multiple episodesThe Kuleshov effect and meaning-making in visual sequences
Participants: sachbenny, wwickey, suspencer_nit
The Protocol Fiction SIG held its 13th and final session before a month-long break, examining the Deadspin article 'How Wile E. Coyote Explains the World' as a case study in protocol comedy. The group discussed how the Looney Tunes character and director Chuck Jones's work serve as a lens for understanding reality and meaning-making. Central to the discussion was the concept that physics in simulated or imagined spaces operate differently than in reality—governed by computational demands and conceptual constraints rather than traditional laws.
Participants debated whether the rules extracted from Wile E. Coyote cartoons are fundamental to their comedic structure or rather post-hoc observations useful for sequential storytelling. They explored the distinction between the 'planning/rules' needed to sustain multiple episodes versus those that generate initial humor. The group also connected this discussion to narrative rhythm and the Kuleshov effect, examining how story physics emerge from the properties of different beat sequences (2, 3, or 4 beats) rather than individual scenes. References to computational limits, escape from designed realities, and the detailed texture of actual reality enriched the theoretical framework.
- Laws of physics in simulated spaces reduce to compute/power laws—more imaginative acts demand more computational resources, creating a conceptual gravity that limits change and exploration in imagined realities.
- The 'rules' identified in the Wile E. Coyote article are largely post-hoc constructions useful for sustaining multiple episodes, rather than the foundational rules that make the first episode funny.
- Planning is important while plans are useless—this paradox applies to narrative rules and structures, suggesting rules emerge from necessity rather than precede creation.
- Story physics operate on properties of narrative beat sequences (2 vs. 3 vs. 4 beats), revealing rhythm as a key element distinct from individual scene physics.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
April 9, 2026Gilbert Adair's postmodernist practice of pastiche, parody, and adaptation as style transferFormal constraints as a tool for distinguishing quality from LLM-generated proseCalvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies as an example of constraint-based narrative structureThe relationship between constraint and narrative integration in protocol fictionTaste and craft as differentiators of cultural value in constrained writing versus generated content
Participants: sachbenny, drevius., suspencer_nit, 104652typohyper, randylubin, wwickey, thewanderingeditor
The ProtFiSIG group examined Scottish postmodernist writer Gilbert Adair (1944–2011) as a case study for understanding formal constraint in fiction and its relevance to contemporary LLM-generated prose. Sachbenny introduced Adair's essays and fiction samples, emphasizing that Adair's entire practice constituted sophisticated 'style transfer'—pastiche, parody, and adaptation of other writers' work. The group discussed how conceptual and technical constraints in Adair's writing (particularly in translation work like 'A void') could serve as a model for distinguishing quality prose from the undifferentiated output of language models. The conversation touched on Italo Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies as a related example of constraint-driven narrative experimentation, where tarot grid structures generate multiple interconnected stories. Participants engaged with the underlying question of whether formal constraints offer a pathway for both writers and readers to navigate the era of algorithmic prose generation, suggesting that taste and deliberate craft remain key differentiators of cultural value.
- Gilbert Adair's entire career exemplified 'style transfer'—appropriating other writers' techniques across plot, character, metaphor, and diction—making him a fitting reference point for understanding LLM-generated prose.
- Formal constraints, as demonstrated in Adair's translation work, can cut through the 'banal lustre' of language models by forcing deliberate stylistic choices that reveal craftsmanship.
- Calvino's Castle of Crossed Destinies demonstrates ambitious constraint-based narrative experimentation through its tarot grid structure, exemplifying protocol-adjacent writing practices.
- The distinction between masterful, laboriously-executed constrained writing and unconstrained generated prose hinges on demonstrable taste and hard work, raising questions about cultural value assessment.
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March 26, 2026Definition and characteristics of compressed epics as a narrative formProtocol fiction applications and how protocols evolve over centuriesHyperdiegetic storytelling and implied narrative depthUsing hyperobjects as anchors for compressed epic narrativesLe Guin's Ansible as a model for narrative gravity in compressed epics
Participants: sachbenny, suspencer_nit, randylubin, thewanderingeditor
The ProtFiSIG group explored compressed epics—a narrative form that spans only days or weeks while drawing in centuries of historical context—using examples like Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 and Borges' The Secret Miracle. The core appeal is creating a reading experience where vast temporal spans collapse into a single moment of perception. The group examined how protocols themselves function as ideal subject matter for compressed epics, since they evolve invisibly over centuries before becoming background infrastructure. They also discussed hyperdiegetic storytelling, which implies vast untold narratives through minimal textual references (like the Budapest reference in M.A.S.H.), and how this relates to the compressed epic form.
A key theoretical contribution emerged around the concept of 'narrative gravity'—drawing an analogy to Le Guin's Ansible, where a massive object creates a gravitational center that naturally pulls other elements into orbit. The group proposed that hyperobjects (massive, persistent entities across time) could serve as such anchors in compressed epic fiction, naturally drawing historical and temporal concerns into the narrative without explicit exposition. They concluded that protocol fiction is particularly well-positioned to explore hyperobjects and deep-time narratives, as protocols are inherently systems that accumulate meaning and persistence across centuries.
- Compressed epics compress vast historical timescales (hundreds of years) into brief narrative moments (days/weeks), creating the reader experience of 'seeing all of eternity in one instant'
- Protocols naturally function as non-great-man historical themes that have evolved invisibly over centuries and can serve as the central conflict in compressed epic fiction
- Hyperobjects—massive, persistent narrative anchors—may function similarly to Le Guin's Ansible principle, bending narrative gravity so that history naturally orbits the central temporal narrative
- Hyperdiegetic storytelling (implying vast backstory through minimal textual cues) shares structural principles with compressed epics in suggesting depth beyond what is explicitly shown
- Protocol fiction is uniquely situated to explore hyperobjects by examining how systems and protocols accumulate meaning and persistence across deep time
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
March 12, 2026Fairy tale formal elements (flatness, abstraction, intuitive logic, normalized magic) in protocol fictionLe Guin's 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' as a case study in narrative formDistinction between thought experiments and emotionally-charged storiesUse of generalized/archetypal characters versus psychological depth in speculative fictionMeta-narrative techniques and narrator anxiety in storytellingVagueness versus explanation in protocol fiction worldbuilding
Participants: suspencer_nit, drevius., randylubin, wwickey, sachbenny
The ProtFiSIG group analyzed Ursula K. Le Guin's 'The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas' through the lens of Bernheimer's formal elements of fairy tales: flatness, abstraction, intuitive logic, and normalized magic. The discussion revealed that Le Guin uses archetypal, unnamed characters and abstract descriptions to create emotional impact, while incorporating meta-narrative elements where the narrator directly engages the reader about their ability to understand Omelas. This hybrid approach complicates the story's categorization—it functions simultaneously as both fairy tale and philosophical thought experiment.
A key distinction emerged between thought experiments and emotional narratives: while a trolley-problem framing of Omelas might lead to logical analysis, Le Guin's story form generates emotional response and moral weight. The group noted that Le Guin's narrative anxiety—the narrator's concern with their own descriptive powers—mirrors writers' hesitations about how much to explain or leave mysterious. For protocol fiction specifically, participants suggested that strategic vagueness about systems and protocols yields greater impact than exhaustive technical explanation.
The session concluded with open questions about whether protocol fiction can operate with dream logic or absurdist principles rather than consistent internal logic, and deeper exploration of how generalized characters serve narrative versus explanatory functions in speculative worldbuilding.
- Le Guin employs fairy tale conventions by using unnamed, archetypal characters rather than psychologically complex individuals, creating abstraction that paradoxically makes the moral dilemma more emotionally resonant than a logical thought experiment would.
- The meta-narrative elements in Omelas—where the narrator directly addresses the reader and acknowledges the writing process—create tension between the story's fairy tale form and its philosophical weight.
- Stories differ from thought experiments through emotional charge: presenting Omelas as a trolley problem versus as a narrative produces different reader responses and conclusions.
- Protocol fiction benefits from strategic vagueness about technical details and systems rather than exhaustive explanation, mirroring how fairy tales leave gaps that readers must intuitively fill.
- The possibility of absurdist protocol fiction—operating without conventional logic—is raised as an open question for the group to explore.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
February 26, 2026Definition and characteristics of Network Realism genreAnalysis of serialized fiction format and pacing concernsThe challenge of near-future fiction becoming outdated by realityUse of vagueness and empty space as literary techniqueScience fiction as commentary on present rather than prediction of future
Participants: sachbenny, drevius., randylubin, suspencer_nit, 3221229683, thewanderingeditor, amitashu
The ProtFiSIG group gathered to discuss Network Realism, a genre defined by James Bridle as fiction set in the near future with networked components that blur the line between fiction and present reality. Members analyzed a serialized story, appreciating its use of second-person perspective and evocative technical details, but noted that the continuous format became fatiguing and could be improved through condensing by approximately 30% and spacing releases. The discussion highlighted a central tension in near-future fiction: the risk that advancing technology renders the narrative predictions obsolete, as evidenced by Charlie Stross's documented struggles with the genre. The group explored how deliberate vagueness and empty narrative spaces actually strengthen Network Realism by allowing readers to project contemporary context onto the work. A key insight emerged that science fiction functions primarily as commentary on the present rather than literal prediction of the future, which reframes Network Realism's purpose and value. The meeting concluded with positive feedback about the story selection and emerging interest in developing asynchronous participation options to accommodate members unable to attend live sessions.
- Network Realism is defined as fiction set in the near future with networked components that samples real-world artifacts, creating a 1:1 relationship between fiction and present reality.
- Participants found serialized fiction formats engaging but potentially fatiguing, with suggestions that condensing content by 30% and spacing releases over 10 days could improve reader experience.
- The genre faces an inherent challenge: as demonstrated by Charlie Stross's experience, rapidly advancing technology can quickly overtake near-future narrative predictions, making the work feel dated.
- Deliberate vagueness and empty space in Network Realism stories function effectively to allow readers to fill gaps with contemporary context, extending the work's relevance.
- Science fiction fundamentally operates as present-day social commentary rather than literal future prediction, which is central to understanding Network Realism's purpose and appeal.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
February 12, 2026Narrative rapidity techniques in protocol fictionStructural approaches to rapid fictionLinguistic tools for creating narrative speedBalancing parataxis and hypotaxis in rapid narrativesShowing protocol impacts versus explaining protocols in depth
Participants: suspencer_nit, randylubin, timber1997, bah.eth, sachbenny, thewanderingeditor, drevius., mercerlain
The ProtFiSIG group convened to discuss narrative rapidity—the quality that makes fiction read quickly—examining how this technique applies to protocol fiction. Members analyzed two primary texts: Calvino's discussion of Candide and a César Aira story, using these to identify structural and linguistic patterns. Key discussions revealed that rapidity in protocol fiction benefits from showing protocol impacts rather than explaining mechanics, and that linguistic choices (sentence structure, vocabulary selection) significantly influence reading speed. The group explored how multiple characters interacting with the same protocol, callback motifs, and careful balance between simple and complex sentence construction all contribute to rapid narrative movement.
Participants identified specific techniques including the use of short phrases created through punctuation within longer sentences, preference for Saxon over Latinate words, and the strategic use of callbacks to earlier elements. The group also noted that rapidity isn't solely dependent on events; instead, structural elements like character interactions with protocols and thematic repetition can maintain momentum. Comparisons were drawn to successful rapid narratives like thriller writing and examples from Vonnegut, with the consensus that understanding the tension between parataxis and hypotaxis is fundamental to crafting rapid fiction.
- Rapid narrative in protocol fiction works better when it shows the impacts and interfaces of a protocol rather than explaining it in depth, particularly in short-form work.
- Narrative rapidity can be achieved through linguistic choices: simple word selection, Saxon over Latinate vocabulary, and breaking longer sentences into shorter phrases through punctuation.
- Multiple characters encountering the same protocol from different angles creates structural rapidity without relying solely on events, preventing the story from becoming a mere sequence of occurrences.
- Parataxis (simple conjunctions) and hypotaxis (complex subordination) exist in tension within rapid fiction, and mastering this balance is key to achieving reading velocity.
- Rapid fiction uses callbacks and repeated motifs (like Candide's optimism philosophy) as structural devices to maintain coherence while moving quickly through events.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
January 29, 2026Protocol monsters and monstrous nature of protocolsFake artifacts as creative exercise (interviews, emails, found words)Group-based protocol fiction universe exercisesIntersection of fakes, design fiction, and interactive narrativesAsynchronous exploration and detailed group exercises
Participants: sachbenny, thewanderingeditor, randylubin, drevius.
The Protocol Fiction SIG met to discuss the monstrous nature of protocols through creative exercises. Participants planned to read the introduction to David Shields' Fakes anthology (a collection of fake artifacts) alongside Jeffrey Cohen's Monster Culture essay, then conduct an exercise where each participant would select a protocol, consider its monstrous qualities, and create an artifact representing that monstrosity. The discussion touched on related works like San Tilapian Studies, a collaborative narrative entertainment, and Dynamicland, suggesting connections between these fake/fictional forms and design fiction. The group emphasized their interest in developing small, reusable group exercises that could be explored both synchronously and asynchronously, creating what they termed a "proto fiction universe exercise."
- The SIG paired Jeffrey Cohen's Monster Culture theses with David Shields' Fakes anthology to explore how protocols themselves can be monstrous and represented through fake artifacts.
- The group aims to create small, collaborative exercises that can be completed in a group setting and then explored in greater depth asynchronously as part of a proto-fiction universe.
- There is a significant overlap between fake artifacts, design fiction, and interactive narrative forms like San Tilapian Studies that merit further exploration.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
January 15, 2026Shift from analyzing existing theory to generating original protocol fiction scholarship and literatureWorldbuilding games and exercises as collaborative tools for shared universe developmentProtocol-based mystery and thriller narratives as a promising subgenreEncyclopedia/wiki canonization patterns for managing collaborative worldbuilding consistencyRapid, Discord-playable versions of worldbuilding games for community engagement
Participants: sachbenny, suspencer_nit, drevius., _vgr, randylubin, timber1997, thewanderingeditor
The ProtFiSIG group reflected on their first 2.5 months of activity, which primarily involved analyzing existing scholarship, theory, and literature through the lens of protocol fiction. For 2026, the consensus emerged to shift toward generating original protocol fiction work and theory. The group discussed using collaborative worldbuilding games—like The Quiet Year and custom RPGs—as preparation tools for shared universe writing projects, with rapid Discord-playable versions making these accessible during meetings.
A significant focus emerged on protocol-based mystery and thriller narratives as a promising subgenre where detectives use protocol knowledge to solve cases. The group explored patterns for managing consistency in collaborative worldbuilding, including selective canonization in wikis and explicit documentation of which world elements are absolute, common, or deliberately divergent. Examples like Neurocracy (wiki-based murder mystery), Discworld's genre collections, and The Good Place Season 1 were cited as inspirational models.
Key innovations discussed included newspaper-style "near future" landing pages for headline-based worldbuilding and consensus-building, an 'encyclopedia monster manual' concept, and application of the "profligacy principle" (needlessly multiplying entities) as a design philosophy opposing minimalism. Timber1997 proposed organizing a workshop in late January to implement these game-based worldbuilding sessions.
- The group plans to transition from using existing scholarship to generate their own theory and literature, creating original work that can be shared outward with consistent framing.
- Worldbuilding games (like The Quiet Year and premise-setting RPGs) should precede collaborative writing to align authors on key world elements, with optional newspaper-style headline pages as consensus-building tools.
- Protocol fiction works particularly well when combined with mystery/thriller narratives, where protagonists use their knowledge of fictional protocols to solve crimes or catch culprits, offering an interesting contrast to current API-based business practices.
- A successful pattern involves games generating broad worldbuilding elements, then selectively canonizing only a subset in wikis/docs, while being explicit about which world elements are absolute versus common versus divergent.
- The 'profligacy principle' (needlessly multiplying entities) can serve as a meta-rule for protocol fiction design, contrasting with Occam's razor and encouraging creative abundance.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
December 18, 2025Monsters as cultural technologies that embody societal fears and expose category instabilityWhen protocols become monstrous: emergence, uncontrollability, and lack of defensive measuresClassic monster stories with built-in defeat protocols versus Lovecraftian horror's absence of solutionsProtocol parasites and remoras: distinguishing between protocols that enable versus curb monstrousnessReal-world examples: work-to-rule as summoning demons, Flash Boys as cyberculture monsters, Protocols of the Elders of ZionBenevolent compliance and subversion as alternatives to malicious compliance in protocol fiction
Participants: sachbenny, suspencer_nit, timber1997, randylubin
The ProtFiSIG group explored the intersection of monsters and protocols in fiction, discussing how monsters function as cultural technologies that expose the instability of categorical boundaries. Drawing from an academic essay on monsters as embodiments of societal fears, the group examined when protocols themselves become monstrous—identifying emergence as a key characteristic that makes protocols horrific when they escape human control and contain no built-in defensive measures. The discussion evolved from classic monster narratives (which typically include protocols for defeat) to Lovecraftian horror (which deliberately excludes such safeguards), suggesting that the absence of a defensive protocol is itself the horror.
Participants analyzed real-world and fictional examples including work-to-rule as protocol summoning, Flash Boys as cyberculture monsters, and the Gordeon knot as a metaphor for protocols that can only be destroyed, not reformed. They introduced a distinction between protocols that enable monstrousness versus those that prevent it, using biological metaphors of parasites and remoras. The group also explored the potential for human agents to be weaponized by protocols, positioning them as monsters to others, with possibilities for reclaiming humanity through subversion or what some called "benevolent compliance"—a counterpoint to malicious compliance.
Key tensions emerged around protocol safety: while increased safety mechanisms reduce classical kinetic failure modes that previously provided narrative fodder, they also create new horrors when protocols become uncontrollable. The group suggested that understanding monsters through protocol fiction helps illuminate how systems can escape their designers' intentions and how individuals might resist or subvert protocols that attempt to conscript them into monstrous roles.
- Monsters embody a society's anxieties about difference and power by refusing stable classification, making them useful metaphors for understanding how protocols police boundaries and expose their instability.
- A protocol becomes monstrous when it exhibits emergence properties that place it beyond individual or collective control, as exemplified by Lovecraft's horrors which lack any defensive protocol—the real horror is having no means of protection.
- Classic monster stories (silver bullets, garlic, crosses) represent embedded defensive protocols, whereas modern protocol-based horrors like Lovecraftian entities deliberately deny such escape routes, fundamentally changing the narrative structure.
- Protocols can be reimagined through the lens of parasitism (harmful) versus symbiosis (beneficial), with work-to-rule representing a kind of summoning of monsters through protocol subversion.
- Human agents can be positioned as monsters by protocols that conscript them to fulfill inhuman wishes, with potential for reclaiming agency through subversion or benevolent compliance rather than malicious compliance.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
December 4, 2025Protocol fiction writing exercise combining non-fiction readings with sci-fi themesSelection between gambling/commerce in Renaissance papal politics vs. Antarctic field protocolsChallenges of avoiding science fiction tropes within short writing timelinesBalancing protocol focus with character depth in speculative fictionExploring themes like early mind-sharing technology and interplanetary collaboration
Participants: suspencer_nit, sachbenny, thewanderingeditor, drevius., timber1997
The ProtFiSIG group conducted a protocol fiction writing exercise where participants selected either a historical text on papal gambling in sixteenth-century Italy or the U.S. Antarctic Program Field Manual, then combined their choice with a science fiction theme. The session revealed that while non-fiction protocols offer rich material for speculative stories—such as underground bookie networks between Antarctic enclaves or early mind-backup technologies—writers struggled to develop original narratives within the 30-minute timeframe. The primary challenge identified was that maintaining focus on realistic protocol details often sacrificed character depth and emotional resonance, pushing writers toward familiar sci-fi tropes. Participants discussed specific examples, including a scenario where survival ethics in extreme conditions override consent and belief systems, and an alternative framing of space exploration centered on collaboration rather than competition.
- The papal conclave gambling scenario sparked creative interest around bishops covertly messaging bookies, demonstrating how historical protocols can generate compelling speculative narratives.
- Participants identified a fundamental tension in the exercise: focusing on protocols tends to compete with character development, making it difficult to avoid common sci-fi tropes within 30-minute constraints.
- The concept of 'papabile' (papal-eligible) connected to 'clubbable' (socially suitable), highlighting how language itself can reveal protocol-adjacent social hierarchies ripe for fictional exploration.
- One proposed utopic scenario pivoted the space-race concept away from competition toward collaboration: the first species to space is whichever enclave successfully contacted 10,000 humans without conflict.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
November 20, 2025Bridge metaphors and allegories in fiction (liminal spaces, flow management)Cosmic horror narrative structures and how resolution is handledWeirdness versus mundanity as narrative devices for building reader trustLovecraft's use of cosmic horror across different story lengthsPortal/bridge mechanics in science fiction (Sliders, Rick and Morty references)
Participants: suspencer_nit, sachbenny, randylubin, thewanderingeditor, mercerlain, _vgr, maertia
The ProtFiSIG group convened to discuss the Protocol Institute's bridge contest, exploring how bridges function as metaphors and allegories in fiction. The discussion centered on liminal spaces, flows of different kinds, and how bridges communicate ideas. The group examined cosmic horror as a primary lens, referencing Lovecraft's work and discussing how weirdness functions narratively—particularly the tension between starting with mundane elements and gradually revealing strangeness versus beginning with elevated cosmic dread. Key texts discussed included "The Music of Erich Zann" by Lovecraft and "Hinterlands" by William Gibson.
Participants analyzed how Lovecraft's longer stories often devolve from cosmic horror into surreal magic realism, noting that resolutions sometimes appear across multiple connected stories rather than within single narratives. The group explored how cosmic horror typically ends with protagonists at existential edges—either succumbing or escaping permanently changed. Mark Fisher's work on the weird and eerie was cited as relevant inspiration. The discussion also touched on how different genres handle bridging mechanics, from portal fiction to character transitions, with references to contemporary works like Rick and Morty alongside classic television like Sliders.
- Weirdness grounded in mundanity can build reader trust differently than Lovecraftian elevation of the indescribable—starting ordinary and revealing strangeness allows readers to believe they'll eventually understand what's happening.
- Lovecraft's longer stories often shift from cosmic horror into surreal magic realism, with resolutions sometimes appearing in companion stories rather than the original narrative, creating an interesting narrative fragmentation.
- Cosmic horror's most effective endings place protagonists at an abyss's edge—either sinking into it or escaping traumatized and forever changed—rather than providing complete resolution.
- The Hindu proverb 'A washerman's dog belongs neither at home nor at the riverbank' encapsulates the liminal bridge concept perfectly, applicable to both literal and metaphorical threshold spaces in fiction.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
November 6, 2025Genre as a contract between author and readerTrust violation in storytelling and reader expectationsGenre deconstruction and subverting narrative promisesMystery and fair play conventions in genre fictionUnreliable narrators and contractual obligationsBridge Atlas theme connection and genre hybridity
Participants: suspencer_nit, maertia, randylubin, sachbenny, amitashu, thewanderingeditor, mercerlain, _vgr, simondlr
The ProtFiSIG group convened to discuss genre's utility, specifically exploring the concept of genre as a contract between authors and readers. The discussion examined how genre communicates expectations about world-building, character development, plot coherence, and narrative logic. Members analyzed how violation of these contracts—such as No Country for Old Men subverting western genre conventions—can either enhance or alienate readers depending on their genre literacy and expectations. The group debated how strictly genres must adhere to their promises, using examples like John Dickson Carr's The Burning Court (which introduced magical elements after a mystery solution) and the Harry Potter series (which uses mystery as a gateway into fantasy). Participants explored the paradox of unreliable narrators needing absolute factual reliability within their constraints, and discussed how late-stage genre development risks becoming over-optimized audience capture.
The conversation touched on Delany's framework of genre as subjunctive modes (relationships to reality) and proposed that theme emerges from setting rather than existing independently. Members connected these ideas to the Fall's Bridge Atlas theme, with interest in how genres can bridge conceptual incompatibilities through translation-like processes. The group also examined game design examples like Outer Wilds, which maintains genre contract through confident world design without artificial constraints. Discussion concluded with interest in developing writing-focused approaches to these theories in future meetings, and participants shared frameworks for understanding how timeless stories innovate in both setting and theme.
- Genre functions as a contract that sets reader expectations about world-building, character, plot logic, and probability, with violations occurring when authors deliberately break these established promises.
- Unreliable narrators present a paradox: they must be MORE reliable than standard narrators in narrow senses (cannot lie outright) even though they aren't on the reader's side, maintaining the fairness of the contract.
- Late-stage genre development risks becoming 'audience capture,' where works are over-engineered through excessive feedback loops, losing the vital balance of being 'surprising yet inevitable.'
- Genre can be understood as Delany's 'subjunctive modes'—how works relate to reality—and theme may be an emergent property of well-rendered setting rather than a separate element.
- Outer Wilds demonstrates effective genre contract through confidence in player agency without artificial constraints, allowing speculate-investigate-succeed loops to operate powerfully.
View discussion in Discord →Links discussed -
October 23, 2025Defining protocol fiction vs. special person fiction through Die Hard and Lord of the Rings analysisThe distinction between characters who are inherently superpowered versus systems that treat characters speciallyGolden age detective fiction rules (Knox's rules) as a model for protocol fiction rule-buildingLiterary constraint traditions (Oulipo, Fluxus, Cut-up) as approaches to protocol fictionProtocol romance as a genre variant with embedded system criticism
Participants: suspencer_nit, _vgr, sachbenny, timber1997, maertia, amitashu, thewanderingeditor, mercerlain, jdbb, drevius., kannen123
The ProtFiSIG pilot meeting focused on defining protocol fiction and distinguishing it from special person fiction through detailed textual analysis. The group examined key examples like Die Hard and Lord of the Rings, debating whether characters were inherently special or simply operating within systems that treated them specially. A critical insight emerged: original Die Hard works as protocol fiction because McClane is replaceable, but sequels converted him into a special person archetype, diminishing the protocol fiction quality. The discussion traced historical precedent to golden age detective fiction (Knox's rules), noting that protocol fiction inverts typical genre development by starting with rules and iterating rather than deriving rules from existing works. The group then explored constraint-based literary traditions (Oulipo, Fluxus, Cut-up, J.G. Ballard) as potential methodological frameworks for developing protocol fiction. The conversation concluded by expanding the conversation toward genre variants like protocol romance, emphasizing that criticism of the protocol itself may be more fruitful than elaborating rules.
- Protocol fiction is unusual in starting with rules and then testing/iterating them, inverting the typical genre development where rules are descriptive of existing works.
- Characters can be 'special' in two distinct ways: through inherent superpowers or through systems bending around them (e.g., Frodo's ring immunity versus Superman's powers), and distinguishing between these is crucial to understanding protocol vs. special person fiction.
- The original Die Hard functions as protocol fiction because John McLane is interchangeable—he could be replaced by any competent cop in that system—but sequels transformed him into a special person, losing the protocol fiction quality.
- Constraint-based literary movements (Oulipo, Fluxus, Cut-up, Ballard) offer methodological parallels for developing and exploring protocol fiction rules and narrative possibilities.
- Protocol romance and other genre variants may be better understood through criticism of the protocol itself rather than elaboration of its rules.
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