Foundational Narrative

(from source ) " Part of the core content is the foundational narrative. This may be a myth or set of stories or a history or chronology. Researcher Rob Tow (who is also my husband) says that "narratives are the constitutions of new worlds." There must be procedures for amending the constitution that are sufficiently difficult to enact so that change occurs only occasionally. Even core content authors cannot exercise the divine right of kings. In some ways, the foundational narrative resembles the "bible" of a TV series, but it serves also to facilitate the contributions of fan communities in the evolution of a world. So far, Star Trek is the best example of this dynamic I have seen, although Paramount has kicked and screamed most of the way as fans have kept their property alive and growing through vibrant accretions that generally respect the canonical Star Trek universe."

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