ronderound

Ronderound is a collaborative writing technique in which a group of participants contribute successive segments to a single text, following a fixed rotation until a draft meets its stated length or a closing prompt. The term combines round-robin style participation with the idea of a communal round of writing. While not tied to a single origin, ronderound has surfaced in online writing communities, classrooms, and writing workshops as a method to spark creativity and practice narrative continuity.

In practice, participants are assigned a turn order and a word or paragraph limit for each contribution. A moderator may enforce time or length constraints and track progress. The goal is to maintain character voices and plot threads across turns, while allowing unexpected ideas to emerge within the structure. After each round, contributors may revise earlier sections or continue with subsequent rounds, depending on the rules established at the outset. Some variants prioritize strict non-editable turns to preserve "surprise," while others allow light editing between rounds.

Ronderound is used for exercises in character development, plot pacing, and collaborative writing ethics. It can help writers overcome block, experiment with voice, and learn how to integrate multiple perspectives. Critics note that it can produce uneven quality or voice disparities, and that coordination and clear rules are essential to avoid confusion. Overall, ronderound is valued as a flexible, participatory exercise rather than a fixed literary form.