I actually had no clue where to put this, but I constructed an idea in my mind. A Teen Horror novel with zombies. Now normally I'd roll my eyes. But here is the idea constructed in my mind: A young man with an addiction to a drug [insert name] wakes up after an overdose, only to realize the drug had started the out break of a zombie apocalypse. That and he's been in a coma for who knows how long and society has fallen. I just like the idea to discuss. I guess I'd like help figuring out a non stupid drug name.
Unfortunately, the "zombie apocalypse started while I was away" intro has been used a few times. (28 Days Later, for example, and it's how Rick, arguably the main character of The Walking Dead, enters the story.) That doesn't mean it can't be used again, but I thought I'd mention it.
In my opinion, you should try to come up with something other than someone waking up to an apocalypse; when I first read your post, I immediately thought of The Walking Dead. Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you to decide. As for the drug name, maybe combine the names of drugs you know. Maricaine? Ecstacaine? Opijuana? OK, I'll stop now.
Also, if he's been in a coma during the Zombie Apocalypse Commencement, what mechanism will you use to keep his course of treatment probable? Medical personnel and services would be at a premium during such a situation. I would think a coma patient would rank low on the list of must-take-care-of's. Also, if he was an addict of said drug, why is he not also a zombie? If he was an addict of the drug that caused the Zombie Outbreak, why is he not also a zombie? If his not-Zombie-ness even though he was an addict is an important link in the plot-line, how? Please don't make his not-zombie-even-though-he-was-an-addict blood the cure.
While zombie apocalypse stories have been done to death, you can always try to write one in a much more original way. The idea you suggested has been done in The Walking Dead as others have mentioned and I can refer to 28 days Later as well.
Oh god no. It was like the Umbrella Corporation type of thing. Mad scientist mad. But actually the way I was going to present this story is kind of....how do I put it. I am going to write it like a teen drama first, and then slowly make it into a zombie Apo.
Hijacking the thread for a bit just to ask one small question. I get the feeling this "dont tell us the idea, go write it" is the answer many times from people who have been on this forum a long time, when someone brings up an idea for a plot or a character and want to discuss it, sort of like brainstorming with other users on here. And that is all fine, but if this forum is not so much for brainstorming then do anyone know of a forum that encourage that ? Because that was one of the things I hoped to do when I came here, but it seems it isnt done so much on this forum.
So if the Zombie thing doesnt happen until later in the story, the what happens to the main characters friends and Family? if its a teen drama before a zombie horror then it would be wierd if the main characters friends were all gone when he woke up... What does the drug do, other than turn people into Zombies? Maybe you can look into some kind of African name or origin for it, since the idea of zombies come from african woodoo, or is it from South America, I dont really recall?
Bringing the germ of an idea to fruition in a complete story is something that can only come from within. It's the one part of writing that a writer can't and shouldn't be helped with. Brainstorming is fine if you're stuck on a detail or a means of presentation. But when someone posts, "Here's my idea, what do you think?" (and I'm constantly amazed by how many novice writers do that), I can only answer that I don't know what to think, because ideas are a dime a dozen and it really does only matter how they are executed. If someone hasn't figured out how to get from the basic idea to how the story itself might take shape, that's a skill they had better learn if they hope to have any kind of success as a writer. And it's a skill one can only learn by doing.
Hijacking the thread a bit more I see no harm in talking ideas over with other people. Proffesional writers do it all the time and collaborate on writing stories together, although thats not what Im suggesting we do here. But talking ideas over with other people often leads to new thoughts and you can maybe bring your stories to new hights that you would never have thought of on your own. Two minds think better than one. Atleast thats what I hear But okay, if this forum doesnt encourage brainstorming with each other, I can live with that. So does anyone know of a different writers forum where sharing of ideas is done?
We can and do help people brainstorm - I've seen plenty of threads - in fact, check out this thread: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/robots-with-a-soul.132769/#post-1240267 If that's not helping someone brainstorm, I'm not sure what kinda brainstorming you had in mind. What the OP has is barely even an idea. It's like I'd come here and say, "I got this idea! This guy and this girl will meet and then fall in love. Only I'd really like help to think of how they could meet." Seriously, that's barely anything - the OP has not really spent any time on working out his own idea or thinking about what he even wants from it, as is clear from the amount of detail (or the lack of) that he offers. He's not asking for brainstorming - it sounds to me much more like he's either asking for 1) justification: "I wanna write this but I'm not sure if I should, if it's good/original/interesting enough," or 2) "Please do the work for me and come up with a story along these lines that I wanna write. The first option is pointless because it depends on how you write it - even the most cliche idea has the potential to be great (think Harry Potter). The second is just lazy. And if the OP intended neither of those, then he needs to clarify, ask more specific questions, and show that he's actually done some work for his own story.
Mmm. I've read a few zombie books. Not hundreds or anything. But they've had some pretty eclectic plots - one started the zombie from an acid rain, do to some toxic waste in space or something. That was pretty clever. Another had all females zombifying, another had everything - including all animals and bugs - becoming zombies. So far you've only got a germ of an idea. What's the big angle of it? His guilt over taking the drug? His feeling of remorse or responsibility to change things? Kinda of like a d.u.i story where the guy tries to make good on the wrong he's done. What kind of vibe do you want to create?
Not everyone holds that same sentiment. We do brainstorm here! That's the whole purpose of this area of the forum. As you can see, many members are chiming in with questions and other thoughts concerning the story idea. When a member looks to be in the mood to brainstorm, I rarely make statements but I ask tons of questions. In the end, the writer is the only one who can and does flesh out the story, but I for one disagree with the sentiment that brainstorming is pointless. When I participate in brainstorming, I never ever give, but I love to help wheedle out the answers from the writer him/herself.
Oh yea I see from that thread that there are good examples of brainstorming here. I had just seen that same answer of- write your idea, dont ask us- on some other threads here, that I thought it was maybe a bit frowned upon. Thanks for redirecting me. Also thank you Wreybies. I wont take up more space on this thread I hijacked with this question. Sorry for that JP Clyde, carry on
Hi @grimmsistr, welcome to the forum. In addition to the robots with a soul thread, we discussed your question here: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/when-to-ask.132858/ The thread was sparked after two of us disagreed over what was asking about an undeveloped idea (more like the question in this thread) and what was a good question for brainstorming, (more like what was asked in this thread: https://www.writingforums.org/threads/why-how-would-characters-from-books-suddenly-come-to-life.132833/ ) We differ re where on the continuum the line should be drawn between brainstorming an undefined plot and brainstorming a well defined plot problem. Don't be afraid to ask any question. People who tell you the idea is too poorly defined, start writing and get back to us, mean well. But much of the time, that answer is correct. How should one answer the question, should I write about a zombie apocalypse with a drug based cause and a teenager protagonist? It's too vague. I could say that personally, like vampires and werewolves, I'm sick of zombies. But if someone were to come along with the next Ann Rice, Interview With a Vampire-like vampire innovation, or a Max Brooks, World War Z-like zombie apocalypse innovation, then the ideas could still lead to great novels. The story idea, in this case, is too vague to lead to brainstorming. @J.P.Clyde: Refine it, tell us what about the story is going to be a unique killer idea and the question might be better answerable.
on the issue of brainstorming, there's nothing really wrong with it. The advice being given is, if you want to learn about writing, write. If you want to brainstorm about writing, that's fine, but don't call it writing.
Sometimes I rather discuss an idea then actually implement it. I'm doing enough writing with my current couple Post War novels. All within the same universe that I constructed. Sometimes I like to muse around in my head.
Well I was thinking of writing a novel like M. Night Shamlyan, which sounds like the weird influence. I was thinking of introducing a Sixth Sense kind of element. The Teen Drama originally starts off as a young man struggling with drug addiction. The young man is struggling with getting help and being dragged down into the underground. He wants to tell his parents, he wants to tell the teachers, inside he is begging for help. His supposed friends, tell him its okay, its okay. He knows it isn't. He knows there is something wrong when he feels ill. You know typical cliche teen drama stuff. Then as he overdoses as a trick climax, when he wakes up from in the hospital the world has gone to shit. A zombie apocalypse broke out. The drug he was taking was part of some kind of [insert idea here] cause IDK. Either it could be part of idle hallucinations from a dying dream or it all can all be real. The zombie apocalypse would represent addiction, represent self destruction, and external destruction. They are the physical representations of what addiction can lead to. Maybe not exactly zombies, but I think you understand.
That's getting much more interesting. Were you to ask my opinion, I might try to blend a corporate malfeasance, don't let the readers know in the beginning if they are hiding a mistake or consciously gaining control. I'd remake the zombie idea, something about dead things biting and infecting others is too overdone currently.
Then, what should I do instead of zombies? Because well.... *looks at zombies*...brainnnnsssss I mean they are kinda adorable.
I was trying to think of something different from either zombies or the viral pandemic version that comes with stories like "The Hot Zone." Maybe investigate the real history of zombies (voodoo but also suspected to be people using the puffer fish poison to make someone look dead when they weren't). It wasn't until "The Night of the Living Dead" that cannibal zombies became the definition of zombies. The idea is do write something unique, not to write another version of the same 'ol same 'ol.
