Hey all. I know I haven't been on here in a bit, but I have been getting ready for the LSAT. Hope everyone is doing well. Well, I have been toying around with an idea for a little while now and I wanted to see what ya'll thought about it. I wouldn't doubt if it has been done before, but I have never read anything on this. Most times when we hear about an immortal, we think vampire, or highlander, or something to that extent. What if there was a person, an anomaly, whose body stopped aging early on. Their cells still divide, etc, but the many factors responsible for aging have been genetically turned off. (I have had several genetics courses, so I am familiar with the process, just don't feel like going into detail right now. lol) Regardless, he or she doesn't grow old, at all, but unlike the highlanders or what have you, they are just as susceptible to death from unnatural causes, ie. gunshots, stabbing, you get the point. I haven't decided exactly how I want to explain them never getting certain diseases, but I have several ideas) I thought about starting it off, or flash backing to, 17th century America during the witch hunts. Just something to show where the person begins to figure out they're not growing old, and is basically hunted down and forced to flee. Many, many years later, somewhere around present time, or maybe even a little earlier, someone discovers evidence, mostly pictures, showing the same exact person in different eras and begins to ask questions. This might possibly even alert a third, malevolent party to his presence, and the chase is on. Just an idea, a lot of developing left to do, but I wanted to get some feedback before I really start to get into the meat of the development. Any help is appreciated!
A story concept means nothing. I can tell you now, it has been done before. What matters is how you write it, the characterization, the flow, the imagery, all of it. There's no point to asking what other people think of the concept! They'll either say,"Sounds great," or, "it sounds like a ripoff of..." If the idea stirs you, write it. Then ask people what they think of the final story. After they tell you what they don't like about it, revise it, usually several times, until you're happy with it or until you throw up your hands and say the hell with it. Please read this thread about What is Plot Creation and Development? (and yes, this is a template post, which should give you an idea of how often this comes up.) There was actually a short-lived (ironically) TV show a few decaded agom The Immortal, based on that idea. The bad guy was a dying rich man who wanted to dissect him to cure his illness and live forever. But don't let that stop you!
Thanks Cogito. I definitely know what ya mean, and I plan on writing it regardless. If the fact that my best friend said it really doesn't interest him doesn't hinder me, then I would hope that nothing else would. I'll check out that article too.
It sounds like a good story. The thing which would need to be developed is the weight of knowing this about yourself. You know that you can die, you know you don't age, you know you're the world's oddest person. Two hundred years later and, now what? I assume that if the person enjoyed being alive there'd be a certain paranoia and a lot of lying. If they didn't like it there'd be lots of questions about life and longing for stuff they can't have, maybe with some reckless behavior thrown in.
