Hi there, I am writing a novel, in which there the main characters have to escape. They are in a building and being watched ect. I don't want it to be too easy, because i know it wouldn't be. But my question is do you have any tips on planning escapes? Thanks!
It's your story, or will be when you come up with one. Why do you want us to come up with it for you? That is not what the Plot Development forum is about. It's about coming up with strategies to move a plot forward or to develop intensity, etc. Instead of feeding you fish, we'd rather help you learn how to fish.
Some insight to the story would be useful: what's the genre? What kind of "building" is it? Who is watching them and why? Why are they there? Why do they want to escape? However they escape it, follow these two criteria: The escape creates a gap in expectation. The solution to the escape is foreshadowed.
Sounds like "The Recruit" movie where it is part of their training to escape and they are scored based on their ability to remain stealth, not trip any wires, minimize casualties, and get out alive. It's a house, it doesn't take long to get out of a house in reality, so you'll obviously have to place some stipulations on the character's ability that prevents them from just going out the window. And whatever the restrictive intity is, you need to decide, is the key to their challenge and your plot. Is it booby-trapped? It is a bunch of guys with machine guns? Are they locked in a basement with no key and no way out (better start digging). The escape isn't near as important as the characters ability to deal with the conflict. So start with figuring out what it is that is keeping them in, and then put yourself in that situation, and write how you would get out.
perhaps it's a maze, and there is a Minotaur after them (could be a modern maze with a modern minotaur) etc. Each character should have a flaw and a strength. Then make the escapes based on each- smart person has to fix puzzle type issues to get out, strong one can do their thing: maybe combine the skills (when typing this, Goonies comes to mind). get creative, think about your characters and then things will start to fall into place.
