A story I'm working on revolves around a young woman who, after being cursed by the mark of a werewolf, terrorizes her hometown and the reactions from those within her community, some who either want to help her or to kill her. Plotting it, I developed a lot in terms of: The main character's "pre-signs" (things she does and says that reveals to the reader that the werewolf is soon approaching such as being a night owl, being thirsty all the time, being hyper sexual, etc.) The werewolf scenes (the transformation and the night of the attacks) The town's reaction the following day (A public meeting and a memorial set up for the lives lost) Her "other side" (a sentient shroud of darkness that only she can see that is the spirit of the werewolf) The symbolism Two characters, a hunter and a scientist, the former who wants to kill her and the latter who wants to cure her and both having valid reasons for their beliefs. The ending All of these above I love and now I'm about 85-90% done plotting the story overall. As mentioned in the title, my problem I'm realizing is that my story is still too boring. Nothing happens, or rather, nothing happens that will want the reader to keep turning pages for the most part. There's no excitement, tension, or mystery and I'm lacking ideas on how to make this story interesting when otherwise not revolving around the bullet points above (most of these points happen either a third of the way to half through the story, mind you, so there's gaps in the story where nothing interesting happens.) There are some subplots such as one with my main character learning of her father's infidelity to her mother, but that in of itself is lacking energy on my part. I'm drawing blanks on how to energize my story. Maybe I wrote myself into a corner here.
Maybe add a sub plot in one of the gaps where she tries tracking down the one who cursed her? unless they factor into the ending. alternatively you could just have them interact with the world. not every chapter has to be absolutely edge of your seat exciting. it can sometimes be nice to just see how the characters are responding to the whole situation without having guns aimed at them. i do this with my own characters occasionally, there's a lull between point a and b so i make a reason that they have to wait for something and fill that lull with the characters just existing. telling stories and the like. it doesnt work for everyone and everything, but it might be worth a shot.
Is there a sub-plot that has nothing to do with Lycanthropy? Nothing exists in a vacuum. Just another little thought. You might try reading the winners of the short story contests on this forum. It's has helped me a lot by looking at not what is wrong with my stories but what is right with theirs.
Try writing it. A lot of investment comes, not from what happens, but the people and characters and how they react to those things and all the little things that books have and plot summaries don't.
How can a story about a werewolf rampaging through a village and killing everyone she loves and cares for be boring? Sounds like it setting up a plot for Revenge, where she wants to hunt down the scientist that did it to her. As others suggested, give it a subplot. Maybe a lover who survive the massacre but wants to still help her. Or werewolf Hunters who are after her. Who else is in the story other than her. My books have several characters. And the father and daughter team for the MCs in the first book that is
She hides out in the local nerd's old treehouse and uses him as her sex slave. He thinks he's hit the jackpot until he sees her transform. He's torn between disgust and lust. Try and find something that she wants - inner goal and exterior goal , something that she's doing while on the run or hiding, a friend or enemy that reluctantly helps her or blackmails her. What type of person is she that will help you flesh out her plot line and make it more personal. Is she typically a good person, a bully, a shy person. How does becoming a werewolf change her personality and her goals. If she was a bully maybe she uses her new strength to really terrorize people and get what she wants even though her actions turn her into the prey and she gets to see how it feels to be targeted.
Then one month, as an act of kindness, he lets her stay at his parent's place while they're out of town because beds are nice and treehouses suck. Only for her to find out mid transformation that they weren't actually on vacation, and he manipulated her into tearing his overbearing mother to shreds.
Not really I was thinking more funny. Shy nerd shows her around the treehouse - want to look at my comic book collection? Her - take off your clothes now! Him, thinking, as he hurriedly unpeels - It worked! Switching from soy to power bars worked! Incel no more!
You have all the set pieces there, but what's the plot? She turns into a werewolf -- and what will be her goal then? Find a way to reverse the curse? For example, if it's that, you can plan all the steps it takes for her to find out whether she can reverse it or not: - She turns into a werewolf - Eats her annoying neighbor - Panics as she realizes she's a werewolf - When she can think clearly again, she starts to trace back her steps - when could she have become a werewolf? - Finds out she pissed off a witch who cursed her - She's visited by a cop, who's actually the hunter who's looking for the killer of the neighbor and so and so on Then add some personal development, like, you should know what her journey is. How will this journey change her? Does she get what she wants? If it still feels boring as you write it, you're probably just bored with either the premise or your characters. Then you kinda just have to find some angle that inspires you...
S0 let me give this a try. . *She gets infected and in a dizziness, she passes out. * she wakes up covered in blood and stepping out of her home, she finds everyone is dead. In a panic she runs off. *Flash backs of the event haunt her mind as she tries to make sense of it. *She is not being hunted by the scientist who caused it *while a handsome sheriff is investigating the slaughter, learning that she and another person where the only survivors. (the other person being her love interest as even in beast form she could not bring herself to kill him) *So now with an idea she was the beast the love intrest tries to hunt her down, the sheriff is investigating it and the scientists are trying to recapture her. *At some point she turns into the werewolf and slaughters the Scientists mercenaries, this is how she learns who is behind it and may have a possible cure. *the Love interest catches up to her, and offers to help because he loves her, but she fears harming him. *The Sheriff also at some point catches up with them. *they are attacked by more mercenaries. where both the love interest and sheriff witness her transformation, however the love interest protects the sheriff from being harmed as she returns to her normal self. *They then head to the science facility where the Sheriff calls in support, while she attacks the place. *In the end the lab is wiped out, the scientists are killed by her, and in a desperate attempt to save his own life, the main Scientist either injects himself with the serum and fights the MC. *She defeats him and in a despeate attempt to save his own life, he offers up the cure. She kills him and takes the cure. *The lab and scientists are blamed for the masscare, and she is free to wander off with her love. However, she gets a since of hunger for meat as her eyes flashed. She lets off a giggle as she take's her loves arm. (Was she fully cured?) Update: how about the Mercenaries were also injected with the serum and can turn into beasts at will. (Or at least at the facility).
I didn't see anywhere if you mentioned what she does for a living? Is she a vet? Can she now whisper to dogs, and that makes her a hero to the community, as she is now able to diagnose them with pinpoint accuracy, yet she's also the monster that's killing everyone? Do the dogs now love her or hate her based on what they know about her? Is the man of her dreams the owner of a dog that she has cured, and wins his heart, even though she's hiding the dark secret that she ate his sister? (I know i'm getting silly but hey ideas are ideas right?)
There is an old saying 'the bare bones', and you're not there yet. Once you get the bare bones, you can flesh it out and you'll be surprised the direction your story will want to turn. Basically until you write something you don't have a story just an idea.
and to add to this... it's going to be a long and painful process to refine your story to near-perfection, though it will never bee perfect. cutting the fat and adding anything else you may have missed (or think will help benefit the story)
And don't be afraid nor ashamed to rewrite your story from scratch.... write your draft and rewrite it blind.... then right another draft... come back to it in a month... then rewrite. . it's a long, repetitive process. a labor of love, for you to your story for your readers to enjoy and see the love you have for your craft.
I think what is missing is emotional content. It's all about chase here just now, isn't it. You need a lot more. There should be something emotionally big at stake ...for her as well as for the townspeople. Who does she love? (I don't necessarily mean a romantic interest, although there could—and maybe should—be one.) Her nature will jeopardise any relationship she might have with a non-werewolf. Whose POV are you using? Delve into it. This is going to sound drastic, but I'd say forget about plot at the moment. See if you can inhabit this character instead. What is it like for her, being a werewolf and ravaging the town where she lives and maybe grew up? Does she have relatives? Is she aware of her other 'half' - whichever half she's inhabiting at the moment? In other words, when she's in her werewolf mode, does she remember what it's like to be human? If so, how much does she remember? And vice-versa. When she's a human, does she remember being a werewolf? What if both halves are totally unaware the other half exists? That will only work if the transformation takes place in someplace private, but it's something to consider. And then maybe inhabit another character as well. Maybe the person who is in charge of tracking her down. Does this person know they are after a werewolf? If not, what happens when they find out? And what is worse ...what if this person knows the werewolf in her other state of being? This person might even love her ...either as a friend, lover, family member, etc? What happens when/if the moment comes for her to die? I don't see this story ending well for everybody concerned, so this will be something that you can certainly work with. Create a problem that can't be solved. And see how the characters cope. They can only learn to cope with stuff they can't control or change. Envision your characters' inner lives, as strongly as you can. The plot will take care of itself.
Maybe it's time to stop thinking and start doing. Post the first thousand words (in any form or stage of completeness and then ignore the grammar Nazis) and let us give it a read. There is some chance that it isn't boring at all.
Usually when a book is boring it's because it lacks two fundamental things but in order to answer your question I have some of my own? (hope that's okay) If so and you can answer them, I'll be able to further help you. What is this characters goals? What is her ambition? What are her motivations to do what she does? What are her conflicts?
So a character is dedicated to killing your MC and there's no excitement or tension at all? How is that possible? Have her have a close escape or two from the hunter, have the hunter kill another werewolf and her witness it to drive home the danger, then you'll have excitement and tension. Maybe have the hunter put together some clues as to who she is as a human, increasing the danger to her. You could also add something about her becoming a wolf permanently if she doesn't break the curse by the next full moon or something similar to rack up the tension. But overall I don't think I could write a story with your premises and not put excitement and tension into no matter how hard I tried.
