I'm having trouble with the beginning in my plot, One Thousand Strokes, which is about a manga artist, who found a paint brush, which can bring paintings to life. I the beginning, so far I thought, the manga artist, Mari Sato, is trying to get her manga work publish by a company, but none of them are interested with her work. They just gave her advice to keep working on it. Soon, Mari heard there's a cartoon art contest going on. She thinks if her artwork wins, the company will accept her work. So she begins to work on a picture based on her manga. I plan that she finds the paint brush and decide to use it to work on her picture for the contest. That's when her picture comes a live and brings trouble in the city. So my problem is, I'm trying to figure out how Mari found the paint brush and decide to use it to paint her picture before she disover it's magical.
I can think of a few options. The first is pretty simple - she just finds it randomly. She sits down on a park bench and it's right beside her, so she takes it, or she's at a thrift store and in the pocket of a jacket is the brush or something like that. These situations can be a little farfetched, though. Another option is that she's in an antique store or something of the sort, even better a flea market, and she either picks it up or the vendor suggests she buy it... one of those things. Hope that helped!
-Dieing relitive -Finds the brush in the home of an old school friend who passes away -Jaket poket of a man who has just comitted suicide -Im a artists bag -Steals it -In a depressed state draws the pen, only to discover it lying atop the paper the next day -Gift from an unnonimus person -Chases it in the gutter as it floats away. Then after retriveing it, relizes that after cleaning it, it still works -Has a dream were she is consatanly rejected, in the dream she crys tears on to her desk. when waking the next morning, she discovers the tears, they slowly form a pen, in a dream like fashon. -Placed in her poket by a rude stranger who knocks into her -Annerversary gift -Given to her by an old art teacher -Given to her by an old enemy Its fantasy, so obviously the situation in wich she recives the pen is unlimited. ...Magic chrismas elves, that breath mlik flavored fire - yeah...
I don't have suggestions on how she comes upon the brush, but perhaps the brush could have a will of its own, so perhaps she can receive a cryptic hint along with the brush that it is somehow special. You can develop a subplot in which the brush will not cooperate at first, until she shows her worthiness to use the brush's power. At first it might do things like smear the paint, or even remain dry after being dipped in paint/ink, thinks that may even have her set the brush aside and not use it for a time. If the reader has had the brush's true nature briefly shown with a previous owner, this creates an anticipation, even suspense, about how and when she will ever learn the brush's secret. Just a couple thoughts I'm tossing out there.
why'd you dump what you had way back when you first came to me with this idea, miles?... you seemed to have a good enough source for the brush in that, if i recall correctly... why change it? hugs, m
That is one reason to keep your plot ideas to yourself. As I have said once or twice, the storyline summary or the plot overview has very little to do with how good a story you end up with. The writing is what matters. Don't let people talk you out of your ideas. If you think you can turn it into a great story, go for it.
The hardest things in the world are often the most important things. If you have a plot idea, and you believe in it enough, stick with it and do not let ANYONE compromise that for you! I almost lost the story I've been dealing with for years now, because I almost allowed that to get the best of me.
One of them told me to stray it, but I ignore him. I won't change my plot again. I'm just making the beginning a little better. Thank you.
I usually have problems with this. Nice plot though, sorry I couldn't help. Maybe try with some poor other artist using the brush and getting killed
Could Mari have found the brush at a garage sale or in an old junk shop? It seems to me, the more natural the brush's origins, the more startling it will be when it begins to work it's magic.
I meant that tragedy (even the MC's death) couldn't ruin a good story, if it was well done. If you pulled it off nicely people would see either that the brush is evil, or that the person using it must be worthy. I wouldn't use it in this setting, though. I was merely stating that tragedy didn't necessarily deteriorate a story.
Okay, I decide a stranger bumps into her by mistake. His magic paint brush falls into her pocket. When she finds it, she decides to use it to paint a picture, which she plans to submit to an art contest. The drawings in the painting comes to life and attacks the city.
