i was thinking about doing a book with the purpose of doing a complete u turn on them. They would think the story is going one way, then BAM!! The story takes a sad sad turn for the worse. Here are my plans. Keep in mind the plot is changeable at this stage. Outline phase coming. It would start very calm about a loving family, 2 daughters with almost no problems. It will get interesting 2 chapters in when they discover that the beginning is just the family reminiscing about their past. Move too current time, and the family is homeless. Begging, starving, and discomfort. Would start off poetic like, then take a surprise bad vibe.
I need your thoughts for upcoming outline i will do. I just need to decide on what actually happens here.
Sorry to say this but even though you start a novel/story that way, reader would expect or even demand that something dramatic happens, cause no one would keep reading if it was just a tale of a happy family. So, I'd say they would expect pretty much anything and what you suggest isn't much of a twist. I'd say what's interesting about it is how it ended up that way and what they're doing about it.
The thing is that the plot is not about turns for the best of for the worst. A plot is about a struggle, inner or outer, which forces the protagonist to change. If you manage to deliver a struggle and a change in the protagonist then even if you end the story in a bad way (the u-turn for the worst you have mentioned), it may work. However, you risk turning the reader off with the 'bad ending'. Think of it as if you are reading, feeling for the protagonist (if the writer did his job good, that is the point, the reader must care) and then, bam, everything they tried to achieve is taken away and there is no happy ending. But, hey, that might work. You have to try to find out.
The idea sounds like it could be developed into an interesting story, but I don't really see where you are going with it right now. What happened to the family? Is the book going to tell you what happened though flash backs or something? You gave a very vague description on what your plot is actually going to be about.
The flash back might end with the opening of a letter (maybe from irs) Then flash to current time as homeless family. The big mystery of the letter would be unveiled someway. There may even be a tragic flood durring this time, and maybe a dead character. I think the family will be happy for not yet known reason at the end. I will untangle the plot soon. Ideas and opinions welcome. I also plan to do a few flow charts untill ideas come together.
I think two chapters of gentle happiness would be a lot to wade through - I feel like I'd start getting impatient for a plot much sooner than two chapters in.
I think it sounds like an interesting story. It is very under-developed at this point and that is ok. Remember that your plot should be known within the first 50-ish pages. That way it holds the readers attention. I think you have a good start to a good story. Once it is developed and you can give a bit more detail I think people will be able to contribute more with ideas and such.
I think i decided that it may be more interesting if he was imagining his family. He may even be mentally ill. Also, to make it more difficult on myself, it will be in 1st person.
