I've been writing on a fantasy/erotica genera for some time one. Lately, I've been out of ideas because I feel like I'm recycling my work. What I'm working on now is borrowed fiction meaning I may like some of the original plot line and but to change to my madness. So I've been watching The Purge which is just awful. They could make this so much fun and dark but rather churning out uninteresting characters who have nothing to say. What I do enjoy about the show is how society has now moralized murder and death as a ways and means. If this were true, then society would also have to rethink their laws for more than one day out of the year. A society would turn to and constantly live in fear. Killers would became internationally famous and would be based solely on athletic looks, college education (Master's or higher), wealth, power, and materialism both inside and outside their communities and have a sociopathic personalty that plays well to live TV audiences. My main killer will be a mid 20's female who is well educated in behavioral psychology, moonlights as a model and is the only one to carry a live weapon on her (all other weapons will be outlawed). She will be married to her lover who is also her psychologist and attorney. I know. Sounds cheesy. My question is this will a dystopian landscape where killers are worshiped like rock stars and the rich prey upon the poor, the uneducated and the desperate, I want this to be a sunshine pop of a world not another dismal "dark one" loaded with all those creature in the night tropes. My killer is the creature in the night and more, much more. Her goal is to "restructure" society I know little of sunshine dystopia so I'm thinking of setting this places like Miami, Houston and yes, even L.A. or just place this in some grime city?
Sounds like an average day from real life. ONT: I'm not too familiar with the topic. Perhaps by making it all "cheery" you will give a greater effect to the absurdity of such a society. L.A. would be the perfect place for this. I also find some things a bit unclear. Why would the killers be based solely on athletic looks, smarts, et cetera?
I'm not really buying into that all the pretty people are the killers. Smart, attractive, successful... doesn't really sound like a growing population who just wants to murder people because they can. And how would this prevent others who are not at their status level from doing the same? However, I think you could be onto something with the view of public opinion. If you look at post war countries, those the world sees as war criminals and such often are seen differently by the people from those countries. They can be viewed as heroes. Propaganda plays a large role in this. But even then, they're not painted as hardcore killers by their fans. They're seen for their attempts to fight for their country and their people. Still, I would look into how people behaved and viewed these sort of people right after the war in their home countries. It might give you some ideas on how such notions are formed and become widespread.
There's a book series by Scott Westerfield, I believe, about a sort of similar sounding society, but the pep is forced by societal divides. There's also the video game We Happy Few, but again the joy is drug induced. I guess my question would be what is the eventual restructure? Would it be considered cliche if they keep it as killers are the gods? Or would your main character be the one who destroys that and becomes the only killer? One killer to rule them all, kind of thing. Or my other thought, just gets rid of the killing all together and goes back to a humdrum society? A bit like Hunger Games, but not even close in terms of background. For location, I'd say you could even go somewhere more exotic in sunshine. Like, the Bahamas or something. People always expect good things to come out of those resort vacation type places. Unless you're planning on making it more accessible to the rest of the world... An island wouldn't be the best choice, then. But there are places in Mexico, too, that would work, I think. Sorry if this doesn't make sense, I'm kind of talking out of my own non-experience.
Your description grabbed my attention. I'm a harsh critic of people recycling the writing of others. This, however, seems nothing short of brilliant.
