Great setting, no idea for a plot. Sigh...

Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by WriterDude, Jun 9, 2011.

Tags:
  1. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    No offense, but I feel I'm starting to tell too much, so it's too easy for someone to steal the idea. But what I can say is that people from one world have crossed over into the other. That's how we know there is another world in the first place. And that's where the "monsters" come from. The other world is a twisted nightmarish version of this one, and not unlike what we often think of as Hell. That means the humans there resemble demons, but it also means all the animals, birds, reptiles, fish etc in that world are very different from ours. If you look at Greek mythology, there's a monster called a hydra. It's pretty much a big lizard with seven or nine heads. It doesn't exist outside mythology in this world, but they can exist in the other world. So if you send one of those into this world, you got yourself a monster. ;)
     
  2. Protar

    Protar Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    14
    Location:
    UK
    I'll be honest this really sounds pretty awesome. Hurry up so I can read this.
     
  3. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    I've already started. ;)
     
  4. Protar

    Protar Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    14
    Location:
    UK
    Good good. One thing I was unsure on though: Is one of the worlds earth, or are they both fantasy worlds?
     
  5. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    The whole point is that the "heavenly" world is our own. ;) And btw I've talked to a publisher about it, and they showed interest in it. I wouldn't bother try to steal the idea. Not saying anyone would, though. I'm just paranoid. (thanks, ex-writing partner.) :p
     
  6. Marranda

    Marranda New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2011
    Messages:
    143
    Likes Received:
    19
    Location:
    Oklahoma
    First off I'd like to say I love the idea, and would love to read your story! I find your idea fascinating, and the concept caught my attention right away =)
    That being said, I'm still kind of confused although I read all the comments and posts and replies to your Idea. (I'm not expecting you to respond to my post because you've already said you don't want to give more away, but if you feel I've missed the nailhead on this please message me the clarification.)

    What I got from your description is that this is an Earth-based story with two totally different cultures like the two sides of a coin. They don't know the other exists although they co-exist on the same planet(?), and the Guardian-hybrids are the metal between the two faces of the coin, keeping the two seperate but are able to experience both cultures...
    And you're struggling with the plot because the Guardian MC was created and taught to kill to keep the peace despite her innate dislike of out-right murder (however necessary it is- killing 100 to save 1,000, and so forth), and she has a vendetta against something that she teams up with a Hunter to help track and kill?

    If I got all that right, I don't see where there's a problem with the plot. There's deffinitely enough meat to the idea to see the story through with enough loose ends along the way to develop a 2nd, and even 3rd book. Is it just getting form the initial idea (Point A) to what you want the outcome to be (Point B)?

    I think the introduction and eventual unfurling of your MC's past and mission in life and future goals would be enough to grab people's attention. And through her everyone meets the secondary and tertiary characters and learns more about what's going on around them without them losing interest, making it easier to develope the plot later on instead of right away.

    Sorry, I tend to meander for a while before spitting out what I really mean to say :redface:
     
  7. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    Sorry, but you only got it half right. I do have a plot planned, and the story is well under way. As for the worlds, all I can say is the setting could in theory be real. I mean the whole point is keeping the other world secret, so if it was real, you wouldn't know about it. ;) And as for the guardian and hunters, they are not good or evil. Good and evil are just words. They get the job done no matter the cost. Sometiems the cost is higher than most people would want to pay, but they think it's worth it. If you think back to world war 2, they would have launched the attack on Normandy all over again if they had to, knowing hundreds of people would die in the process. The goal is all that matters.
     
  8. thesims

    thesims New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2010
    Messages:
    42
    Likes Received:
    1
    So what's the point of this thread?
     
  9. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    I didn't have a plot when I made it?
     
  10. Protar

    Protar Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    14
    Location:
    UK
    Will you be posting any excerpts here? If so I'd be happy to critique it :)
     
  11. Evilyn

    Evilyn New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    London
     
  12. LaGs

    LaGs Banned

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2011
    Messages:
    388
    Likes Received:
    27
    Location:
    Co. Tyrone Ireland
    This has the makings of a wonderful story, that is, until you started mentioning wars between the two and the scramble for resources. Whatever you decide to do with it, please avoid that kind of theme!
     
  13. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    I'm not sure if I'll write in norwegian or english just yet, to be honest. If I write in norwegian, it's easier to publish, but for a small marked. If I write in english, it's harder to get published, but if I do, it's for a whole world. I mean they don't have to translate it to sell in other countries, and it could be sold online. Suggestions?

    If I do end up writing in english, I might post some of it here. Not quite sure yet about that either. I'm a bit paranoid. :redface:
     
  14. Protar

    Protar Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    14
    Location:
    UK
    I'm sure your work won't be stolen and I'm sure there are measures you can take to prevent that. Like copyrighting. Also I'm no expert but wouldn't English be the easiest to get published. Publishers want as much money as possible and English is more widespread. I don't know though.
     
  15. Mist Walker

    Mist Walker Member

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2009
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    1
    Go all the way and write it in both! :p Seriously though, if you submit to Norwegian agents and say that it's already translated you're getting the best of both worlds. It's just rather a lot of effort and whether it's worth it is a bit dubious.

    And I've seen it mentioned a few times in places on the site: don't post the entire thing if you want to publish it. I think the opening chapter would probably be acceptable, but don't go any further than that.
     
  16. teacherayala

    teacherayala New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    308
    Likes Received:
    15
    Location:
    Panama
    What is there was something that was going to destroy both worlds? So then they are forced to work together. This monster could be it, I suppose.
     
  17. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    @Chunnetter: The guardian isn't different from other guardians and hunters. She survived the "selection" and got the job, but that's about it. And there are a lot of people like her. I'm not a big fan of having someone "the chosen one". She protects the city because it's her job, and if she was to die, someone else will take over. And yes, she is loyal to the company because I dn't see a reason not to. They are not "the good guys", but they are not the bad guys either. They have a job to do, that's all. Same with the guaridans. They have no problem killing dozens of people of all ages, but that doesn't make them evil. They do what they have to do. Simple sa that. And don't worry, it will not be a "ninja assassin" thingy. It will focus on the characters first of all. The company, other world and all that is in the background. If you have watched the Tremors tv-series, you get an idea what I mean. The tremors (well, the last one) is still there and shows up from time to time, but the show isn't about it at all. It's about the people who live in that small town. ;)

    @teacherayala: Destroying both worlds? Hm... there's a thought. But another thought is not having any dangers at all. Or at least only small ones. It can be far more about the guardian and her ordinary life rather than a "save the world" story. It doesn't mean it will be a boring story, of course. It can be more like a cop story. She finds trouble, investigate and chase down the bad guy. Once the bad guy is dead, the story is over. But if she somehow failed to catch the bad guy, all that happens is someone else takes over for her (as she would be dead) and continue chase the bad guy. Or they call in a hunter. The world will never be any wiser either way. ;)
     
  18. teacherayala

    teacherayala New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    308
    Likes Received:
    15
    Location:
    Panama
    Something about her "cop" self would have to definitely be different in many respects from how a traditional cop would work, and I still think that there can be some depth to having people from two different cultures forced to work together to destroy a common threat. They can choose to focus on their differences and bicker, and then they can grow a grudging respect, and then finally there's the bittersweet and maybe even unresolved conflict of "what do we do now" after the threat is eliminated.

    The thing about an "ordinary" life is that the cop in the fantasy world wouldn't really have an "ordinary" life. Most cops don't anyway, unless they're small-town "escort the drunks home," in which case why would she end up going on such a hunt? It wouldn't feel like an "ordinary" life to a reader either because, after all, it's a fantasy, right? I guess I also wouldn't understand why you would kill off the guardian if you spend time rooting for her. Wouldn't you want her alive (albeit somewhat scarred emotionally, etc.) to end up tougher and even stronger for kicking butt in Book #2?
     
  19. WriterDude

    WriterDude Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2011
    Messages:
    733
    Likes Received:
    36
    Location:
    Icy cold wastes of Hell. Aka Norway.
    Two people from different cultures bickering and still working together might work. That's why Lethal Weapon was so darn good it spawned a whole genre. But now that you mention it, I think that can be a great angle for my story. We have a the guardian, who's a badass superhero (well, like Batman) who will do anything to get the job done. She knows about the company, the other world and all that. Then there's a hunter, but she's not that important right now. But the MC can be a cop. She went to investigate something, got in trouble and found more than she was looking for when she found the guardian. Or the guardian found her. After that, she "disappeared" without a trace for days. Or to be precise, she was forced to join the guardian. The guardian decided to kill her as usual, but it turned out the cop wasn't as easy to kill as she thought. Skip ahead a bit, and the guardian recruits the cop. Or the company does, not sure. The two of them are stuck together with the same headquarter and investigate many of the same things. But the cop is 100% human, so she can move freely around other humans and even keep her job (in theory, but she quits and joins the guardian full time.)

    The guardian will do anything to get the job done, but the cop sticks to her training and human emotions, so she wants to solve problems quietly without hurting any more than she has to. If someone's a threat, she shoots first and throws them off the roof. So to say. But she doesn't want to let th guardian simply blow up the building.

    First of all, this isn't really fantasy. I want it as close to reality as possible. I want it to be so real that you never know for sure if it's all fake, or if a world like this can exist. No one knows about the guardian or the other world anyway, so why would you? Or think of David Lynch-movies. They start normal enough, but graduate into insanity. The book will be something like that. It starts normal enough with the cop, and for a while it's pretty much a normal murder investigation. But she starts to expect that something weird is going on, and then she finds the guardian. Even then it's all very realistic in most ways. The guardian doesn't have any superpowers or anything like that, and while she has some high-tech gadgets and weapons, all of them can in theory be made for real. In fact, if we had removed that other world from the story, it could in theory be a real story. The guardian isn't an expert martial artist with high-tech gadgets and weapons, but that's fully possible in reality. The only fantasy-part is her apperance and the other world, and the other world isn't even included in the first place. It's mentioned now and then, but that's pretty much it.

    As for the guardian, she'll survive. She might end up in trouble and almost get killed, but don't worry, she's survive. :)
     
  20. Johnlocke1

    Johnlocke1 New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2010
    Messages:
    10
    Likes Received:
    0
    I Loved the idea but I didnt understand why creating a person from both sides would prevent the war?
     
  21. Protar

    Protar Active Member

    Joined:
    May 11, 2011
    Messages:
    602
    Likes Received:
    14
    Location:
    UK
    As I understand it (sorry if I get anything wrong.) but the hybrids are created because they can pass as inhabitants of both worlds and are recruited by the company. Also a suggestion, perhaps the reasoning behind this is that the company doesn't want the guardians to be biased towards one world.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice