As I've been trying to relay, I'm sad at the moment. This is important because it makes my threads often turn insulting and/or very confusing. I've been writing various parts of the book to which the prologue I've got under the review section belongs, but now it's just too heavy to work with until I stop being depressed. Therefore, I'm restarting something a bit more upbeat. Does the following sound like something you would want to read? I'm not asking if it's good, and I don't want the response "It's good if you write it well." I'm asking if this sounds interesting to you individually or not. The MC is a young adult who suddenly gets very ill and nearly dies. (It gets more upbeat) However, it turns out that he's somehow (explained later) been infected with a werewolfish "virus". (I thought the "animal attack" scenario was too generic, and this way his infection can be a secret more easily.) Instead of the usual "mix of despair and horror" accompanying such a situation in books and movies, the MC realizes he loves the freedom offered by his "disease". Finally; the ability to not think, just act without regulation. It turns out that he's not alone in his rural, forested home town; a few other werewolves have situations of their own. Most are very territorial, and some are just insane or viscious. One or two are more forgiving, and actually allow the MC to join a pack of sorts. Basically, I'd be winging this idea, and just seeing where the story takes me. Undoubtedly, a huge focus will be around the potential joy of living without restrictions, compared to its harmful or even lethal aspects. Communication would have to be very primal and basic, mostly focused around simple motions, body language, and simple sounds, because talking isn't going to work for probably 50-60% of the book. I know at some point I'd be bringing in an external force to greatly threaten the MC and people he cares about, such as angry villagers with attack dogs. Does this seem like an interesting idea? Does it seem too unworkable? what do you think? I'm really not certain about this.
"...As I've been trying to relay, I'm sad at the moment. This is important because it makes my threads often turn insulting and/or very confusing...." Don't let it trouble you too much. I can't think of anything you've posted that I've taken as untoward. If anything, I like spirited conversations. As to your idea, it seems very "workable" to me. I remember in the 80s, there were a handful of YA comedy movies along those lines. The most memorable was "Teen Wolf". Micheal J Fox starred as a teen who, on entering puberty, discovered he was a werewolf, as was his frumpish father. Not at all high-brow - more of a fun, popcorn flick. I doubt it's aged well. X-Files Spoiler Alert. I also remember an episode of X-Files, where they were tracking down a "vampire". Turned out he was imitating Hollywood vampires - ie fake teeth, bed was a casket. BUT, he really was a vampire of sorts. In fact, the rest of his trailer park was. They were just ordinary folk getting by, while he was a sociopath. In the end, they disappeared in the night to (presumably) avoid persecution. So, there's precedent. Sounds like it could be fun. Can lend itself to being, in turn, comedy/horror/adventure/weird. -Frank
I remember that episode of the X-files... This's been posted for upwards of eight hours with only one reply. I think I may have scared everyone away. That often happens when I debate anything seriously.
There is an interesting novel by Jack Williamson that explores some of the ideas of a werewolf form offering a freedom rather than being a curse. It is called "Darker Than You Think." It was written back in the 1940s, so it is dated in some ways but at the same time still quite good. I first read it four or five years ago and quite enjoyed it. You may like it as well.
...not to me... ...nothing is, in the right hands... anything could be, in the wrong ones... ...that you should try something a bit less cliche than werewolves...
Aside from being werewolves, what do you think is cliched? I'm attempting to avoid that like the plague, so any advice for changes would be appreciated. I'm painfully aware how easy it would be to make this very cliched.
Oh - I don't know. Cliche or not, I kinda like werewolves. Let's see what else can be used though. You could have the virus (or whatever) awaken the DNA of an ancient race of humans within your MC. Due to genetic dilution over the eons, nobody affected gets the full set of powers, and some people are even damaged in the process. How about a nanotech virus. Everyone affected is hooked into a telepathic network with all the others. Maybe two such people get more powerful as they get closer as there's more bandwidth connecting them - but they find it harder to keep their privacy and even identity if really close. Well, that's all I've got off the top of my head. Good luck. -Frank
Firstly, don't worry if it's been done, because it has not, if you get my meaning. Secondly, I love the idea and would read. Why: I don't know if your watched Battlestar Galactica (latest version), but there was a character I loved and his name was Baltar. I loved it because he was a genius, a coward, a double dealer, and had a weakness for sex and it didn't matter who robot or human. As his character developed it was clear that he like both his own people and the so called enemy. The humans and the android (cylons) were both bigots, and although he was painted as a bad guy, I considered him a strange type of hero for all the above. I don't like the "plain old bad guy" is a---bad guy routine. Some of that has been broken with recent vampire novels where they're sympathetic (really Anne Rice), but they're presented that way because they tragic figures. Your werewolf would be ENJOYING the state with no reservations. It's the oppose of a cautionary tale that many horror novels are. Side note: would you like the name of a very good book to help with depression?
I'll deal with the depression on my own, I doubt it's too serious; I always move past it in a few weeks. Anyway, I like the 'ancient dormant genetics' idea. It should mesh with the circumstances perfectly. I'm trying to think up a name for the werewolves, because although they'll be known as werewolves, another more specific (and original) name should add some flow to the events. 'Werewolf' is simply too awkward to read over and over again. Perhaps just 'wolf' would be enough for general use?
Why not? Things are good or bad depending on how they're written. If it's about something you find interesting and you write well, others should find it interesting too. How can you ask people to not respond with what you need to hear?
I was trying to avoid the "it's good if you write it well" answer because it leads to a whole thread of people saying "yep. good answer. uh huh, that's true" and I end up having no idea if people are interested in the basic premise. It's a very unhelpful answer once you've heard it a couple times before. The chances are high that I'll never even try to publish this, unless I feel it turns out very well, but I still want personal opinions. For example, Mammamia, if you feel this idea is cliched, it's far more helpful to point out the cliched parts so that they can be changed.
i'm still puzzled as to why you singled me out by name for the example, when i had already done what you said should have been done... what am i missing here?
On a side note, I'm curious about your thoughts on my suggestion to rename werewolves something THEY would like to be called. Any ideas?
I singled you out because you were the first person to say it was cliched, and because I was responding to you, I didn't mean to be hostile. As for Allegro... I'm not sure what they'd call themselves. Although... One of the characters was a werewolf from birth, and they take it really seriously. She disdains anyone who doesn't like werewolves, so maybe she'd be in a position to have a name for her kind. I think I'll go research ancient pagan werewolf names.
That's a good way to go. It reminds me of how certain ethnic groups want to be called what they call themselves versus some popular name. I'm thinking of "Gypsies" as I write. That name comes from the idea that they were from Egypt, which is false. Then they were called Romany, and recently it's been determined they're from India. So, I don't know what they call themselves and what's meaningful. It would be a cool to have a werewolf who wants to have an indentity she thinks is meaningful and not some kind of insult.
