1. Southpaw2380

    Southpaw2380 Member

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    What's In The Barn?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Southpaw2380, Oct 3, 2013.

    I'm having a little case of "empty skull" and am looking for a little inspiration. I don't know if it'll help at all, but if anything, I'll most likely enjoy the ideas and suggestions that follow.

    I have a main character that inherits a large piece of land (a very wealthy country-side estate). It's got a massive home, many cars, and lots of luxurious features. The property was formerly a group of farms, and when walking through the woods for the first time, the character finds a newly renovated, giant red barn. It is part of the estate, and he unlatches the double doors. They swing wide....

    ....what does he find inside? I honestly can't decide what I want it to be at this point, but I love the avenues it opens for the story. Any fun ideas for what it could be, considering this is a very wealthy estate? What I mean by that is it doesn't have a price restriction, whatever "it" is. finding a car collection wouldn't be weird (already thought of it/wrote it). Anything to kick my mind into gear would help, thank you all!


    ~~SP
     
  2. TessaT

    TessaT Senior Member

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    Coffins. Bones (of all sorts). Taxidermy. Time machine. A sex shop. A pot grow. Spaceship. Bomb shelter. Weapon arsenal. Painted canvases.
     
  3. Trish

    Trish Damned if I do and damned if I don't Contributor

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    A 1968 Shelby Cobra GT500 in pristine, all original condition, with VERY FEW miles on it. That's my ultimate dream car so.....
     
  4. erebh

    erebh Banned Contributor

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    I hate to say this Southpaw but you don't have a story - just a guy who inherits a farm/land. What are you hoping for? What kind of story do you want to write? Horror? Comedy? Crime? Romance?

    At least narrow it down :)
     
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  5. Trish

    Trish Damned if I do and damned if I don't Contributor

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    Good point. I read barn, unlimited amount of money, and said "my CAR" lmao. Nice catch :)
     
  6. Andrae Smith

    Andrae Smith Bestselling Author|Editor|Writing Coach Contributor

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    I agree here. Whatever he finds, it should relate to the genre you're writing and it should be something of recurring importance (it should keep coming up and affecting the story.)

    I'd say drop in a spaceship and see what he makes of it :p
     
  7. plothog

    plothog Contributor Contributor

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    An elephant, a private plane, an elaborate model railway, treasures gained from tomb raiding, a tank, a shrine to a dark god,a giant robot or wall plans on how to achieve world domination.
     
  8. Garball

    Garball Banned Contributor

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    He finds the anthropomorphic vision of God tied to a chair and hooked up to an IV that keeps him conscious yet loopy.
     
  9. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Cows? And a tractor? Would he have a clue what to do with them?
     
  10. stevesh

    stevesh Banned Contributor

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    Barn cats. Lots and lots of barn cats.
     
  11. Burlbird

    Burlbird Contributor Contributor

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    Barley? :)
     
  12. RabidChipmunk

    RabidChipmunk Member

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    He doesn't find anything, and he realizes there was never anything in the barn in the first place.

    As other's have said, knowing the genre would go a long way in finding out what kind of thing is inside the barn. If it's a fantasy, he could find the magical stone of McGuffin, or if it's a horror story, he could find the haunted tablet of McGuffin. The options truly are limitless: a little too limitless for us to offer you any real help.
     
  13. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    This is a request to provide you with your story. Feeding you answers will do nothing to develop YOUR imagination.

    The question itself is enough to suggest quite a few story possibilities to me. But I'll keep them to myself.
     
  14. JayG

    JayG Banned Contributor

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    “They can’t yank a novelist the way they can a pitcher. A novelist has to go the full nine, even if it kills him.”

    ~ Ernest Hemingway
     
    Love to Write likes this.

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