I have a vague storyline, but I need help with some plot development. My main character is going to be a criminal profiler, and the basic story line will be something similar to Silence of the Lambs, but I want it to differ from that, of course... I'm not sure where I want the story to go, though. It will start out with my main character developing a profile for a serial rapist, and the police force (s)he is helping out will discover who it is based on the profile. The main character will have a very dysfunctional family - (s)he is married with children, but they put their work before their family, and this upsets their spouse, eventually to a point that causes their spouse to file for divorce. Meanwhile, a serial killer is beginning his killing spree. I know what the serial killer is going to be like; his motives, MO, etc... The murders will take place in Portland, Oregon. But I don't know how the plot line will flow. Do I start with my current idea (profiling the serial rapist), then showing the main character's home life, then showing the serial killer's attacks, the Portland Police Department's attempts at solving the cases as more and more keep popping up, then the profiler shows up, then... what? That's the part where I get lost and need help with. =/ Thanks in advance! =]
You need to come up with more of a storyline on your own before you start seeking help. Start with goals and motivatiions. Those define plots, and plots drive a storyline. Please read this thread about What is Plot Creation and Development?
By goals and motivations, do you mean the goals that I have for the storyline, or the goals and motivations that individual characters have?
Your plot will come from characters. So find out what theyre up to, whats going on in their psyche, the idea/belief systems, background, status, upbringing. How do they behave? What is their 'central drive'? Thats a good place to start.
Yeah, you're right, it does sound similar to Silence of the Lambs. I think the most important thing you should be evaluating is how is it different from such a notorious work? Personally, the themes and context of my current work are similar in some ways to the Metal Gear Solid series, but I have made sure to make it vastly different in other ways. You are apparently attracted to the overall premise, but I presume you intend to make the plot unique and compelling in your own right if you intend your work to anything other than a SOTL knock off. So, uh, what is different? Ur MC sounds pretty compelling, but in a genre dominated by the legendary likes of Hannibal, you'll need to take great care to be anything other than an emulation. Yeah, sounds purty interesting
