So I have this general idea for a story. It's basically about two completely different worlds in another solar system that are at war with each other. One world is a technologically advanced peaceful utopian world ruled by a monarchy while the other is a distopian world and is much like the modern USA and is ruled by a republic. Should I go with this idea? What do you think?
A story concept means nothing. What matters is how you write it: the characterization, the flow, the imagery, all of it. There's absolutely no benefit in asking what other people think of the concept! They'll either say,"Sounds great," or, "it sounds like a ripoff of..." If the idea stirs you, write it. Then ask people what they think of the final story. After they tell you what they don't like about it, revise it, usually several times, until you're happy with it or until you throw up your hands and say the hell with it. Please read What is Plot Creation and Development?
What possesses the "technologically advanced peaceful utopian world" to go to war with a less advanced world? If they're technologically advanced and pacifist, they can choose not to, because advanced technology pretty much gives the owner the option to say no.
Actually I forgot to mention the techologically advanced utopian world is not pasifist. They have a strict set of rules known as the warrior code and powerful warriors that strictly enforce these rules.
Ah, okay. So, you mean peaceful at home, or "well-policed" rather than non-warlike. I do think there's something intriguing in the contrast between these worlds. It seems that the advanced world doesn't have much to worry about, though. I think you'll need something to increase the odds in favour of the other world, because they would need something to give them an advantage over advanced tech and superior discipline. So perhaps whatever that is, it will give you a way into the story.
Yes, the utopia world is well policed, which is why it is peaceful. I have thought that through the course of the story the modern world devolops technology similar to the technology on the utopian world so that they have more of a chance of trying to take over the utopian world.
I think that would be too slow. (Just my gut reaction - feel free to ignore.) I think you need something up front, to make the difference, even to be your opening hook. The belief that things are going to change, in this war, because of XYZ.
What is your opinion on what I should do about the difference of technology between the two worlds. Just asking.
I'll respond to your question with another question. Why did you decide to place the two worlds at different levels of technology? I don't want the answer. I want you to consider that answer in terms of YOUR question. Think like a writer! After all, it's YOUR story.
I would say this is more of an idea than a concept, and as an idea is sounds good, but is a little redolent of Star Wars in terms of the USA republic device. Yes, I would go for it if I were a sci-fi writer (which I am not) - why not? It sounds quite allegorical to me, and the disparity in technology levels is interesting and could turn it into a comment on imperialism - is that your intention?
Yes this is just an idea, and it is a bit like Star Wars I guess. I came up with this idea because I want to share with people my idea of a perfect world, which is a dictorial monarchy (though most people would disagree with me on that). To make it more interesting I decided to have the perfect world attacked by another world. I decided to make the other world like the modern USA because I hate the United States even though I live there because in my opinion it's a distopia because people have too much freedom.
OK, I see. I would argue against the US having too much freedom though. My view of the US is that the Constitution has been abused lately and US freedoms are diminishing, especially freedom of expression, which even on forums like this is under threat. And freedom of assembly and protest are under threat as well. My understanding of talking to Americans is in general they believe they have more freedoms than anyone else when they really do not. If I were rendering the US in fiction in an allegorical way I would create a functional society that has taken away previous freedoms from its citizens, and is in decline as a power. You're saying that the US is the one getting attacked or doing the attacking? Obviously the former is more original as with a few notable exception - 1812, 1941, 2001, the US has not really been attacked.
Actually I have planned that it's the planet that's like the modern US that is the one that attacks the utopian planet first because they are concided and think their culture is better than the culture of the utopian planet and want to spread their culture to other planets in the solar system.
To me, this story would be about two different dystopian societies warring against one another. I realize that you disagree, but you may need to keep in mind that a large percentage of your readers may feel the same way.
I think this is a decent idea, but as I was reading through the comments, I noticed that there was a comment about how there needed to be a reason for the opposing worlds to fight. You could do something along the lines of the distopian world attacks the utopian world. Or maybe have them start off in peace.......like, have the two world rely on an alinement of some sort, decreed by a marriage between the two worlds, then for another reason, one of the royals of the fore-mentioned wedding could be found dead in some way. Make it be caused by a rouge group bent on destruction of the two worlds and the death of the person ignites the tensions between opposing worlds and war breaks out. I think you have an interesting idea, but it needs a little work. I'd like to see this as a work in progress!
So really it's a direct comment on US imperialism in the 20th and 21st centuries. I like it. You could describe a corrupt power collapsing under the weight of its own paranoia lashing out against its decline by attempting to spread its ideology to other cultures. Yes - ticks boxes for me - but I'd rather watch it than read about it ha ha!
Yes, and I like the idea of a corrupt world that's so afraid of falling down that they have to go and conquer other worlds.
And remember to round it off with how the power bankrupts itself in the process and totally fails to achieve its objectives on the other world!
The concept of your story is a little too similar to "Brave New World". It follows the same concept of two worlds, one being ruled by savages while the other being ruled by technologically advanced society and the interactions between the two. I personally hated that book and only finished reading it due to school. Who knows maybe your story will have better character storylines.
This is a good point - the story should not be "about" those two worlds. It should be about characters that happen to live in those worlds. The characters should not exist for the purpose of highlighting the worlds; the worlds should exist for the purpose of acting as a setting for the characters.
This. I agree with Cogito. It's not about the story idea itself, but how one writes said story. Like Cogito said, you'll get replies such as "Sounds good", etc, and in all honesty you won't receive advice/comments that would benefit you at all. Write your story, and once it's finished, maybe then you should look for constructive criticism on your work/idea.
Yeah, think about the character plot and how it relates to the background events. Will it mirror them in some way? Will it reinforce the differences between these worlds or suggest that all humans are the same and they behave differently according to the situation they find themselves in? (Are the main characters going to have personalities that match and define their backgrounds, or will you use some reversed contrast of type?) I think the answer to your question is that it is a reasonable idea, as long as you find something in it that you want to say, but not just your opinion about politics. To make a success of something like this, you should try to understand both sides, their strengths and weaknesses, the ways they appeal to certain parts of the human mind, and not give your firm opinion of what is good and what isn't. (But if you're going for a very clear good-guys / bad-guys scenario, like Star Wars, that's different. Then I think, well, it's still interesting. ) I'm finding it interesting, anyway. Just make sure the character stuff says something about the war stuff, or something about life. Or something about something. I'm not fussy. Just keep zombies out of it. (So actually I suppose I'm disagreeing with ChickenFreak, to some extent, because I think the characters should exist to highlight something about the worlds. But only in the same way that the worlds exist to highlight something about the characters. They should be equally important. (But the characters should matter more by the final chapter.) EDIT: Actually they should matter more by the end of the first chapter.
Since you're talking about characters I do have planned that the main character is going to be the young princess of the utopian world. I really want to base her on me, a meek girl who at first is afraid to speak her mind (who I am now), but eventually realizes her destiny to be a warrior princess and with training and dedication becomes a strong and powerful warrior who isn't afraid to speak her mind (who I want to be). Do you think this is a good idea for a main character.
It's a little too fantasy based. This is just my personal opinion but writing a story based off of a warrior princess seems kind of childish. Might interest some young female readers and by young I mean YOUNG but it wont get very much interest from adults or even teenagers.
Yes, you are on the right track! Just continue to develop it further. Think of the end, the beginning, the middle. How many chapters there are, what happens in the end of each chapter and the beginning? Aim for the number of words your publisher requires. Elaborate on the characters, where are they from? Who wins? who are the bad guys and who are the good? are one of the worlds bad or is there another force antagonizing the war between them both? Only for both of them to realize that they must unite in order to defeat the evil? Usually an idea entails a major climax of a story, a feeling you feel passionate about its the same feeling that has brought you to want to write and develop this story. Usually that idea and feeling is located near the end of your story. Now think of the beginning and get to the end. You could go as much as you imagination will go, and that could be endless. And as you tell it your individual style will form. I always love the saying "education distroys authentic creativity". So learn your own way but follow the publishers rules Good luck
