Hi all, just after some creative solutions to this plot conundrum. My MC (let's call him 'A') has applied to do an extremely sought-after manual labour job in my dystopian, underground city. It is so sought after that most of the city has applied for it. He would be working with a team of maybe six in this new job. 'A' is rejected, and another guy (lets call him 'B') is selected. I want to make sure that 'A' ends up getting the job, but perhaps by dubious (but believable means). The purpose of this is, that 'A' goes through the formal process but it rejects him - in his view unjustly - and then he feels that due process, 'the system' is a waste of time. He finds another way to secure the post and it is part of his character development toward rejecting authority and apparently being awarded for doing so. My problem is that the job is so sought after that the processes are quite regulated for this. The people who do it are quasi-celebrities. I dont want my MC killing 'B' because that is too extreme. Violence I think is not ideal. Then, once 'B' is (somehow) ousted, why would the selection board then go to 'A' amidst thousands of applications? I have not yet determined if there will be any sort of relationship between 'A' and 'B'. Any thoughts welcome. TPM
Magic. But in all seriousness, to find out a believable way to give him a job, look and ask around and see how other people got their jobs. Most people I know get them because someone hooked them up.
What sort of qualifications are they looking for? What does B have that makes him a better choice than A? Who makes the final decision in the hiring process? The real problem I see with this scenario, especially if hundreds or thousands of people are applying for a single job, is how would A know he would be hired if B was not hired. A might have to sabotage 50 other guys before they pick him. A would have to know for a fact if B loses the job then A will get it.
MC staged an incident which may or may not be related to the major conflict but nevertheless important enough to draw the job selectors' attentions. The MC make it appear he saves the day and impressed the selectors. If the MC is really badass then he could go for blackmailing one or more selectors. Both cliché if you ask me, but still works fine everytime
A had been close to being selected but then he was disqualified for a single, stupid reason - that's at least how he sees it and why he feels so bad about it. Then something happens to B that shows that people who pass this part (the thing that disqualified A) are actually bad for the job. So the committee updates the rules to fit the new findings and suddenly, A is the best choice around that they have.
Contacts? Sex? Both have been used in the past IRL and in movies. Perhaps your MC could be the second choice and missed by a margin (explaining why the company goes for the MC after the first guy is ousted) and your MC could somehow spread a rumour or incriminate the first guy in some way. Dunno, falsify records that the first guy did something he didn't (perhaps cheated on an important exam that's essential to getting the job). But then why wouldn't the first guy try and reveal the MC for who he is?
have character B do the job wrong getting some killed or injured in the process and have A there to make it right...cant tell you more until I know what the job entails
I once knew of a situation where a guy was offered a job. A girlfriend or ex-girlfriend got into his email and emailed the person who offered the job that he had decided to decline the position after all (after he had accepted it.) He then showed up to work on the day he was supposed to start and everyone was surprised. In this situation it happened to work out okay, but I could very easily see a scenario where it would not -- the management could very well have called the next guy on the list or gone through the pile of resumes and quickly interviewed someone else. If the job is that desirable, someone could accept the job right away, even if it started tomorrow. So, maybe A and B show up on the first day and they tell B that he had communicated (via email or whatever method your world might have that could have been 'hacked' or somehow someone out to get A could have utilized). It wouldn't even necessarily have to be A who sabotaged B.
Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions! I appreciate the brainstorming of others as it often helps you think outside the box, or trigger some ideas, of which I now have plenty Cheers!
Thanks for the advice. Though I think its fair to ask - after all, that's what the forum is for right?
You could go with the lottery route and Character A schemes to get the golden ticket from Character B. Or you could have Character A impersonate Character B.
No. The forum is for learning how to become a better writer. That's an exchange of techniques and principles, not something as trivial, and ultimately self-defeating, as tapping into other people's imagination instead of your own.
Well there are a lot of people on here wasting their time, I guess: every second question on the 'Plot Development' forum is about this kind of thing. Perhaps it would have been better if I'd phrased it in terms of a conflict between my two characters ("Does anyone have advice on developing a conflict between a person and a political system, through a conflict between two people?). After the inevitable cry for details, its essentially the same question. Again, I appreciate the advice. Next time I have an issue like this, I will keep the thoughts to myself!
Nah, don't keep it to yourself. Some members agree with Cogito but many don't in any case, the aim of this forum is to allow free communication and exchange of ideas, and there'll always be someone who will be on the same wavelength as you and able to answer your question. Cogito is right inasmuch that novice writers tend to have big confidence issues and seek validation every step of the way, and also, some of them misunderstand the word "brainstorming" so they expect others to literally come up with all plot points for them, but ultimately, we all can avoid those if we want. As we grow as writers, we feel less and less need to discuss our work before it's finished, and we turn inward, as we should, because writing is essentially an introverted activity. In any case, ask away and remember - there are no stupid questions.
Every system has holes and corruption in it. No administration is perfect. Find the weak link and exploit it.
indeed, it takes a very bored person that does wish to answer you with a post telling you that they do not want to answer you, instead of just...not answering.
wow...I realize that I am very new here, but I did not think his question was more self serving than the others I have read. If someone does not think the question valid, or is posted by someone looking for too much help or validation, why not just ignore it? It's not like there is a reply requirement or a space limitation. If I am out of line, i apologize, but like almost every thing in life, lighten up!
I have no problem with your questions and other such threads, it sometimes can spark story ideas of my own. But questions in some such threads can be really silly.
If the system is based off of points (many systems are), then his failure to win top spot may put him in line if B messes up. So, B may not have what it takes after trying the first day. A may be nasty and deliver some news that troubles B may find the work too difficult and just quit.
