I am writing a story about a teenage girl (16) who is reckless, drinks, smokes (Marijuana and Tobacco) and doesn't really go to school, she was born in the UK but her father takes her away to live in Australia. Her dad owned det and they lived off the dole. Her father dies and she is made to live in the UK with her mum, who she doesnt remember. Her mum lives in London in a nice big beautiful house with her children, who all go to rich/private schools I was thinking that when she moves in with her mum she changes the way she is, she goes back to swimming (She was really good at before she got into drugs and all that) and stops all the smoking and drinking till she has a relapse when something happens but I dont know what could happen. I was thinking of making her have a child? Yes or no? Gender? Also what about making her have a twin sister? Give me your thoughts and suggestions.... Only a new writer....
I am sorry if this is not the answer you were expecting, but I feel like what you are asking for IS your story. It's not about being new as a writer, just take your time, and develop your plot step by step, the way you most feel comfortable with.
Thank you, I have thought about it and know what I want but want other people options to get a better idea of my plot.
Agree with MC, the crisis is one of the biggest aspects to a story. Why would having her have a baby make her take drugs? What bearing does a twin have on any of the story? Was the baby wanted? Result of being raped? You need to decide on these aspects so that readers will want to read it.
Libbi, this is the second thread in which you ask if you should knock up your main and I seem to remember a third thread, maybe not by you. So, I have to ask, why the fixation on her having a baby?
It most cases teenagers who have alcohol or drug addictions have deep usually dark reasons. So what's your MC's reason? Was she abused either verbally, physically or sexually as a child, the most common triggers. Or did she simply wake up one day and think: "Today's a good day to smoke some meth"? The first option can create tension. Let's say the father is the one who abused the MC this allows her to put blame on the mother for allowing him to take her to Australia. As for the pregnancy that's different... who's the father? is he relevant to the story, or did you just throw him in to create more drama? Was it consensual, rape, or a result of drugs?
Glen's right; cause and effect. You have all kinds of potential in the existing outline. What's going on with the mother that she leaves the daughter with the dad. A teenage girl moving to a new country is traumatic - use that. How does the dad die? Is it her fault? What happenned to the dead beat mom and how does she get so rich? Is she a con artist? Does she murder her husbands? The character of the parents is going to be key to explaining why the MC is so frigged up. What's going to save her? What about the mom's step kids? Her husband? Consider the role of household employees (depending on how rich Mom & co. are). Tension and resolve build your story arc, so what's the biggest issue of all? Why is she so messed up? Does her child perhaps belong to the step-brother (step-child of Mom)? Have fun and twist it up!
Here's the thing...no one - not me, not any of the really bright people on this forum, not any great writer you care to mention - can give you that better idea, because only you know the story you want to tell. So only you can know how best to tell it. If you are struggling to figure that out, well, that's part of the process of growing as a writer. Go with your gut instinct and start writing it, because posting here for "ideas" is really just procrastinating. Once you've written it, if you don't like the result - and you very well may not - then take a good look at it and see where it comes up short. Then go back at it again. No one ever became a successful writer by getting someone else to make their hard choices for them. Might as well get used to it early. Good luck.
