It's been quite some time now I'd wanted to try and write a war sci-fi novel. My idea is to stage an intergalactic war and to follow the characters' adventures throughout it, with a sub-plot featuring the research for the one who plotted and was responsible for the breaking out of the war. I'd like for it to be a plausible war in a plausible universe, not like Star Wars. For the first chapter I'd like to intertwine the story of a young operative of the Special Operations sent on a mission to disable a mass destruction weapon, with the story of a high school student who gets caught in the midst of the operation for the invasion of the planet on which the war first breaks out. I've already written the Special Ops agent's part, but I'm not sure how to write the high school student's part: not sure how should I render the idea her world is still at peace but on the verge of being war-torn. How should I imagine the life of a fifteen-year-old in a country which has been occupied by a foreign power and in which a rebellion is about to occur?
Try putting yourself in the place of the 15-year old. Imagine how you would feel if you were "in a country which has been occupied by a foreign power and in which a rebellion is about to occur."
I second Kylie. Imagine back when you were fifteen, and think about how you would react in the situation. Day dream away
I know the periods aren't the same and the situation is different, but i would recommend giving the Diary of Anne Frank a read, i think you might be able to pull some good emotion and perspective of it.
Maybe a little field research is due? If you know any friends with kids that age, or a local school that could help, might yield the right perspective. If you get really get desperate, you could always find a teen chat on AOL? BTW your idea sounds really cool!
All of your replies look helpful. I think I'll do some research and try to put myself in the shoes of the 15-year-old. I'll sure give Anne Frank's Diary a try. I also have a friend who used to live in Yugoslavia back when the war took place. Maybe I'll try asking her what her life had been like before she left with her family.
I have a question your idea is great, but does anyone here have advice on writting a war story. How do you depict battles? How do you determine which battles should be key battles. How does an author decide what is important
Lots and lots of research is the first thing I recommend, you need to know the weapons, tactics, logistics and strategies that would be used. I have a limited understanding as my passion before writing was ancient history specifically war. I always depict battles from my MC's view and that of those who are important in the battles mechanics, say the general of the army when said general makes a decision that wins the battle. I normally do a separate chapter before battles showing the strategies and tactics of one side. I think every battle is important, they may not be key to the story but every battle is important. I plot out the campaigns of both sides and then figure out what they'd do where the battles take place who wins the battles, after knowing how the war should end I then figure out which of the battles were key to the resolution of the war, I don't think you can decide beforehand. I have a lot of battles in my story, they're all in the background the MC doesn't get involved he in fact runs away from war. I only show glimpses of two battles because only two are remotely relevant to my MC's story. I don't really know how to decide what's important that seems to happen on its own, well atleast for me.
