Just curious as to other people's opinions on this. I have my main character finding a way to go back into the past. He does so and once there, he informs his father of vital information which will alter the future. When he goes back to his present (or so he thinks) he is now in the alternative future, but still has full memories of his previous life as well as the memories of his life in the Alternate Future. Comments?
Sounds good I think in a book like this there would be an awful lot going on that the reader has to keep track off (wait, which parallel universe did that happen in again?) but if you weave all the threads well, it would be brilliant. I think the MC should still have all his memories, because they really did happen to him... and his 'alternate' version of things would influence how he acts/reacts to things in his new future, right? Be pretty interesting to have an MC who was second guessing stuff based on how things turned out in his original past when weighed against how things apparently happened in his new alternative past. Blue
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?
I agree whole-heartedly with this. Cogito is right, the story concept is irrelevant in the grander scheme, but I say I approve of this storyline. Here's why. You bring in the concept that time travel brings distortion to the timeline. But you introduce the idea that the time traveler will contain two sets of memories: those of his first life and those of his second. This introduces a lot of room for inner conflict as he may or may not like his new life, or he may or may not want to reverse it. Which then opens the door for exernal conflict, a complication that might stop him from achieving the goal [to either remain, or go back]. This story could be either really good, fresh and original, or it could be good, but cliche. Make your plan, know your characters, know the world they live in, and write creatively. don't worry about how its written first. Just write creatively. Then for the second draft, fit everything to the fresh original structure to match your fresh and original story. You make the story what it will be, but imo it seems promising. I respect everything Master Cogito has to say, but you do know harm in asking for opinions on a storyline, often times I find it is a great way to expand ideas and even develope a better story. Ideas are contagious, and they force a vicious cycle of creativity. Find yourself people and sources that can give you a full range of ideas, even those opposite yours, it can't hurt Just be careful not to upset the Moderators
Thanks to everyone with your thoughts on this. Cogito, thanks for your advice that it's not what you write, it's how you write it basically. Andrae, thanks for the advice on not upsetting the Moderators . I truly have no intention of doing that if I can. Cobalt, yes, my MC does have memories of both lives and now has the difficult choice of deciding which one he wants to make permanent. Should he choose the altered "new" one, he has found a way of erasing all of the other world's memories. Likewise, if he decides to go back to stop himself from ever altering the past, then technically all his memories of what he has done will vanish as well. Again, thanks for your thoughts!
Sounds like an inciting incident or Act I. Now you just have to figure out how to get to back to your original time-space. I like how it could turn out.
Since humans don't yet fully understand how time, space and dimensions work, we can only create our own theorys and ideas. Therefore there is no right or wrong - that's why it's called science fiction. If your concept is logical and makes sense, then there is no reason why it should not be used. Just beware of paradoxes...
Sounds interesting. I think it might be little confusing but anything with a parallel universe is. Primer is the most confusing movie ever and that involves the same kinds of things and people still love that movie.
In time travel he would have all his memories. If I went back to, say 1941 and warned Pearl Harbor of the attack and they beat the sneak attack, the future would be altered, but MY future, what I knew before wouldn't change. Now if I went back and killed my father before he met my mother, then it'd be a paradox, because for my dad to die, then I'd have to do it, but if he's dead, how can I be born? You could go nuts covering them. LOL. An idea about time travel and alternate universe, I'd recommend seeing the two part Dr. Who episodes (each part has a different name) "The Rise of the Cyberman" and "The Age of Steel." They have a lot of alternate universe items in that episode, how things progressed similarly but differently. As a plus, I think you'd enjoy the interchange between The Doctor and the antagonist. Another episode to watch that covers time travel (they all have it to a degree being he's a Time Lord) would be "the Big Bang" in Matt Smith's first season as The Doctor. It's in the fifth season. They should help a lot too.
Ditch the idea of going 'into the past' in actuality he would be going into a parallel universe where yesterday is today. Think of it like this. Right now we cannot go back in time, however, all the materials of earth that existed yesterday still exist today. Only they have been shuffled and moved over the past 24 hours. The materials that will turn into flying cars 100 years from now exist today, but we don't have the knowledge to put them together. Flying cars are on earth right now, but they are scattered across the planet in tiny pieces.
I would suggest reading the Wikipedia article "time travel", especially the later part where they classify the various ways it can be treated.
Not sure what kind of comments you want. Can the concept be done? Sure. Has been. Lots of times. My favorite is Charles Yu's book, "How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe" about a time-travel machine repairman. Can you tell a compelling story using the same concept?
I like it, it is interesting, and different. My favorite stories have weird twists and events in it, and a parallel universe story like that sounds great to me.
