What if formerly frozen folks (cryonics patients) find that they have previously switched off parts of the brain now switched on due to the revival process (perhaps mind reading...or...?). I love the premise, but I don't know where/how it would end. I want the book to be 'realistic' - it's set in the near future, and the take 1 version of this novel is very socially based (family, reintroduction to society, etc)...but it's also boring with nothing grand at stake. So my very basic question is - what happens? They have abilities... A nefarious group tries to squirrel away the new revives to use their powers for...something? So how does my MC get away or win? I'd love any other ideas to help me spark up a more interesting novel! Nic
If it's in the future, you can make up technology that works better than anticipated. Mind reading couldn't be realistic though - ever see Limitless? Maybe give them powers like that. Of course, you could put magic in the story, but it would defeat the point of the cryonics. Seems very interesting, develop it
A story concept means nothing. I can tell you now, it has all been done before. What matters is how you write it, the characterization, the flow, the imagery, all of it. There's 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?
Patrick...thanks! I haven't seen Limitless, but will check it out (and research what brain functions we suppose are 'turned off' or limited now). Cogito - thanks, but that wasn't a fully relevant post for me. I don't want to know if others think the concept is valid...I want ideas for where to take it. And I'd love some more thoughts from those more creative than I. Please. Plllleeeasssse. Nic
Take it where YOU want. You're asking people to come up with the story for you. It will not be your story then.
Hi, Its a cool idea. (No pun intended!) If people being defrosted awaken with more of their brains turned on then before and you want to base this on some form of biological realism, then you'd have to ask yourself, what having more of your brain working would allow, and what would be the problems. My guess assuming you rule out the psychic abilities, would be that you're looking at more cognitive abilities, intelligence and so forth, far more sensory recording abilities, i.e. you remember more of what you see etc, possibly improved memory etc etc. But a brain running that hot might well burn out more quickly, sleeping would be a problem, headaches, psychotic disorders, and possibly over sensitivity to pain etc. There's a reason our brains work as they do. Cheers.
I agree with Cogito It is your story it is up to you to come up with your own ideas. You have a basic idea, if you are now stuck, and do not know where to go next, ask yourself: What if this or that happened? - where would that take the story?
Just as an idea, what if he gets a power like mind reading, and it causes him to learn things like what people REALLY think about him? Things he'd rather not know? Kind of like "Shallow Hal" (movie), but if you don't want to be a ripoff of that, take it in a more serious direction and don't make it involve romantic relationship stuff. But maybe his best friend really thinks he's a deatbeat, or his mother really thinks he's a disappointment. Then you'd have several issues to deal with...is he really a loser who was oblivious to his own destructive qualities, who now has to turn his life around? Or is he surrounded by unloving people and so sets out on a journey to find people who really do care? (Like "Where the Heart is" but less cheesy and Lifetime-ish). Or maybe he learns some horrible secret he'd otherwise have never guessed -- like his innocent-seeming younger brother or sister wants to kill off their parents to reap the life-insurance benefits, or his grandmother is a nanny and molests the kids. He's in a tough spot because he doesn't know how to stop it, and he has no proof other than reading their mind, so no one would belieive him or take any action if he told. He now has to figure out how to stop the evil plan. Or, you could give him some ability that makes the government want to hunt him down, capture him and forcibly use him as a guinea pig for the rest of his life. if you go this route, you should read "Firestarter" by Stephen King (I think that was the one...)
I agree that the story needs to be your own, etc. etc. However from the perspective of a psychology major, we use the vast majority of our brain. The 'we only use x%' is a myth without much real science behind it, we use all parts of our brain its a matter of how much we use it. This shouldn't stop you from writing this story in the least, it sounds interesting. It's just something to consider. Also, the majority of our caloric intakes are used for our brain. Such a person would probably need to eat more food than considered normal. A consequence of this could be running hotter than a normal person. There are bodily consequences to this - from night sweats which are inconvenient, to something as severe as enzymes heating up and being unable to function. This is of course speculative, but its part of the science which could be part of the background structure. What actually happens to these people woken up from cryo - well that's up to you. Often people use each other for power, politics, money, and a combination thereof. Maybe look into modern and historical events including politics and military - maybe something there will inspire you.
I have acctually done some "mental science" and I've discovered that improved memory is the first thing you get when you start unlocking your brain. The next is improved imagination that can work more or lessly automatically. For the problems there are mind confusion, emotional confusion and "too fast thinking", which lets you end up thinking in a loop with hyper speed what can get really time and energy consuming.
