Why/how would characters from books suddenly come to life?

Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Usagi, May 29, 2014.

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  1. Usagi

    Usagi Member

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    That's a brilliant idea! I like the idea of the spell book in the library, though it can't be the MC who makes it happen as she is one of the creatures who comes to life. Perhaps the antagonist (a scientist, I've decided the antagonist will be a sort of scientist) comes across this by chance, takes it back to the lab and decides to exploit it?
     
  2. Usagi

    Usagi Member

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    As the person asking for the help, I disagree. I've gathered a few interesting thoughts/ideas now (not just here), and it is now starting to come together very nicely - I have not used any single idea entirely on it's own, but have used all the ideas as starting points to develop my own idea (most of which is not from any of the ideas people have offered, though it has stemmed from them). Everyone has to get inspiration from somewhere.
     
  3. Andrae Smith

    Andrae Smith Bestselling Author|Editor|Writing Coach Contributor

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    You're right, I'm not trying to derail the thread with a debate. I was just trying to clear the air. anyone can ask and should ask if they feel the need, and anyone can and should answer as best they can. However, I personally think it would be a little unfair if it wasn't said now and again that certain questions are best answered by the writer, him or herself. They should know that outsiders can only provide so much, and there is no guarantee that what they say is what's write. It was some of the best advice I got earlier on because it helped me realized how much more control I needed to have over my own stories, mostly in thinking some ideas just don't fit, while others counteract the "uniqueness."

    That aside, advice is advice anyone can take or leave--no one is arguing that. My point is, opinions given in good intention are just as fair or valid, even if it is to discourage one way of thinking. Sometimes that's what we need. I can't say, but all angles are worth hearing.

    EDIT: That is not a stab at you or your opinion, just my personal response to this particular post. :)
     
  4. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    As I said, I can only offer the advice. But you may want to think about this - at what point do you stop asking for help?

    No need to answer; it's a rhetorical question.
     
  5. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    I'll answer this in the other thread when I get a bit more energy. Just spent the day on my feet and lifting more than I should have.
     
  6. plothog

    plothog Contributor Contributor

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    Some more random ideas, if you're still interested in more brainstorming.

    There's lots of ways to go with someone unwittingly using magic powers that they don't even realise they posess. They could read the books and then go home and dream about the monsters or draw pictures.
    Or maybe someone once made the library/books as a way for him to get through to other worlds, but something's gone wrong and the interworldly boundaries have weakened enough for things to fall through.
    I also like the suggestion someone made of something in the library leaking magic, which gets into the books and brings things alive.
     
  7. Vandor76

    Vandor76 Senior Member

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    @Usagi : some of the comments suggests this question should be answered by yourself. I can agree with that, however you asked for help because you need it so let's help by asking back :

    - What POV (Point Of View) will you use? First person or third person? This will greatly affect how much the reader will know at the beginning of the story.
    - Does your MC know that she is out of her own world (and not just on a strange location)? If yes, when and how does she get this info?
    - Is this library in the "real world" eg. the book is set in our own one, or in a fantasy world? I mean how much fantasy is present in the real world?
    - Was this thing just happening or caused by someone intentionally/accidentally? If by someone : from the real world, or from one of the books?
    - What is the common thing that all "came to life" characters share? Is this something objective (like they all have the same name) or subjective (like belief)?
    - What is common in the books? Author? A reader? Are they just next to each other?
    - You mentioned that it happen to several books. What is the benefit of having creatures coming from different books, and not just one book? How will they interact (the smart ones of course)?
    - Do the book characters keep their abilities? All of them? What will they do with it? Just destroy cluelessly or some do good things as well. How are they related to the "locals"?
    - I suppose at the end your MC will get back to her world. Do you already have an idea how?
    - To what point of the story will she arrive in her book? The same place and time from where and when she left? Earlier? Too late? Does she go back or find her place here with us?
    - Someone who came from a book has the possibility to read it. Will you mess with this as well?

    Enough questions for now :) Try to answer them and see if any good idea comes up.

    V
     
  8. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    Hey OP,

    the premis is great and enormous, you'll be writing this series for decades - maybe link in to 'all the libraries being closed down...' for the back story. Better get writing
     
  9. 123456789

    123456789 Contributor Contributor

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    ED, you've already said this in your own advice thread.

    The question of THIS thread, is why/ how would characters from books suddenly come to life? Is your advice answering him?
     
  10. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    Yes. How and why things happen in the world a writer creates is something that only the writer him/herself can answer - as the creator.

    BTW, I started the advice thread after I posted in this one, not before. Since these types of questions come up regularly, I thought a more general discussion would be helpful, rather than making one person's question the focal point of the discussion.
     
  11. 123456789

    123456789 Contributor Contributor

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    OOPS. Sorry, sir!
     
  12. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    Noooooo problem. :D
     
  13. GoldenFeather

    GoldenFeather Active Member

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    Hmmm this is interesting. I remember seeing something similar as a kid. There was a young boy who had a toy house full of soldiers and they came to life.

    I love this book idea, keep at it!

    As for why? Well it could be as simple as they were curious what the real world felt like, so they pleaded with the wizard in the story to send them into the "world of the gods" so they could explore. BUT, the ONE character who secretly made this pact with the wizard (after lots of convincing) maybe shared this secret with others, and by word of mouth it became very popular and so many characters also did it. Perhaps something like you have to wait until a particular time of night, eat some sort of plant and then say some magic words. The process can be up to you.

    OR, they have to wait until the book is opened by someone in the library, which is when they do something in particular and "jump out" of the story. You can be very creative here.
     
  14. Renee J

    Renee J Senior Member

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    Maybe the magic came from the fantasy world side. Maybe the "real world" is just a result of a spell.
     
  15. Alesia

    Alesia Pen names: AJ Connor, Carey Connolly Contributor

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    What if they weren't actually fantasy characters but composites that shared their traits? Example, at work two weeks ago I met a girl who I swear was the living AJ Connor. She was a ginger, about early 30's, had experienced problems with drug addiction, had a crazy religious mother, dead father, and had had a miscarriage all in strikingly similar fashions to my MC's background. While my character hadn't physically come to life, she was pretty close.
     
  16. Chaos Inc.

    Chaos Inc. Active Member

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    Usagi, you have a good attitude. If you hadn't already gotten started I'd toss in my two cents. I hope your story is going well.
     

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