Hey everyone, I'm about to embark on writing my first novel and have been busy brainstorming ideas. I now have 14 and am having a tough time choosing which one to do first because I believe they'd all make great stories. So please help a brother out and let me know which idea you like the best. No in-depth criticisms necessary - just looking for first impressions - which idea(s) grabbed you straight off the bat and made you think, hmm, yeah, I'd read a book like that ... and why? Here are the ideas: A cash-strapped cop is offered $10 million to hunt down and kill a group of honorable professionals, who have all been offered the same deal. * After winning $41 million, a suicidal driver accidentally locks himself in the back of his ice truck, and must find a way to escape before he freezes to death. * After discovering a valuable treasure ship, a frustrated treasure hunter plots to recover the cargo in secret, when an unscrupulous government official - intent on recovering the gold himself - cancels his salvage permit. * A cryptologist and his team struggle to find France and England's gold reserves (hidden in Greece before the Germans invaded) before a ruthless SS commander does. * In the closing months of WWII, an Allied soldier sneaks into Berlin seeking a lost Nazi treasure train, which is also being sought by a ruthless SS officer. * When the parents of a young kidnapped girl receive parts of her body in the mail, an alcoholic detective is brought in to find the kidnapper before it's too late. * After crash landing on a remote island, a wealthy heiress struggles to rescue her daughter, who was kidnapped by a ruthless drug lord running a heroin operation on the island. * An imprisoned thief is recruited by the US government to sneak into North Korea and steal weapons research from Kim Jong-un. * After waking up with amnesia from a serious car crash, an ex-con struggles to prove his innocence when he's accused of murdering his wife and children. * When a US submarine hits an old naval mine and sinks, a troublesome cook struggles to help the survivors reach the surface alive. * When his wife and daughter are kidnapped in Mexico, a retired thief struggles to steal $10 million in 72 hours to pay the ransom before they're killed. * When he's framed for murder by the company that gave him a new identity, a millionaire struggles to prove his innocence. * When a young delinquent orphan inherits a treasure map, he enlists the help of a museum curator to find the treasure, which is also being sought by a ruthless dictator.
Here's a bit of light hearted feedback. Don't take me too seriously, though there is a kernel of truth, as I see it, in there. Try writing each one out as a short story, then assess which has the potential to be fleshed out into a full novel.
And here's some more lighthearted feedback with a touch of seriousness to it: Got a hat? Print that post, cut each idea out, throw it in the hat, pick one. And if, after writing a couple of chapters on that one you find yourself losing interest, pick another... and another until the hat is empty and you can start all over again.
I personally like the ideas the explorer/thief ideas, maybe choose which one would make a best starting point, make a character to fit the storyline and if you decide novel writing is your thing you could do a series.
I like the idea of doing a few as short stories. Even if it's not the whole story you have in mind, you could write a short story about one of your characters and see how that goes. Honestly, it doesn't really matter what we think of your ideas. So much of it has to do with the delivery and the way you approach these ideas and write them. Personally, I'm a big fan of short stories. And for someone like you who seems able to generate a lot of ideas, short story writing could easily become a thing for you. Of course, you don't have to write short stories if it doesn't interest you, but I think it could be the best way for you to try out a few of your ideas.
Thanks everyone for the feedback, it all helps. If anyone else wishes to chime in, it would be awesome if you could help with what I originally asked: Just pick which idea(s) grab your attention instantly and tell me why!
OK mm, I'll take up your challenge. First thing, most of your ideas actually strike me as being more suitable for a humorous treatment; sometimes the conditions are just too incredible. Also, you've got this thing about "ruthless" adversaries!
I like the first one - a lot of the others feel like plot cliche (especially the solen treasure ones which are veru dirk pitt) .. of course thers nothing wrong with a cliched idea if its well written, particularly if you twist it somehow
I like the last one as I love that kind of Indiana Jones/National Treasure type mystery stuff. The other one that interested me was the one about stealing from Kim Jong Un - mainly because its quite topical - you would really need to do your research though to make it believable
I think the freezer ice-box one would make the most gripping short story, just for its thriller/horror potential.
I really would like to read no 1, as a novel, but i think you should write no 2 as well, as a stort story.