Plot help please!

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  • #17146
    Emma Flournoy
    @emma-flournoy
      • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
      • Total Posts: 1352

      Oooh, I really like Dalton!! Do that.
      If you want to. 😛

      Hazel’s not too bad; I like it a lot better than Rylee (or Ryder—whichever is the girl).


      @Jess

      #17147
      Jess
      @jess
        • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
        • Total Posts: 575

        @julia-r, @emma-flournoy, I liked Dalton too. Only thing is, I realized he is a minor character in the five kingdoms series. So hard to find names that aren’t taken. Hazel was in Percy Jackson. I might still use Dalton. ..

        #17148
        Jess
        @jess
          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
          • Total Posts: 575

          Alexa or Alexis?

          #17149
          BlueJay
          @bluejay
            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
            • Total Posts: 1622

            @jess Dalton is a major character in book 3 of the knights of Arrethtrae. And then he is in book 4 too.
            What time period is your story set in?

            #17150
            Jess
            @jess
              • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
              • Total Posts: 575

              @bluejay Shoot! One name in two kingdom series. I was thinking of a different series. My story is set in the future-like one hundred years. *Racks brain for different names* I originally liked Tess, but realized that was in the Kingdom series too.

              @julia-r
              , I forgot to reply last time. of course you can read it, but let me get a few chapter first! I might do part or all of it for NaNoWriMo.(November)
              Is there anyway people can exchange email addresses and etc. on the forum privately? @daeus maybe?

              #17151
              Julia R.
              @julia-r
                • Rank: Wise Jester
                • Total Posts: 81

                If you’re asking if you should use Alexa or Alexis in your book… that’s tough! Then there’s always Alexyi or Alexi or Alixis… the variations are unlimited! Look on websites or in books for baby names… they often have numerous variations and alternate spellings for a “normal” name.

                #17152
                Julia R.
                @julia-r
                  • Rank: Wise Jester
                  • Total Posts: 81

                  Oops, @jess, I forgot to tag you in my last post…

                  #17153
                  Emma Flournoy
                  @emma-flournoy
                    • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                    • Total Posts: 1352

                    Oh nuts. That’s too bad.
                    There are only so many names in the world, though; sometimes you can’t help using the same ones (if it just fits too perfectly, of course)! :\

                    You could try looking up on Google names beginning with the letter you want, if you know what linguistic origin you want; i.e., ‘danish names starting with p’
                    That can be really helpful.
                    Or you can make up your own, which can pretty much ensure no one else has them already. 😉


                    @Jess

                    #17157
                    Jess
                    @jess
                      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                      • Total Posts: 575

                      Hi! I’m back again. Thanks for the feedback everyone. I think I have the background info now. What do you think? I’m trying to make it not cliche-ish. 🙂 Thanks a billion! 🙂 🙂 🙂 @emma-flournoy @hope @bluejay @julia-r @overcomer @anne-swiftblade @mark-kamibaya @dragon-snapper

                      A long time away in a galaxy- just kidding. 300 years from now, humankind has developed a new kind of drug that alters your genes. Using this drug was supposed to make you become stronger, faster, and better. Unfortunately, it did change people’s genes, but not in the way expected. The volunteers who agreed to trial the drug found that the concoction was too powerful. The inventor made five different variations of the drug for different effects. However, the mixtures did not turn out as planned and instead gave the testers five different abilities: water manipulating, telekinesis, invisibility, electricity manipulating, and telepathy (not mind-reading—communicating through thoughts only if the recipient is willing.) Fearful of someone discovering what had really happened, the inventor persuaded them to keep it a secret, and he disappeared into the wilderness. Eventually the secret came out and people were envious of the tester’s abilities. When finding that the inventor had disappeared, they grew angry. People with the abilities and people without the abilities clashed until the original testers were forced out of the cities. Unbeknownst to them, their strange mutations were passed on to their children. The cities were already strictly regimented, but peacekeepers placed walls around all the cities and forbade anyone going out unauthorized. (The only way people could get to the other cities was through the magnet-pulled trains.) The peacekeepers were worried about the testers forming together and taking over the country. Anyone who thought they had seen someone with strange powers was commanded to tell, so the person could be taken to the capitol for containment. The peacekeepers are now looking for the man who started it all. Oh yeah, there are five kids with each of the abilities who are looking for answers, since no one remembers the real reason the walls were constructed. (And name help would be much appreciated. Normally I’m good, but since this is in the future I’m not sure about names…)
                      Thanks! 🙂

                      #17158
                      Anna Brie
                      @anna-brie
                        • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                        • Total Posts: 312

                        @Jess I like it. Well about as much as I would like a story of that sort. I’m not all that fond of sci-fi. But I’d probably read this.

                        Just a random suggestion, maybe the kids shouldn’t all know each other at the start. And maybe one of them doesn’t even realize they’re not normal. What if some of the kids met up but they needed to find someone with the last ability. And another cool thing would be to have a pair of siblings, maybe twins, with the same power. (it could manifest slightly differently.)

                        And don’t be worried about using names that aren’t unique, that’s just the way things are. If it’s only part of a name that’s the same and the character is quite different, many people won’t even connect the characters. I think the name Dalton is great.

                        #17159
                        Jess
                        @jess
                          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                          • Total Posts: 575

                          @anna-brie, well since my target audience is more sci-fi/dystopian, I’m good with that. 🙂
                          I love your idea! (The first one.) I don’t think twins would exactly work for this one…

                          #17160
                          Emma Flournoy
                          @emma-flournoy
                            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                            • Total Posts: 1352

                            This sounds really neat, @Jess.

                            Question: do all five of the kids each have all five abilities? I didn’t think so, but the way you said it in this post made it sound that way.
                            Also, why are there only five kids? If the original testers have had kids, did they only have one each—and how many years has it been?
                            If there are only five, why would the government fear a takeover (is just five powerful enough?); and if there are more than five, why do only these ones want answers? If there were lots of descendants, wouldn’t they band up?

                            And what are these kids looking for answers to? Do all the testers’ descendants live outside the city walls, since the original ones were forced out; and so these kids want to figure out why they’re forced to live outside the cities?

                            And one more—why does the government want the inventor? Just so they can punish him? Because the harm is already done…taking him won’t undo it. 😉
                            Depending on how long it’s been—will he still even be alive?

                            Okay, that was more than ‘a question’. *gulp*
                            But I know that asking people questions about their stories can help them figure it out better themselves; and besides, I wanted to know!! 🙂 🙂
                            Is this the kind of feedback you’re looking for, or should I cut back with the questions? 😉

                            As to names…well, at least try not to make them a bunch of three-lettered one-syllabalic names (as you appear to be familiar with Star Wars. 😛 ).

                            #17161
                            Julia R.
                            @julia-r
                              • Rank: Wise Jester
                              • Total Posts: 81

                              Looks like you’ve got it almost figured out, @jess! @emma-flournoy, good points. Maybe, the reason for having only five descendants is a one-child-per-family law sort of like China, to ensure a steady birth/death rate and to prevent over-population and famine. Your world reminds me of The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Not saying you can’t use that world because of that! It’s different enough. 🙂

                              #17162
                              Jess
                              @jess
                                • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                                • Total Posts: 575

                                @emma-flournoy, Whoops, sorry. I thought that was explained better. There isn’t only five kids. Those are the main characters. They each have one power. I’m not sure how, but either the kids will be told by their parents(s) or realize on their own that they are different. Some of the original testers were able to hide in the cities and so the kids still live in the cities. The government wants the inventor because… Good question. I’m really more of a “let’s see how this goes” type of writer. I’m guessing they want the secret, but (shh) I think The inventor has joined the ranks of the peacekeepers and loathes his original experiment. (Because he didn’t do what he wanted. If a war started and word got out again that he was the one who started it…) So if you know, tell me. And yes, that’s the kind of feedback I’m looking for. (Because I’m a silly writer who overlooks big holes) 🙂

                                #17163
                                Jess
                                @jess
                                  • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                                  • Total Posts: 575

                                  @julia-r, I LOVE the Giver! I’m desperately trying to keep out the Incredibles, the Giver, and Divergent. *yells at ideas, MY Book! My characters! Stay in your own book!*

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