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- Rank: Wise Jester
- Total Posts: 52
First–I guess should explain the definition of ‘disowned’. It’s my term for when I decide that I shouldn’t write a story anymore and I drop it.
I have recently disowned a very, very long story with 65,000 words, in-depth characters (both villains and heroes), in-depth story world but no plot. (See, @Daeus, I’m bad with plot.) I don’t know what to do with it now, seeing as finding a new conflict would be close to impossible…but the world and the characters are still top-notch.
What should I do?Look for possible points of conflict in the structure of your world and with your characters, and ask yourself what would happen if those two opposing forces were pitted against each other— or worse, forced to work together against an even greater foe.
@C-C-Lane
@C-C-Lane Maybe we should become critique partners. We sound like polar opposites.
As for what to do, you might consider rewriting it instead of just writing a new story. The chances of it turning out well are better since you already know the world and characters so well, and that could even help you fine tune the conflict. I would just recommend doing a basic outline first to make sure you have a good plot before you start writing.
If it’s not too much, you could write out an overview of your story and I could help you analyze it for potential possibilities.
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@C-C-Lane Not plot related, but you don’t have to have magic persay, even if you have what might be considered ‘magical abilities’. Since it’s fantasy, it could be an ability that runs through certain lines and has almost died out or something like that. That would mean the spell part might need a little tweaking…maybe he’s reenacting a legend and then fire really does come from his hands. Anyway, just an idea.
And I think you could ‘find a plot’ and rearrange your story around it. Not that I currently have any grand ideas. One place to start could be to figure out some sort of inner turmoil for the MC. Some insecurity (which might be compounded once he figures out about his fire power?) or something he wants? Once you figure out what he wants, and figure out what is stopping him from getting it, you’re half-way to finding your plot. 😉
INTJ - Inhumane. No-feelings. Terrible. Judgment and doom on everyone.
@c-c-lane Totally serious.
I don’t think the magic will be too hard to get rid of. The only important thing is that Fernix has some dangerous quality that has started a war and that he needs to learn to control.
You could replace this with any number of things, but the one that I’m thinking of and that I think has a lot of potentials is just a blind berzerker-like rage that he falls into only under tense circumstances (you could also add under personal insult). The great advantage of this is that whenever you put him in a tense circumstance, you automatically double the intensity because he could all of a sudden turn into a mad killing rage.
You could do several things with the dark wizard. He could become someone who promises your MC freedom from his problems, but doesn’t have the real answer. He could be a false hope that is really trying to use your MC for his own purposes. The idea I really like though is to have this guy be a sort of mystical figure who the MC thinks can cure him of his problem. All the time though, the man acts with mystic mysteriousness and tell him there is but only one way to cure him. When the MC demands to know, the man’s whole visage suddenly changes and becomes terrible and wolf-like and he says, “By showing you who you are.” and then beating the MC without mercy. This leaves the MC in a really bad physical shape. He is also terrified of who he is but has come no closer to getting healed.
Enter Lord Janson taking over the kingdom. Let us say it will be clear that by Lord Janson taking over the kingdom, the land is sure to be destroyed by the elves. Now your MC needs to defeat Janson in order to save his kingdom and then make peace with the elves and he needs to do all of this without murdering anybody and he doesn’t know how to do it. That’s pretty conflict packed.
Now all you need is a resolution — a way for the MC to overcome his weakness.
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- Rank: Wise Jester
- Total Posts: 52
@Daeus. I’ve never had a critique partner, actually. What would I have to do?
Wow! You are really, really good with plot! The first that came to my mind was Fernix accidently cutting a rope holding up a chandelier and it kills the elf king that way. Yeah, poor elf king. 🙁 In the prologue I wrote three years ago, it actually says he simply poofed into a pile of ashes!
I think that my own problem is that I overthink things.
Thanks! The berserker thing reminds me of Vikings, which gives me another idea…@c-c-lane Glad it was helpful.
A critique partner is someone with whom you exchange mutual critiques. It could be a commitment for a whole writing career or just a single exchange of novels. It’s based on the idea of mutual benefit. I’ve actually got a novel I’d be willing to trade in just a little while if you’re interested. Let’s see, I’ll provide the link for you. Click Here
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- Rank: Wise Jester
- Total Posts: 52
@daeus
Could you please delete the synopsis for my story from the site or find somebody who can?
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