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First off, I’M BACK!!!! That’s right, I’m Hope Schmidt’s lesser-known-of-but-awesome sister. (Just thought I’d throw that in there.)
Ok, so here’s my problem. I haven’t written in a year or so, but a few weeks ago I got this awesome idea for a science fiction/adventure story. The thing is, beyond knowing a little about the main character and that there are aliens in it, and that there will be NO ROMANCE, I don’t have a story! Or maybe I should say I have too many story ideas and none of them seem to work.
The story started with an evil space captain who was secretly “selling” humans to the aliens because he needed the money for a sick family member. It then turned into a story where my second main character was a survivor of a botched military mission to the alien planet and he and the main character join forces to do…something. And then my latest idea was something weird like humans regularly go to this alien planet and compete in a live-stream competition and it’s broadcasted over the whole earth and people are crazy about it.
That being said, I don’t know what the point of this story is, who the bad guy is, what the conflict is, etc. I’ve never ever had this trouble with a story before! From the little info that I’ve supplied, does anyone have any ideas!?Hi!
It happens to me an awful lot where I’ll get a big, vague idea of a story, with none of the supporting details, some grand scheme of things with no legs to stand on. What I try to do (not being a plotter at all) is find out where and how the story starts. Where doesn’t necessarily mean geographical location, though you have that, but at what point it comes between backstory and climax. Then I try to find out who seems to be the most involved, and who has the best morals, and who is the most interesting, possible character. (Usually there’s one who very enthusiastically launches himself at me and says “All of the above! Here I am!”) The next thing is to try to get an idea of how it ends. You don’t have to rule out anything much at this stage, and neither do you have to know how the two spots connect (though, I mean, it is helpful). Then I start writing, and what happens, happens. But if I have a place to start, that makes it easier to actually start; and if I have a goal I’m heading toward, or at least a spot to end up in, that helps me keep things moving. It’s terribly vague, I know, but maybe it will help.
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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Hello Joy! It’s nice to meet you! 🙂
Those ideas sound cool! Could you possibly combine all of them into one world? what if the captain sells humans to the aliens who run the alien competitions? What if the captain captures the military survivor and sells him to the aliens? What if the aliens force the survivor to participate in the competitions? What if this survivor meets the MC in the competitions? What if the Survivor is the MC and meets his side kick in the competitions? What if the sick family member is related to the MC, and the MC is the only one who can help the sick person get better? What if the games are a cover up for something? What if the sick person’s sickness is actually a disease invented by the aliens? What if the political structure of this universe is crumbling? What if there is peace among the aliens and the humans, (other than the illegal slave trade between them), and an accident draws tensions between the different races and the MC has to stop a war? What if the aliens and humans are already at war?
Those are some random ideas. I don’t really have any method I can suggest to help you come up with more ideas, other than asking yourself a lot of ‘What if” questions and writing whatever idea you come up with.
Hi! Thanks so much for the good advice. I’m going to sit down with my YouTube “writing” music, pen and paper and figure these things out!
Hello to you too! I too had the idea to merge all of these things into one world. Thanks so much for all of the ideas! I’m going to go through them later and see if I can come up with a story.
Hey @Joy-Schmidt!! I remember when you were on here. You didn’t stick around long enough. Welcome back, and congratulations on starting to write again. 😀
Erm…yes, if I think of any brilliant ideas I’ll pop back in, but it looks like @Winter-Rose has some great ones already, and @Northerner with her advice. But welcome back. 🙂
And it’s possible your sister could have some advice too…Hi! Yeah, my darling sister has no ideas for me…I decided to turn back to Kingdom Pen. I’ve come a little farther in my story: I’ve decided to merge the unsuccessful military mission with the “games;” I feel like I’m stealing from the Hunger Games but I had my idea first, so I’m sticking to it. I still don’t know how it ends, but for now it’s called Beyond Horizons.
@Joy-Schmidt Coolio.
- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
- Total Posts: 1486
@joy-Schmidt Oooo I like the title.
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