Basically I have just finished school, and am trying to find a way to continue writing as well as I was. This however is turning out to be very difficult without the subtle direction and gentle support of my teacher. Guess thats why I'm here. I always have ideas rushing through my head and I have a monster of a vaugue one that I'm going to splurge here. This has no real substance to it, but I was wondering about how others might recieve the general principle. Here goes... The antihero (not a strong character, but a rather complex and confused one) wakes up in a surreal but gritty environment (most probably a city) with no memory of his past and meets other characters, who try to take him under their wing. None of these characters are very complex, but all are very strong and vivid the only similarity between them will be that they attempt to teach their philosophies. The focus will soon drift away from the protagonist and follow each of these different characters plotlines, not in turn, but all the different plotlines will be interweaved. So the reader will believe that he is following a series of different stories at once. However the focus will shift back to the main character every once in a while, the central to these chapters will be the idea of the antihero's learning about the other stronger characters and their endeavours. Which he will eventually play a key role in resolving conflicts between these characters, subduing some with the aid of others, and going about the resolving process in a more peaceful way in other cases. The story will end with an anticlimax, the main character being knocked unconscious by a completely random accident, and then wake up in a place which is significantly less surreal. He will feel more complete as a person, having gained some kind of an enlightenment. So what actually went on there is that he was knocked out or in a coma throughout this whole story and travelled into his own mind. The characters that he met all represent different facets of the antihero's own character, which have been in conflict. The main character feels happier at the end because he has managed to resolve some kind of internal psychological conflict. So there we go, it's the bare bones I know and while a little more exists in my head I have put down almost every part I currently know. To keep the story from seeming pretentious I feel a very gritty atmosphere would have to be employed. Any more ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated. Is this too ambitious perhaps? Will it come across as pretentious? Cheers Guys
Welcome to Writing Forums, kiaburne! I hope you find what you're looking for here, whatever your interests in writing. This forum aims to provide the best workshopping resources on the internet, and to that end we have a few rules which you should familiarise yourself with before you get stuck in. The main section of the site is the Writing Workshop, where members can post their writing in order to receive critique of their work. However, before we allow members to post their work, they must have met some basic requirments. Firstly, you must have been a member for fourteen days, and have made twenty posts on the forum overall (please note, posts in Word Games do not count towards this). This is so that members, when they post their work, have familiarised themselves with the forums and contributed to them (as well as hopefully learned something for themselves). Secondly, members must provide two constructive reviews of other people's work for each piece of their own that they wish to post. This is because we believe that the focus of workshopping should be equally upon giving reviews as receiving them, as they allow a writer to practice and improve their editing skills, which they can then apply to their own writing. Beyond the Writing Workshop, you will find that we have extensive forums for discussion of aspects of writing, as well as a community area for general discussion. We also run periodic short story and poetry contests, which are good for challenging yourself and expanding your skills. If you have any questions or problems, then the moderators (myself, Cogito, Lemex and Dante Dases) should be your first port of call. Any technical problems with the site itself should be directed to Daniel, the site administrator and owner. I would recommend you have a look over the rules so that you know what to expect, and what is expected. But aside from that, I hope you enjoy your time here. Banzai
A story concept means nothing. What matters is how you write it: the characterization, the flow, the imagery, all of it. There's absolutely no benefit in asking what other people think of the concept! They'll either say,"Sounds great," or, "it sounds like a ripoff of..." If the idea stirs you, write it. Then ask people what they think of the final story. After they tell you what they don't like about it, revise it, usually several times, until you're happy with it or until you throw up your hands and say the hell with it. But don't sweat whether the idea is any good. Please read What is Plot Creation and Development?
