stuck on conflict in my story
Question: I am trying to work on a novel, perhaps a series, about a human who becomes a vampire to fulfill a prophecy. The main theme I am searching for in this story is to have a female character to inspire young women since the vampire council is entirely men. I've been brainstorming and writing this for months but I still haven't been able to uncover WHAT exactly the prophecy is, who the the bad guys are, what they are doing or why this human woman is involved. Any tips for me?
Answer: Yes. You have a number of questions that you are wrestling with...
What is prophesied?
Who are the bad guys?
Why are the bad guys doing what they are doing?
Why does the woman get involved?
You might add some other questions, such as...
Why are there only men on the vampire council?
What does your female character do differently that makes her an inspiration?
What you should do is write down as many possible answers to each of these questions as you can. Don't just try to find the perfect answer. Write down even the silly, crazy, and absurd answers. Don't self-censor.
Take your time with this. Maybe spend a few days adding to the lists. Then take a few days off.
After your break, go back and read the lists. Circle the answers that interest you the most. If you have a hard time choosing between two possibilities, wait a few days before making your decision.
Write out brief summary of the story that incorporates your chosen answers. Then take another break.
After this break, read over your summary and make a new list of questions that arise now that you have done some development work. What are the implications of the decisions you've made? What new information holes need to be filled?
Repeat the above process several times and you will find your story grows considerably richer.
Additional tip: if any question is really hanging you up, such as "What is the prophesy?", consider turning the question on it's head with questions like...
Does there have to be/is there really a prophesy?
What other reasons could there be for the woman to become a vampire?
What other circumstances could lead to her becoming a vampire?
Best of luck.
- Home
- Plot Questions
- stuck on conflict in my story
Search this site...
|
||
| site search by freefind |
100% Human Generated Content!
All
articles on this website were written by a human being -- one possessed of flaws and limitations, but also with a personal perspective and a desire to help fellow
writers. No article on this site was written by or with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI).
Popular Articles
Mini-Course
Never be stuck for a great story idea again! This online mini-course will show you how to create simple ideas for original characters and build a plot around each character that contains the essential elements needed for a compelling story.
Recent Postings
-
Writing thoughts and diary entries.
Question: This is my first time trying to write, I constantly imagine fictional scenarios, so I decided to write a novel with them, but in my idea, we -
Synopsis Format
Question: Hello! Thank you for answering my question about how many characters to add in a synopsis! I should have included this question with my last -
How many characters to include in a synopsis
Question: Hello! I'm new to your site, and I love it! I didn't see a question and answer page for synopsis writing, so I wasn't sure where to post this
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.
"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero