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Story Ideas

Minnow

Minnow

If you're gonna dig, dig to the heavens!
So.

I have several ideas for stories I'd like to maybe write eventually, but I thought I'd ask you guys which of them do you think has the most potential, how I can improve them, or which one you'd most like to read. I probably won't start any of these in the too near future, but I'd just like some feedback.

Note: Be warned, most of these ideas are currently in train of thought ramble mode, but I tidied them up a bit to be readable.

SCI-FI: World where when people sleep they enter a consistent dreamworld shared by all current dreamers, and when they fall asleep in that world they come back into 'reality'. Eventual point being that people stop 'dreaming' about the 'real' world and just sleep through the 'night' and wake up again in the dreamworld. Eventually everyone begins to accept that the 'dream' is the 'real' world. Near the end one kid 'dreams' about the 'real' world. Parents say just a dream. Kid insists that it was "So real!". Parents don't believe, etc.
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This one sounds cool, but I'm not exactly sure where an actual plot would be, and it'd be tricky to write.

SCI-FI: Stars start going out. Whats really happening is that all the stars are really gone and we're just seeing the light, etc.
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I'm totally drawing a blank on this one. Just thought I'd put it out there.

NO IDEA: Guy fails at life. Is annoyed with everyone. People are idiots. Etc. Guy gets a wish from something. Like a genie or aliens or something. Wishes to have the power to make people disappear and its like they were never there. No one knows that people’ve gone because they never knew they existed in the first place, except for Guy, of course. Guy vaporizes people. Moral dilemma. Plot somewhere. Eventually gets another wish, but by then emotions are mixed up enough that Guy wishes to have the exact same power, but without him remembering the vaporization of others. Ends right there for emotional shock.
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Might be interesting, but like the first one, I can't see much of a plot in it. And I'm iffy about that ending.

NO IDEA/MAYBE FANTASY: Story begins with guy in a lethal situation. He dies. When he regains consciousness he’s in ‘heaven’, in front of the ‘pearly gates’. Then he begins swearing because now he knows that ‘religion’ is true and his atheism is false and he’s going to ‘hell’ and such. Sees ‘St. Peter’ who starts to converse with him. Explains his consequences, go to ‘hell’, silly atheist, etc. Guy tries to negotiate, fails. Says: “I’m going to ‘hell’ anyway, right?” or something. ‘St. Peter’ says yes. Guy says: “Ok, well in that case…” and punches ‘Peter’ in the face. Runs. ‘Peter’ chases, but falls behind because he’s slow and old. Chase ensues. Guards/soldiers/angels/whatever chase him, but he escapes.

Several directions this could go. One, he becomes ghost and goes to Earth. Realizes that ‘religion’ is real and decides he’s going to try to tell the world so no one else goes to ‘hell’ for atheism. Two, ends up inside ‘heaven’. Has to hide and spy around or something. Maybe finds dead relative or friend. More directions possible to be decided.

Theme of story is about revealing fallacies of different ‘religions’ and such. Maybe some analogue to death sentence in the “going to ‘hell’ anyway” thing. Maybe some thing about being in ‘heaven’ and happy and such, but getting bored and fed up with all the monotony, and so rebels and has to escape. Maybe ends up with some sort of spiritual powers and ends up creating his own ‘heaven’ and ‘religion’. Maybe kills current deity.

Note: All single-quoted Biblical terms are open to change into whatever sort of fictional religion thought of. Should be roughly analogous to Christianity, though.
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This sounds kind of fun, but I have a feeling I'd peter out after a few chapters. Also, it could be offensive to people I don't care about super insane, creepy Christians.

FANTASY-MAYBE: Eugenics-based society. In the past people were bred to ‘perfection’. However, not wanting to kill others the past leaders decided to quarantine any and all ‘imperfect’ people in their own little world. Maybe like on islands or something. These people are considered lesser members of life and are continually looked down upon and considered no more than animals. Because of the breeding these people usually are less intelligent in general than the perfected ones.

Story ideas: One, maybe a single imperfect person seemingly more rebellious or thoughtful than others and leads them to revolt. Two, something with person who is seemed to be a true perfect human, and, as the purest are always royalty, is an up and coming leader. He is sometimes doubtful of the segregation, and finds himself uncomfortable because he’s the face that many imperfects hate most. Moral dilemma. Change of heart, etc.
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Good opportunity for worldbuilding, but might be kind of tedious too write. And it seems like it'd have to be very long to work well.

FANTASY-MAYBE: Story of a chess team, treating chess matches as happening within their own, real, medieval world, each piece with its own personality, character, etc. Maybe have it start in media res, in a battle, and story continues from there, whilst flashbacks tell history of each character, the reason for war, and formation of the army.

Not sure of plot, something about warring nations. Maybe King is captured at some point and they have to rescue him.

Oh, also, be sure to keep it away from strict chess rules. Could use chess strategies and whatnot, but actual battles are fought. With swords or whatever, pieces aren’t just captured. Although pieces are usually not killed, but captured and taken to a camp/jail/hostage thing.

Character brainstorm: Pawns feel unappreciated mostly, good opportunity to do many characters with the pawns, of all different personalities. If not that, then treat them as one body, rather reluctantly fighting and rebellious, but vary them, give them names. Minor characters. Possibly red shirts. King probably leaderish, tries to hold team together. One knight arrogant, other kind of quiet, but secretly proud. Bishops probably brothers, conflict because of different religions and viewpoints. Rooks, not sure yet, but don’t be cliché sturdy, quiet, strong, solid, whatever, don’t do it. Queen, not sure yet. Maybe girl, maybe genderally confused, maybe regular man with weird nickname. Maybe insane. Maybe tactical, maybe hitman. Who knows?

Another thing, piece names (rook, pawn, knight, etc.) are positions, not names. Each gets their own name.
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I like this one a lot, especially because of the potential for so many different characters and such. Could have trouble keeping the characters seperate and might have some trouble keeping in the spirit of chess, but not breaking laws of common sense combat.

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Any thoughts?
 
I like the chess one. Sounds quite good. And the heaven one as well. It sounds like it could be funny, especially when he punches st.peter in the face.
 
Be warned, most of these ideas are currently in train of thought ramble mode, but I tidied them up a bit to be readable.
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Train of thought ramble mode is the best though!! XD
THe chess one seems good, but why don't you just start writing and see where you go. You'll end up in one of your worlds.
 
I am severely tempted to steal that chess idea. ;D
Just kidding. But seriously, it does sound pretty cool.
 
Wellz, a few weeks ago I had a lapse in uncreativity and drew up a map along with a history (ie: before story) and plot skeleton for the chess one, along with some character blurbs and other things like that, so I think I'll head in that direction.

I'm starting to have a little problem, though. As I wrote up that stuff I realized I was straying maybe a little too far into generic medieval warring nations than keeping the chess theme. Any ideas on what I could do to keep it chessy aside from having position names/army format based on it?
 
The one about the imperfect people etc. is a bit reminiscent of the last book in the world.

And the chess plot reminds me of the looking glass wars, but I think you'll be able to make it differ.

Maybe the characters could be given limitations, just like in real chess games.

Custom dictates that the king had to wear special battle armor, and because of that, he could only run around three feet before falling over.

Pawns were so narrow minded that they could only move forward and attack the people on either front side of them

And whatever else...
 
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