Any ideas for a story I am writing?

Question

Well, I haven't completely figured the plot yet, but the basis will be that some event gathers a certain (small) amount of people together, and they tell stories of crime and murder, my three ideas for the event are A. friends that are camping exchange stories. B. A man kidnaps people and makes them tell him stories they make up (yes, it's weird, that's the point). or C. Struggling writers pitching ideas to a publisher, you guys can also submit an idea for the plot, or help me choose xD. Anyway, so far, I have four stories that I will use (and keep in mind, they're supposed to be a bit odd and sometimes gruesome), one is about a man who is picked up by some kids and he begins killing them in the car, whilst he is constantly correcting them for not stopping him when he gave them the chance. Another that I'm still toying around with might be about like an ice cream man who kidnaps a child and he ends up being locked up in a place with other children. Then the third will be about a rich man whose son (who used to be into heavy drugs and bad people) comes back to live with him and his family again, and after he comes home, strange things begin to happen which all end in an all out attack on their house by strange people. And the last, and probably only humorous, one is about bank robbers who, well, rob a bank, and after it happens, they keep getting into trouble while also trying to pick each other off for more money (yes, sounds a bit cliche, but it does sound interesting to make a comedic story with that). The stories will also be told in a twisted time line, so one will stop, and another will begin before the last was finished, until the end where they're all completed. So, any ideas?

Answer 1

Sounds great to me, I'd like to read more. Are you on any writing sites? I'm on http://chapteread.com They have cool features. worth checking out!! and good luck.

Answer 2

Well, ray Bradbury says he just lists a series of nouns, and once he's done brainstorming, he picks one out of the list and sees where it takes him. Ex: The Ravine, the Skeleton, the Carnival. All of these eventually became titles and inspiration for some of his most famous stories.

David Morrell (man who created Rambo) has a written conversation w/ himself. that's how he eliminates writer's block.

He also writes that the only thing u need for a story is conflict. His formula is "plot= conflict + motivation". that's all there is to it. Someone has a desire--doesn't matter how trivial--and someone or something else tries to stop them from achieving it.

It's just that simple. a man wanting to paint a house can be as compelling as a woman wanting to be the first astronaut to land on Mars so long as you dramatize how important the goal is to that person.

most other good stories start w/ a secret that someone is trying to not reveal. think up a secret that someone told you, fictionalize it, then write about it. change any telling characteristics, of course. or just come up w/ something that if it happened to you, you would want to keep secret

Answer 3

I really like this- I think it should be a struggling writer pitching a plot to a publisher.  Or what if he was a struggling screenwriter instead, trying to pitch a plot for a movie, just to be a bit more original?

Your ideas for the stories are good, but make sure to stay unique throughout.  WIll you send it to me when you're done?

Answer 4

I have an idea for the first one. the man who kills the kids after giving a chance. u can add a really good kidnapping business if u want to make it interesting and nightmarish. u can give the flashback of the man whose young kid never used to listen to him and ended up finishing his life in a brutal way. so the man ills all the other kids who r spoiled brats and u can add events like putting them in trouble in a really frightening way which they wouldn't imagine of, like blackmailing them with really simple yet terrible things like i know ur secret and making them do things which they would never dream of! like asking fashion freaks to wear dirty clothes, spoiling the work of big-headed nerds, ruining the sports of jocks and making people walk in dark, swim in the dark and other stuff they really r frightened of. just read the books by DIANE HOH, CHRISTOPHER PIKE, RL.STINE, A.BATES etc., for horror ideas. then u can end the book like a cliffhanger(like showing that the man lands in the mental hospital and becomes better but he will never stop it because of his love for his kid. HOPE U REALLY LIKE THIS!

Answer 5

plot c sounds the best. The third story does seem kind of cliche, but i guess you could have it end up that he didn't do any of it.

Answer 6

Oh, this is very good. Maybe you can make a book about it. You know, like a compilation of short stories only better. Your idea is great.

It's like a chain of stories, right? Do you know how artists put their best work in the end? Maybe the last story in your book should be about the people who gathered there. Or. . . maybe you could put a scene between each story, like make the man go bazerk everytime a

story stops.

Oh, another one: have you ever been to a campfire before? The people pass something around when they tell stories-- it means the one holding that object will tell the story. Why don't you make them pass around a target. . . uhmm. . . You know, a cardboard with red rings on it. When the killer doesn't like their stories, he'll shoot them. LOL. It's crazy, I know.

I like idea B-- the weirdest one. hahaha. Why do you think the killer wanted them to tell stories? Was he an insane writer or something? Perhaps he wanted their ideas? PLAGIARISM. LOL. This is so fun!

I really like this idea of yours. I'll definitely buy this book. Seriously. I like mystery and crime stories-- especially when they're collaborated in one book.

I also liked the other four ideas but maybe you could enhance them a bit. (The one which I really like is the man who corrects the children for not stopping him. Was he training them or something?)

I think I'll love the last one. I thought it was kind of cliche' at first but then you said it wasn't so I believe you. (it wasn't the son who brought the bad people) Nice TWIST, btw.

Anyway, maybe I can help you with the ideas. I make the weirdest ones. (I once made this story where I killed all the characters. It was supposed to be romantic but then it became boring. So. . . you know what happened next) And, don't worry; I  didn't find your ideas gruesome at all. I'm used to those things.

Could you also send it to me when you finish writing it? [e-mail]. And, if you need more ideas, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. I'll be glad to help.

(I have one great idea. promise.Made it months ago and posted it here on Y!A. I just don't want to write it because I don't have I time. Maybe I'll send it to you. Not here, though.)

Good Luck!

-tepishane-