The Writers' Network! discussion

There we go! Sounds great.
Okay, so I'm working on a time travel story. I'm looking to approach it from a more organic perspective as opposed to scifi.

You mean like in the time travellers wife? whre the time travel is a result of an epilepsy trype thing rather that a machine of some kind?

I personally life time travel stories. I end up referring to them all as "timecrime" even though I know that's just a single aspect. My favorite aspects of time travel are being there in the moment with a character who is witnessing an alteration in the timeline they thought they knew.

It has merit. I'm with William on the question of what you mean by 'organic'? Something like what Victoria said maybe?

I'm trying to figure out how to work the syntax. I want it to be more fantasy and less sci-fi. Maybe it's a property of the blood of a certain lineage that enables them to time travel. Needless to say, the idea's still in progress.

That might be good. Having a character pop around into different times without an initial understanding of how or why could be interesting. Perhaps it's starting to affect them mentally and they're becoming a bit unhinged, possessed with finding the answer before they can't take it anymore?

On the one hand I write fantasy YA. On the other hand, I like writing horror short stories having to do with people losing their sanity. Don't ask I guess :D

I was thinking for this topic, maybe something like the character reliving the same events over and over again whether they like it or not. Like in The Time Traveller, where the protagonist keeps trying to save his beloved over and over again, but constantly fails before he learns that succeeding would negate his reason for time travel in the first place, and thus making success impossible. Except instead of learning something from the experience, the character in this story must defy that notion to save not only somebody that they care about, but their own sanity in the process. Maybe they even encounter a future version of themselves that failed and lost their sanity.

@ Scott That sounds pretty interesting. I'm a sucker for time travel with a twist. :)


I've been tossing around an idea for a YA based on Scottish Folklore. Kind of a mix of Grimm and Buffy but instead of hunting them. They are the ones being hunted.

Okay...I have this story idea. I don't know I I'll work with it or not. Any suggestions for improvement and expansion?

So, there's this city built on a mountain with a caste system in place. The noblemen reside at the bottom of the mountain, while slaves work at the top, transporting goods down to the upper class by means of carts that run on tracks. These are not normal slaves, though -- a genetic flaw (caused by magic 'cause this is fantasy) prevents their brains from registering any emotional and physical feeling. They get up, go to work, go to sleep, never mind if they lose a limb or not.

But one nobleman has discovered a way to fix the problem, and he is awakening the slaves and forming a team called the Elucidated. The primary goal of this group is to slowly undermine the system. However, the main character, a newly-inducted Elucidate, finds himself resisting the rebellion as he struggles with the experiences of feeling and what it means to exist.

Basically, he becomes a bit of a government sympathizer and half-heartedly tags along with the rebellion. This is because he doesn't like these new experiences. He doesn't like being able to feel, because it overloads his brain more than most. I suppose this is due to having some sort of extreme form of synesthesia. I'm not sure, though.

Brandon, I had considered that. This is meant to be a more YA-focused work, though.

Timothy, I really like the idea! I've seen similar concepts before in YA lit, but a good way to make this unique would be to have the main character as a counterrevolutionary. Every single YA book has them as the leader of a pro-feeling/emotion/love/anti-establishment revolution, so what if he resented his newfound feelings or thought they would lead to anarchy and turned against the revolution?

And about the time travel, i've decided to make it lineage based and fantasy. sci fi is too clinical for me.

the origins of the time travel system lie with the First Family. The father, the master of time, has a son and a daughter. they have very different time-travel abilities and limitations, and their descendants will be at war. i've developed the scope and the limitations of their abilities and I think they have enough depth to develop a cool story

Thanks! We'll see how it turns out :)
What are you working on next?

I like YA, dystopian, romance, and I'm great at portraying emotions. I need help putting together a basis for my story. I need something out of the ordinary and a situation that characters need to get out of. Please help!

I want to write a novel about the Oregon Trail and the Wild West. I am thinking of turning it into a series. My issue is that most books about the wild west include things like mail order brides or so and so dies and his wife falls in love with the gruff fur trapper. I don't want my book to be so cliche. Any ideas on angles or plots that I could write that readers would be interested in? I am hoping to self publish.

Kiersten,

It has been done, but you might wish to explore the trials of two sisters traveling together without a man. Perhaps one is older and dresses as a man while the younger poses as "his" "wife" as they battle the elements in the trek. A lot of people died on that journey and to not include some tragedy would be a disservice to that era of American history. The person who dies need not be a central character, but could be one who was kind and thoughtful with them. There is an entire sub-plot devoted to having the sister learn to handle a fire arm and defend herself against enemies both within and without the wagon train.

You have the constant fear of discovery where such "simple" processes like answering nature's call are fraught with danger. Take time to get the reactions to life in the wagon train. Can one of the sisters cook better than other people traveling with them? How does that make everyone feel? Keep in mind that enduring months in the searing heat walking across the American heartland is extremely stressful and not all the people who failed to make the crossing failed because of physical calamities.

Let's leave that thought behind for a moment and explore another. See if you can find a copy of "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence". There is a strong female character in that story who could easily be a role model for one of your characters. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056217/ Put her on the wagon train and see what happens.

Enjoy writing your story.

Allie wrote: "I like YA, dystopian, romance, and I'm great at portraying emotions. I need help putting together a basis for my story. I need something out of the ordinary and a situation that characters need to ..."

Allie, You could use the model of "Lord of the Flies" and place the action on a larger island than the one the boys were on in the aftermath of a tsunami. Perhaps they find each other while looking for any of their family who might have survived. You can then take them through the tragedies as they find their loved ones dead and then on to their recovery and eventual healing.