Fiction Writing Brainstorming

[Dettles]

This can be a thread where you can openly brainstorm ideas and get feedback.
One of the best things about these forums is instead of just going you don't like something or you do like something, a lot of times you have to go deeper than that and answer why you don't, even have to think about it and ask yourself why you like or dislike it. And then articulate why.

In this thread if you are writing or working on a story that you need some with things just talking it out can be a big help.

 

[Finalbeta]

What subjects are you specifically interested in?

 

[Dettles]

What subjects are you specifically interested in?

Fantasy and Science Fiction mostly.

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

I’ve been brainstorming two separate premises for two separate stories. Which of these two would you guys be more interested in reading a story about?

Premise 1: A powerful Kingdom ruled by people with Perceptive Magic (the power to see events from the future/past, read minds, see events across the planet, etc) suddenly find themselves powerless to use any Magic at all when a massive army of savages begins attacking one of their capital cities. With no Perceptive Magic available to them, the leaders must find away to stop the army before it reaches their capital and destroys life as they know it.

Premise 2: A decade after achieving technological singularity, Humanity finds itself on the brink of extinction. The Earth is ruled by an army of Super-intelligent AI Who have almost wiped out all human life from the Earth and have begun terraforming the planet into a supercomputer. Less than 10,000 humans remain, and they have taken shelter within a massive network of underground caves. The humans must find away to destroy the AI on the surface that they themselves created, in order to stop their extinction and live under the Sun once again.

 

[RayanOO]

I’ve been brainstorming two separate premises for two separate stories. Which of these two would you guys be more interested in reading a story about?

Premise 1: A powerful Kingdom ruled by people with Perceptive Magic (the power to see events from the future/past, read minds, see events across the planet, etc) suddenly find themselves powerless to use any Magic at all when a massive army of savages begins attacking one of their capital cities. With no Perceptive Magic available to them, the leaders must find away to stop the army before it reaches their capital and destroys life as they know it.

Premise 2: A decade after achieving technological singularity, Humanity finds itself on the brink of extinction. The Earth is ruled by an army of Super-intelligent AI Who have almost wiped out all human life from the Earth and have begun terraforming the planet into a supercomputer. Less than 10,000 humans remain, and they have taken shelter within a massive network of underground caves. The humans must find away to destroy the AI on the surface that they themselves created, in order to stop their extinction and live under the Sun once again.

Nice ideas

I find the first one more original. So I would read the first one over the second one.

 

[RayanOO]

Idea of One piece Fanfiction :

He is a "enemy" (for some time) of WB and his crew (especially Marco), but he is not a real bad guy.

WB is the best father of the sea but what if it was not exactly true. WB had a lot of "sons" and a big family and he cared about them very much.
But WB has maybe a true son.

WB has been a pirate for a long time, and times to times he went on differents islands to visist etc. When WB was younger (more or less 40~) during one of his visit in a poor city he slept with a woman he met in a bar. They spent some time together but he left to sail again because he wanted a pirate life etc. But the woman got pregnant (WB didn't know that) and had a son.

She told his son that he was the son of the great WB and he left because he was a pirate that cannot have a real family due to his live style, that he cannot settle in one place. They lived in poverty and with rough conditions but the son was pretty proud to be WB son because he was a great pirate and his mom told him great stories about him.

When he had 15 his mother died and he decided to go at sea to be like his father and to be in his crew.

What was not his surprise to discover that WB had a family, a lot of sons that he loves and take cares of. And he became a little bit angry that WB had time to built a real family with his crew but he left his mother and him behind with nothing. He swore to have revenge.

I can imagine that Marco will be his greatest enemy because he is the "1st" son of WB, the strongest etc and the son that our character is the most jealous of.

He will spend some time undercover in WB crew and the real story begin.

I had this idea some time ago, and it isn't still quite raw. What do you think ?

 

[RayanOO]

Sounds like Weevil.

Haha no at all you can rest assure, first this is WB real son, secondly he is not a ugly giant, he will be part of WB crew during some time, then have his own solo adventure (but still linked somewhat to WB) and it happens around 20 years from current time line, and no ugly Bakkins.

 

[RayanOO]

20 years before current timeline?

Yeah a little bit after Roger death I think.

 

[Uncle Van]

From my experience, character writing becomes much easier if you establish your world first. Its rules, its society, cities/kingdoms, problems, past etc... All characters then must fall within the rules you established.

The opposite could make the world revolve certain characters which leads to plot holes, poor execution and potentially writer's block.

 

[Elder Lee Hung]

Nice ideas

I find the first one more original. So I would read the first one over the second one.

Good thing I’ve already started on the first one and not the second lmfao

Hmm, realistically written, the second story would be a curbstomp (and thus not that interesting). Most AI stories are IMO not handled that well, so I'd probably prefer the fantasy story to sci-fi that breaks my SOD.

The humans would basically get wrecked the entire time. It would be a story about finding a meaningful purpose in life in a universe where all human actions are ultimately futile lol.

 

[RayanOO]

From my experience, character writing becomes much easier if you establish your world first. Its rules, its society, cities/kingdoms, problems, past etc... All characters then must fall within the rules you established.

The opposite could make the world revolve certain characters which leads to plot holes, poor execution and potentially writer's block.

I agree that is why an insert is easier and good to practice at first. When you insert your own character in an already built world/book/fiction etc

 

[Uncle Van]

Character driven stories can work if the characters are sufficiently well developed and interesting. I really liked The Lazy King for example.

Yes but the world still plays a factor. A lot of seinens focus on a select few characters but they still follow the rules or CIRCUMSTANCES established. How is their income? Which part of the world/town do they live in? Is there a gang that controls the area? What kind of people would linger in a crime infested district etc, etc.

There is a Martial Arts seinen called Tiji-Kun, where the MC is a high schooler and his school is near a section of the city dominated by gangs. It's easy to imagine the situations and characters that will arise from a premise like that

 

[Dettles]

So this is something I've been wanting to do for a while now, and I would like some help bouncing ideas. (Fun drinking game take a shot everytime I say dodgeball)
(The World)
So it is almost a "Shonen Battle" parody about Dodge Ball, called DodgeWorld (Name can be Changed).
What I want to do is just go balls to the wall crazy akin to a Yugioh or Beyblade. Where Dodge Ball is literally the most important thing in the World. I want to play it straight, but have it be a little tongue and cheek like actually stating the economy is 90% Dodge Ball related, and having wars with dodge balls instead of guns, and things like that. But I want it to just at times be as crazy as it sounds, so the world's history is intertwined with dodge ball so Pangaea was split by a guy with a Dodge Ball, Moses used a Dodge Ball to split the Red Sea, the World was saved just a meteor by a legendary hero throwing a Dodge Ball, and so on. I think the setting in a mix of fantasy and modern, so there are monsters and vast unexplored continents but there are modern "Normal" cities, technology and businesses.
The Big Thing, is I want to make a good story.
One of the big things is I want your help with the powers. I have a few that I want to use and if you have ideas or suggestions that would be great.
(The Plot)
At the Fifteen the MC (current name Bella Dodger) and her two best friends want to explore the world, to become the best Dodge Ball King. The world is split into the "Normal" world (which is like ours only Alot bigger and has more islands forests and different animals. The "Normal" world is very dangerous with man eating beasts and powerful villains, but for the most part it is very safe. The "Beyond" is much more dangerous (think Gourmet World, the New World, that kind of thing). In order to succeed they will need to form a "team", of young powerful Dodgers (which is the the name of People who use Dodge Balls to battle monsters and fight for good or evil).
(Characters and Powers) (the Good Guys)
Powers in DodgeWorld revolve around Dodge Balls (because Dodge Balls are round and so is the world so unlocking your powers unlocks the world) and combining they with your spirit energy to manifest unique powers.
Bella Dodger: the MC, as a child she was fascinated with the stories of the legendary Heroes who saved humanity and explored the world, one of those explorers were her parents and team of Dodgers and Doctors who went exploring to help mankind. Ten years after they disappeared she wants to follow in their footsteps. (It is generic, but it works. She doesn't necessarily want to find her parents because they are presumed dead and she knows they died doing what they loved, but it is a point that can be brought up and resolved adding a side plot or something) She's Luffy basically, optimistic ready for anything, with a decent IQ and uses strategies and tactics to fight strong opponents or monsters but is also strong herself and can overpower and beat down monsters too.
Her Powers: is "Dodge Beasts", by focusing her Powers she can turn the balls she throws into Spirit Beasts, (at first she can only use three a Dog, and Hawk, and a Bull but she will get more) The Sprit Beast all give their only special abilities to the balls.
(One thing I want to do with this ability is have the Spirit Beasts grow bigger and stronger as she does with them evolving and transforming. And for a bit of Comedy because all the beasts have unique abilities she can summon the same one by with a different colour or fake mustache, that has a completely different ability and it gets treated as a totally different creature.)
(Also Names for characters, I am bad with coming up with names)
Other character : a "Dodge Ball Swordsman" whose only goal is to be the best Dodge Ball Swordsman and forging and Mastering the greatest DodgeSword in the World. But to do so he has to beat the Strongest Dodge Swordsman and take the title.
His Powers: Dodge Blade.
In DodgeWorld their are Dodge Ball Swordsman, who live and die by their own code and Dodgesword. The Dodge Blade is a power that when combined with a sword the blade of the Sword becomes a dodgeball and then "Slashes" his foes with it. (Upgrading the sword and getting stronger are the two easiest ways of improving)
Other Character: a wannabe Yakuza tough, who wants to be the Boss of his own "Family", in order to help the poor kids and people the mafia protects.
His Powers: Ball Fists.
He has Dodge Balls Boxing gloves, so he is a malee fighter that just punches people with the Dodge Balls.
(I want to have maybe a three or four more good guys for the team but these are just a start, if you have any ideas let me know).
The Bad Guys
One thing I want to do with the evil organization is have them grow and change as they go on their own story, have characters leave or be killed, or join throughout the story, and have the Villains grow stronger independently of each other, having some of them even keep pace with are Heroes.
The evil organizations goal is to rule the world with their might.
The Boss: having grown up in a war torn country he in his youth led a group of child against his tyrannical Government, in the process losing all his friends and comrades, after that he travelled the World and led many more revolutions in poor and war torn countries, but after decades of fighting and thousands of lives lost, he resolved to become the ruler of the world, having been corrupted in his ambitions.
Powers: ? ( but powerful)
Top guy: having been born into a "special" Family, he was gifted from birth. His family was not well off nor were they powerful, but for 100 years they had kidnapped thousands of people, for one goal to breed the strongest person, and after a century they succeed. Not only was he born already stronger and faster, he was a prodigy. Despite that he was never satisfied and continously push himself to greater heights.
Powers: doesn't have any, but doesn't need any he is some strong that he can go toe to toe with even anyone, even defeating an entire army with a single Dodge Ball and shattering a mountain with a throw.
(I definitely want more bad guys, at least two more top guys, and at least 12-15 more Dodgers.)
Misc Characters
The Phantom Dodger
And mysterious person who's steals from both the rich and poor, constantly being hunted by everyone they seem to have an interest in our heroes, and has helped them behind the scenes, is one of the few people capable of traveling between the "World's" with relative ease.
There is definitely more I want to do and things I want to explore so if you want to to expand on anything let me know.

 

[Uncle Van]

So this is something I've been wanting to do for a while now, and I would like some help bouncing ideas. (Fun drinking game take a shot everytime I say dodgeball)
(The World)
So it is almost a "Shonen Battle" parody about Dodge Ball, called DodgeWorld (Name can be Changed).
What I want to do is just go balls to the wall crazy akin to a Yugioh or Beyblade. Where Dodge Ball is literally the most important thing in the World. I want to play it straight, but have it be a little tongue and cheek like actually stating the economy is 90% Dodge Ball related, and having wars with dodge balls instead of guns, and things like that. But I want it to just at times be as crazy as it sounds, so the world's history is intertwined with dodge ball so Pangaea was split by a guy with a Dodge Ball, Moses used a Dodge Ball to split the Red Sea, the World was saved just a meteor by a legendary hero throwing a Dodge Ball, and so on. I think the setting in a mix of fantasy and modern, so there are monsters and vast unexplored continents but there are modern "Normal" cities, technology and businesses.
The Big Thing, is I want to make a good story.
One of the big things is I want your help with the powers. I have a few that I want to use and if you have ideas or suggestions that would be great.
(The Plot)
At the Fifteen the MC (current name Bella Dodger) and her two best friends want to explore the world, to become the best Dodge Ball King. The world is split into the "Normal" world (which is like ours only Alot bigger and has more islands forests and different animals. The "Normal" world is very dangerous with man eating beasts and powerful villains, but for the most part it is very safe. The "Beyond" is much more dangerous (think Gourmet World, the New World, that kind of thing). In order to succeed they will need to form a "team", of young powerful Dodgers (which is the the name of People who use Dodge Balls to battle monsters and fight for good or evil).
(Characters and Powers) (the Good Guys)
Powers in DodgeWorld revolve around Dodge Balls (because Dodge Balls are round and so is the world so unlocking your powers unlocks the world) and combining they with your spirit energy to manifest unique powers.
Bella Dodger: the MC, as a child she was fascinated with the stories of the legendary Heroes who saved humanity and explored the world, one of those explorers were her parents and team of Dodgers and Doctors who went exploring to help mankind. Ten years after they disappeared she wants to follow in their footsteps. (It is generic, but it works. She doesn't necessarily want to find her parents because they are presumed dead and she knows they died doing what they loved, but it is a point that can be brought up and resolved adding a side plot or something) She's Luffy basically, optimistic ready for anything, with a decent IQ and uses strategies and tactics to fight strong opponents or monsters but is also strong herself and can overpower and beat down monsters too.
Her Powers: is "Dodge Beasts", by focusing her Powers she can turn the balls she throws into Spirit Beasts, (at first she can only use three a Dog, and Hawk, and a Bull but she will get more) The Sprit Beast all give their only special abilities to the balls.
(One thing I want to do with this ability is have the Spirit Beasts grow bigger and stronger as she does with them evolving and transforming. And for a bit of Comedy because all the beasts have unique abilities she can summon the same one by with a different colour or fake mustache, that has a completely different ability and it gets treated as a totally different creature.)
(Also Names for characters, I am bad with coming up with names)
Other character : a "Dodge Ball Swordsman" whose only goal is to be the best Dodge Ball Swordsman and forging and Mastering the greatest DodgeSword in the World. But to do so he has to beat the Strongest Dodge Swordsman and take the title.
His Powers: Dodge Blade.
In DodgeWorld their are Dodge Ball Swordsman, who live and die by their own code and Dodgesword. The Dodge Blade is a power that when combined with a sword the blade of the Sword becomes a dodgeball and then "Slashes" his foes with it. (Upgrading the sword and getting stronger are the two easiest ways of improving)
Other Character: a wannabe Yakuza tough, who wants to be the Boss of his own "Family", in order to help the poor kids and people the mafia protects.
His Powers: Ball Fists.
He has Dodge Balls Boxing gloves, so he is a malee fighter that just punches people with the Dodge Balls.
(I want to have maybe a three or four more good guys for the team but these are just a start, if you have any ideas let me know).
The Bad Guys
One thing I want to do with the evil organization is have them grow and change as they go on their own story, have characters leave or be killed, or join throughout the story, and have the Villains grow stronger independently of each other, having some of them even keep pace with are Heroes.
The evil organizations goal is to rule the world with their might.
The Boss: having grown up in a war torn country he in his youth led a group of child against his tyrannical Government, in the process losing all his friends and comrades, after that he travelled the World and led many more revolutions in poor and war torn countries, but after decades of fighting and thousands of lives lost, he resolved to become the ruler of the world, having been corrupted in his ambitions.
Powers: ? ( but powerful)
Top guy: having been born into a "special" Family, he was gifted from birth. His family was not well off nor were they powerful, but for 100 years they had kidnapped thousands of people, for one goal to breed the strongest person, and after a century they succeed. Not only was he born already stronger and faster, he was a prodigy. Despite that he was never satisfied and continously push himself to greater heights.
Powers: doesn't have any, but doesn't need any he is some strong that he can go toe to toe with even anyone, even defeating an entire army with a single Dodge Ball and shattering a mountain with a throw.
(I definitely want more bad guys, at least two more top guys, and at least 12-15 more Dodgers.)
Misc Characters
The Phantom Dodger
And mysterious person who's steals from both the rich and poor, constantly being hunted by everyone they seem to have an interest in our heroes, and has helped them behind the scenes, is one of the few people capable of traveling between the "World's" with relative ease.
There is definitely more I want to do and things I want to explore so if you want to to expand on anything let me know.

Man this is probably the most original and potentially most over the top idea I've ever heard of. Absolutely brilliant

There could be a character called Ricochet. By definition, it's when a projectile rebounds off a surface. Pretty appropriate for dodgeball. Hell...."Rebound" can be a ability that anything the user touches becomes bouncy like a dodgeball.

There could also be an abilities the revolves around the "one hit you're out" rule of dodgeball. Sniping? Every hit causes a limb to lose function? Etc..

You could use Kano's cannonball special from Mortal Kombat as a little reference or Easter egg.

 

[Dettles]

Man this is probably the most original and potentially most over the top idea I've ever heard of. Absolutely brilliant

There could be a character called Ricochet. By definition, it's when a projectile rebounds off a surface. Pretty appropriate for dodgeball. Hell...."Rebound" can be a ability that anything the user touches becomes bouncy like a dodgeball.

There could also be an abilities the revolves around the "one hit you're out" rule of dodgeball. Sniping? Every hit causes a limb to lose function? Etc..

You could use Kano's cannonball special from Mortal Kombat as a little reference or Easter egg.

Great Ideas, definitely a ricochet ability that can hit a target that no matter what is great, what about it gaining ground even more power from the Rebounds?

 

[Uncle Van]

Great Ideas, definitely a ricochet ability that can hit a target that no matter what is great, what about it gaining ground even more power from the Rebounds?

Sounds good. The opposite could work as well. The first strike is OP but for every rebound it weakens and loses momentum. Its puts pressure on the fighters to end the fight before it's too late.

There is also spinning and friction. "Scatter shot" could be an attack name of something.

EDIT: Spinning helps deflect things and use the opponents momentum against them.

 

[Dettles]

Shockwave Ball.
The Dodge Ball doesn't even have to hit someone directly, but causes a shock wave that can go through armor, buildings or other objects, and even the ground.
Multi Ball.
The user creates multiple balls that can attack all at once from every angle.

 

[Uncle Van]

Shockwave Ball.
The Dodge Ball doesn't even have to hit someone directly, but causes a shock wave that can go through armor, buildings or other objects, and even the ground.
Multi Ball.
The user creates multiple balls that can attack all at once from every angle.

The first part is pretty much vibration. Makes it very hard to block.

Shock Absorption. The user can absorb and transfer vibration. There's a limit to how much he can stack for balance purposes.

Joke Ability: Diamond Teeth. Because of how often people lose their teeth, a guy can make his teeth as hard as diamond to save on dental bills.

 

[TheAncientCenturion]

From my experience, character writing becomes much easier if you establish your world first. Its rules, its society, cities/kingdoms, problems, past etc... All characters then must fall within the rules you established.

The opposite could make the world revolve certain characters which leads to plot holes, poor execution and potentially writer's block.

Writing in a vacuum is always difficult. Even if you don't expand into your world much, I'd agree with you. The author should know the trends and forces that help shapes the world around your character, that ultimately influences your character daily.

 

[Johnny B. Decent]

Here's a good question for both High & Low Fantasy fans:

1. Do you like non-human races like Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, etc. alongside Humans, or do you like it Human-only?
2. How similar are the cultures of your world to real-life ones? Like, stand-in for Viking Scandinavia, Gaelic Ireland, the Roman Empire, the Far East, etc.