Corona - Writers Forum

Tokugawa Tsunayoshi · 04-29-2007, 08:50 PM

Here's a breakdown of the story:

A top secret branch of the Japanese government creates a sort of "Medical-bomb". When the bomb goes off, it affects ones body in such a way to cure cancers, STD's, and other deseases, without destroying any buildings, etc. They don't tell the government about the new bomb, and launch it into the middle of Japan. The bomb causes devastating effects, causing the japanese inhabitants to go insane (and in some cases grow deformities). One ship was out of port that day (a cruise ship), which was the SS Corona, containing 30 strangers. When the 30 arrive back in Japan, they realize what has happened, and try to find a way off of Japan. Because some people had different opinions as to how to approach the situation, they split up into 4 groups. However, the Igaku Setsuzoku (translating to Medical Union in english, and being the top secret branch of the government that I spoke about before) realize what a horrible mistake they had made. They soon learn that there was a ship out of sea that day, and realize they have to clean up the evidence. They send out groups of 'Exterminators' to get rid of the survivors. The story will include a colorful cast of characters that include a Medical Union researcher who left the organization, and wise African American man, a relative to the leader of the Medical Union, a cold blooded murder who kills some of the people in his group, and a quiet japanese woman who doesn't speak good english.

This story is going to be written into 4 books. Each book describes the journey of one group.

If anyone has any ideas of some peoples back-stories that I can apply to some of my characters, I would definitely appreciate it. I already have the names of everyone, so the back-story is all I need.

Mike · 04-30-2007, 03:41 AM

If you don't know character backstory, I think it's a little premature to plan out a 4-book series. Also, after reading the first, I don't want to read another similar one with practically the same events taking place. I think it might be better to weave all four groups into a story. You can use chapter breaks to shift POV to other groups.
Because these groups are on different 'quests,' you can use this to your advantage when filling in backstory. Surely, 30 people on the same boat may be 'strangers' to us, the readers, but what are they doing on the boat in the first place? They've got to have something in common. To futher this, you can develop some backstory on how the characters are related to each other by past events - you know, like the whole six-degrees-of-seperation. This kind of development will add the right amount of seasoning to your story so that your readers will want to read more.

Maybe one of the people in your 'group' is actually - although not revealed in the beginning - a member of the team that first created the medical bomb? Or maybe someone knows how to cure the people infected yet there's someone who also wants to stop this person (such as the Terminator-like Exterminators).

Destroyer · 04-30-2007, 04:13 AM

Sounds a little like Resident Evil