New book, need opinions - Page 2 - Writers Forum

Nickie · 07-24-2005, 10:05 AM

I totally agree with what is said above. I think you need a more original idea if you want to make it as a writer.

Look at this Russian fellow, who wrote a book titled "Tanya Grotter", about a girl wizzard. His books are banned in Europe (Rowling's doing) and he only sells in Russia (well, the first book did, have not heard anything about him and his books after that).

It's a pity, but Rowling DID come up with a great idea at the right time. For years to come you'd better not write about wizzards (boys or girls).

On the other hand, if you REALLY want to write about wizzards and such, I'd advise you to write your story. Who knows, if you can wait some ten-twenty years, the genre might become popular again. I would not advise someone to do something he/she later on will detest.

Myself, I keep faithful to the genre that I can write best - and which is not popular now, either. I write historical fiction, which was 'en vague' in the '80ties. When I was quering agents and editors, someone told me that the book I was offering would have been a bestseller then. Now it does sell a bit, but I won't get rich on it. But as I said, I love doing these stories and I'm certain that, in the end, the genre will gain popularity once more and then I'll get my chance, right?

Nickie

NSUstud · 07-24-2005, 11:21 PM

I like most of these ideas. I will wait for a few years to take the manuscrpit to a publisher. I also think that I am going to alleviate the wands and go with all actual powers instead of having to use a wand to activate their powers. Thanks for all of the ideas so far. An other opinions and/or ideas will be appreciated.

Kane · 07-25-2005, 01:40 AM

So you're baing the story on Harry Potter, but not. And you think changing little things like whether the characters have to use wands or not will make a difference? Here's an idea: Trash every idea you have right now, because it's obvious it will be a Rowling copy. You want to write a tale about magic, that's fine, but make it original, make it your own. I won't suggest you do everything exactly the opposite of Rowling, but Harry Potter is so famous any story about a girl going to magic school will instantly be compared to Harry Potter. It would be better for you to try to write solely from your own imagination on this, disregarding Rowling completely. To do that, it sounds as if you need to do a lot more reading. You need to break up the Harry Potter idea in your head, because frankly, even if you try to disregard Rowling, if Harry Potter is all you have in your head of magic, you will find that your own story will mimic it a lot. You need to start reading, reading and reading until the need to write your own story is bursting out of your chest. And if you have to come on a website to get ideas for what you should write about, you are not at that point yet. Stephen King would say that, if you want to be a writer, you need to read constantly. Ditch the TV, forget about the computer, put away the toys. You need read butt-loads of books from all genres to develop an eye for good writing and bad. Then go write a story.

Talia_Brie · 07-25-2005, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kane

So you're baing the story on Harry Potter, but not. And you think changing little things like whether the characters have to use wands or not will make a difference? Here's an idea: Trash every idea you have right now, because it's obvious it will be a Rowling copy. You want to write a tale about magic, that's fine, but make it original, make it your own. I won't suggest you do everything exactly the opposite of Rowling, but Harry Potter is so famous any story about a girl going to magic school will instantly be compared to Harry Potter. It would be better for you to try to write solely from your own imagination on this, disregarding Rowling completely. To do that, it sounds as if you need to do a lot more reading. You need to break up the Harry Potter idea in your head, because frankly, even if you try to disregard Rowling, if Harry Potter is all you have in your head of magic, you will find that your own story will mimic it a lot. You need to start reading, reading and reading until the need to write your own story is bursting out of your chest. And if you have to come on a website to get ideas for what you should write about, you are not at that point yet. Stephen King would say that, if you want to be a writer, you need to read constantly. Ditch the TV, forget about the computer, put away the toys. You need read butt-loads of books from all genres to develop an eye for good writing and bad. Then go write a story.

I second every single point here.

Your Miss HP story is going nowhere. Accept that several experienced writers have said so, and move on.

mammamaia · 07-25-2005, 08:20 AM

why not have your heroine use shamanic powers based on indigenous people's beliefs, instead of the tired old standard wizard stuff?...

her parents could be archeologists who raised her on digs in central and south america, or the american sw with the hopi and/or with the aborigines of the australian outback...

any or all of the above could have provided her with 'natural' powers, if she was 'receptive' to them for some reason... a refreshing change from hp, i'd think...

she could be a totally 'good' force, using her powers in non-violent ways to counteract violence wherever she comes across it...

if you want any help along those lines, i've studied much of that sort of thing, have even lived with the hopi, and would love to help you challenge the ever more violent hp glut...

love and hugs, maia
maia3maia@hotmail.com

journyman161 · 07-25-2005, 08:31 AM

maia, a point to consider. (& others) I realise you are using 'abos' as an abbreviation, but please use the period to make it clear. Using abos without it is an epithet to the people involved that is at least as sensitive as the N word.

NSUstud · 07-25-2005, 09:14 PM

Thank you a bunch maia. That is an extremely good idea. I think I'll take that idea and see what I can get.

mammamaia · 07-26-2005, 10:44 AM

sorry 'bout that, jman... i didn't realize it was a racial slur... will go back and spell out 'aborigines' to be sure no offense will be taken...

btw, have you seen the nifty commercial with a couple of such folk sitting around playing classical piano and conversing over a bottle of fine wine about something intellectual?...

one of the couple i've seen so far has an advertising yoho saying something about 'cave men' and the two guys say something brilliantly suitable to put the ad jerk in his place... they're on cbc and other stations here in canada... hope they're not offensive, 'cause i thought they were a great way to show that people's perception of indigenous people is so stupidly skewed...

nsustud... you're welcome... glad it helped...

love and hugs to all, m

kintaris · 07-26-2005, 03:31 PM

i'm trying to write something involving magic & schools, and here's how i've approached it (just a basic idea):

The school is like any other school, teaching regular academic subjects. The main character, however, gets thoroughly irritated when his friends in older years suddenly refuse to talk about their lessons. As he reaches the end of year 11, the main character realises that every single person who goes to this school is born with the Gift - although neither they nor their parents know of it. Fate brings them to the school, and teachers decide that magic taught too young could be dangerous, but not as much as untrained magic spreading around the younger years, so the older years are sworn to secrecy. (This explains the strange rules that teachers of the younger years sometimes dole out, such as 'Make sure you don't flick your wrist as you put your hand up to answer the question, only just had the ceiling repaired') The point of the Gift is that it has been prophesised that blah blah blah blah (haven't come up with that yet) and it is necessary to train those with the Gift more productively than the traditional method of teaching in secret covens of two or three.

The magic itself? Summoning - of heavenly creatures, of demons, and of summoning objects to the summoner and summoning yourself to other places. You'll find that you can achieve all the different outcomes of the HP spells without plagiarising (or having to come up with ridiculous sounding spells)

Anyway, thats my basic idea, and it allows for different avenues from HP - for example, i could focus more on the main characters stubborn disbelief that any of it is real, or his indignation at the 'mass production' of summoners for some prophesised war that they don't know about.

so you've still got schools, teenagers and magic...and its not too similar to HP (while it would still appeal to similar markets)

hope this gives an idea of what I mean.

kin

mammamaia · 07-26-2005, 04:01 PM

are you asking for an opinion, or advice?

playstation60 · 07-26-2005, 05:53 PM

The problem that I see most associated with fan fiction is the possibility of just spitting out the same thing as the original. That's why it is advisable after you've seen something that really inspired you to start things, but wait a week or two, to make sure the idea is still genuine, and not a rip off of something else *at least that's how I remember the rule of thumb*.

As stated before the other obvious problem is that the original author is not connected in what happens, which can offend the author deeply. Often times authors invest a large amount of themselves in the characters, if not just for the effort it takes one to complete a story, and by "allowing" someone else the privilage to play within their universe, with their characters is something requiring deep trust that the characters will be still performing true to the form molded by the author. Something of which a lot of people shy away from because of the sick and misguided that live in this world with us, that would use their creations for their own twisted enjoyment.

I, personally, stay away from fan fiction, and stay within the realms of what I myself create. I feel that I owe it to the original authors to let their characters live within the environments created by them, experiencing the events given to them...and that I am creative enough to create something of my own, totally original.

Kira the wanderer · 08-08-2005, 03:35 PM

Hmm.. yeah. I wouldn't do this. Its way too cliche. I mean, even the Harry Potter books themselves have made their own series cliche.

Having magic is one thing but having a magical universe like Harry Potter, and having a main charcter who is, as I call it, "super-oh-my-god-powerful" or has parents who are like Harry Potter seems uncreative.

I can see if Harry Potter inspired you to do something but really just wanting to write something for the sake of it because its Harry Potter show no originality at all. If you don't have a story line in mind then don't write. From what you've said in the first post you don't even have a character stable yet.

Don't do it if you have nothing to go on. Asking other people who have ideas they can use for this and taking them isn't really writing. You have to write with your ideas, not taking other people's ideas and fitting them into a story because you can't come up with anything. That's just using other people to do the hard and fun part of creating a story.