Thread: 2 Similar Ideas...But Which One?

here are my 2 ideas, they are very similar and i should pick 1

1. This follows a half-angel\half-demon teenager who is vied for by several powers as he fights the demons and angels within himself. This world is kinda post-apocalyptic, with a modern day version of technology. People live in cities led usually by demon hunting orders. He stays in an Exorcist Academy so that he can be well protected.
the pros: It's a pretty cool idea to me. I like the idea of the post-apocalyptic world, and the first 12,000 words are done.
the cons: I feel like i'm writing something for Harry Potter. He goes to an Exorcist Academy (supposed to be modeled after a military academy)
But it feels like it's Harry potter. Demon defense call (dark arts defense), incantations (spells) and etc.

2. This follows a guy who has lost his memory. He must regain his memory and realize what supernatural being that he is (i'm debating half-angel/half-demon or just an angel for this one). This world has a bigger variety of mythical creatures, rather beings that are very similiar to them, with a more modern twist. Famous angels, creatures and demons have altered names different personalities-- but will not be presented as their real world form. (an example-- Raphael becomes an arrogant angel named Raffaele [italian]) Gods of most religions don't exist since it really becomes an issue (a few exceptions lye in Norse myth since some are pretty cool). It is in the modern world. It will take part in many books, mostly to discover and see through many cultures. These creatures appeared during the Renaissance and a major mystery through the entire story is to see the origin of this all and where the main characters fit in this mess.
the pros: This seems fresh. It has alot of room for creativity within the world itself.
the cons: Amnesiac stories can be tricky, as well as making all the mythical creatures and beings not sound stupid.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

The two ideas sound pretty good. They both honestly sound Harry Potterish but that's not necessarily a bad thing. You make it your own. But the main point I have to address is that as I read both, I thought:

"Why not incorporate both into one story?"

How about having a teenager lose his memory and regains it be attending the Academy. Maybe someone tried to kill him because he was the only half breed and a threat to the order. But he didn't die. He doesn't know if he's an angel or demon and slowly he regains his memory as he attends the Academy. He realizes what supernatural being he is and in doing so, fights the demons and angels within himself. He's conflicted because he's a half breed. But it also makes him one of a kind. The world is post-apocalyptic etc. Add the rest from 1-2.

Or something to that effect. Just throwing it out there.

The first one is harry potter-ish. The second one...I guess that's from watching too much sci fi and anime. I've seen that the plot becomes too busy. In reality, the first one actually did not have anything supernatural until i decided i wanted to incorporate that idea from the first one. Point is, my story begins to sound like harry potter had amnesia, and i'm not willing to go that road mostly because i like to make it original. To clarify, the world of the second is not teeming with mythical beasts. There's usually only a few, and they originate from the first appearance of the creatures during the renaissance period. The things that are most abundant are parasitic creatures that are just referred to as demons.

There are a lot of similarities in the characters featured in both, so i'm trying to just pick one.

Can't say which is better - at the end of the day, ideas are only as good as you make them. Though, don't dismiss a concept just because it kinda sorta reminds you of some other popular story. Popular stories get popular for a reason.

Heck, one of my favourite projects is about a kid with magic powers who attends a boarding school for magicians. (Way more anime/JRPG inspired then HP, granted, but try getting that across in the pitch to a publisher.) At least yours has a post-apocalyptic setting. Have some confience in your ideas; there no shame in writing post-apocalyptic Harry Potter. XD

I think you should go with where you think you have the most creative "room". If every thought makes you compare it to an existing piece of work, you may be influenced in ways you aren't always conscious of. However, as Anders pointed out, if you are going for the most commercial success, straying to similar lines as existing works may not be such a bad idea.

Ok so here's what my final idea looks like...tell me if it's good or not...

It takes place in a world like ours, but there have been supernatural beings that have basically infested the place. They arrived in the 1600s, only around Mesopotamia and Europe (it'll be explained why later). They were called angels for their great powers and grace-- they said they came from paradise, but had to escape when a terror came upon them. But what followed them was pretty gruesome, that terror was the demons. They were parasitic beings (which they thought was possession) and so they were called demons. Even the angels had very human-like figures and did a little work to make themselves look completely like humans-- many of them took quite a liking to looking like the perfect renaissance statues. The demons were shapeshifters basically. The main character is the child of a demon and an angel. The demons had managed to drive man out of most the world, and killed most of the humans. But they were still strong in many cities that they had managed to defend. There were several orders and demon hunting groups that developed, the most prominent of which was the original of them all-- the Exorcist Guild. They held Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Paris (and a bunch of cities to link 'em together). The main character is the product of a demon and an angel. There had been half-demon/half-humans before since the demons were more parasitic in nature. But an angel being in the mix was unheard of. He was born in Jerusalem under the exorcist Guild and both his parents were part of the leadership of the guild. But when they had died (under mysterious circumstances), he was imprisoned, under the pressure of the other orders who feared the havoc the boy could unleash. When he grows up, the new Guild Leader, who has a heart of the kid, puts him secretly into the exorcist Academy in an attempt to have him learn to control the conflict within himself.

Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your ideas. Write whatever one lights a fire under your ass.

I'm not feeling the final idea. I like your original ones better. But hey, that's just my opinion. JohnMG is right. Whatever gets you writing, go for it.

Originally Posted by johnMG

Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of your ideas.

Actually, I think it totally does.

Don't get we wrong, we totally should write what we want to write and not what other people tells us to write. But if I have an idea and someone doesn't like it, I'm damn well going to want to know why. As long as we write for other people, the opinions of other people will matter.

Originally Posted by S1E9A8N5

I'm not feeling the final idea. I like your original ones better. But hey, that's just my opinion. JohnMG is right. Whatever gets you writing, go for it.

The thing about the guild was in my original idea. The origin of angels and demons...i didn't want to get into, but i liked this one.

So:

It follows a guy who is half-angel, half-demon. He has been imprisoned (though comfortably), until a new leader for the exorcist guild has decided to put him into training as an exorcist so that he can learn to control his demons...and angels (hehe).

I think your latest mash-up has possibilities. Any chance that this half-breed might help re-establish humankind, give them a fighting chance to overcome the demons?