Need some help

Your own tale of two mecha.
Locked
Dave
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 8:46 pm

Need some help

I have an idea for a fanfict,but I am having some issue's. I have a basic plot but, I have no real substance.


Here is the basic plot.

The Republic of Nord is a communistic nation in the northern hemisphere. It has recently declared war on a country to the south called Osmerria. Meanwhile a mercenary by the name of Rodger Darnell decides to help out the Osmerrians by randomly attacking Nordian targets by himself. One issue, Darnell is the electe president of the Nation of West Pasco.


Now I have a start for this,but I need some filler. Do you think you can helpout?
Last edited by Dave on Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
あなたの父親と母親elderberriesハムスターのにおいがした.
User avatar
ShadowCell
Moderator
Posts: 4716
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:59 pm
Location: California
Contact:

As a rule, we're not fond of threads that just consist of "ideas" with no story to prove them, but I suppose I can let it slide if your intent is to ask for help. However, I do expect you to post something more concrete.

Now what do you mean by "filler"?
Dave
Posts: 118
Joined: Fri Oct 19, 2007 8:46 pm

ShadowCell wrote: Now what do you mean by "filler"?
I have a beginning and an end but no middle. I need help with the middle.
あなたの父親と母親elderberriesハムスターのにおいがした.
User avatar
ShadowCell
Moderator
Posts: 4716
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:59 pm
Location: California
Contact:

The middle isn't "filler," then, it's an integral part of the story over which you develop the character and the plot. The middle should take you from the beginning to the end. It sounds like what you need isn't "filler" but a third of your story.

What specifically about the body of the story do you need help with?
User avatar
Seraphic
Posts: 1434
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 1:56 am
Location: Inside the barrel of Wing Zero's left Buster Rifle.

ShadowCell wrote:As a rule, we're not fond of threads that just consist of "ideas" with no story to prove them, but I suppose I can let it slide if your intent is to ask for help. However, I do expect you to post something more concrete.

Now what do you mean by "filler"?
Lord of Darkness, I'm thinking it would be better to be more welcoming or inviting to people, especially if they're asking for help. I'm not even sure why I'm saying this though, since I'm pretty much in agreement with you. I know you like to keep the place nice and tidy (and yes, I'm very glad to see how organized everything is) but I think discussion and help with writing can be very beneficial. But anyways....

Dave,

It looks like you've done all the easy parts already. (And left us with the hard part!) You've got an idea but not so much a literal story yet. Beginnings come with ideas, conclusions come with passion or excitement for the end, but the middle is where writers are really tested. This is actually the largest and probably most important part of your story. You're being a bit hasty. An author has to work towards the resolution!

If you're asking for help on this part, then I'll have to say that we don't know nearly enough about your ideas in order to help you. And it'll be a little weird to be doing it through the thread since the Mechatalk posters will essentially be troubleshooting your story and then will get to read it afterwards (if you are indeed going to put the entire thing up here). Kind of a spoiler....

I think we're going to need to specifically ask how everything begins and ends so that we may know what can make sense for how these events lead to each other. What characters do you have? What are their motivations? Just...try not to post a bunch of character bios or something. Those aren't very helpful.

My personal recommendation is, if you're good enough, you might be able to shorten the middle portion enough to the point that it will go by quickly, and you can begin your conclusion. Of course, the ability to do this depends on what your beginning and end is like, and also hinges on your ability to make a story very short but still rational.
"Red particles are bad, they mutate you into... dead? But green/blue particles are good, apparently, for reasons and for purposes yet to be determined. Isn't science sometimes nicely color-coded?"
-Antares

GW: The Sword . Sera's Art . Gameplay . The Lost Citadel
User avatar
ShadowCell
Moderator
Posts: 4716
Joined: Sun Mar 05, 2006 12:59 pm
Location: California
Contact:

Seraphic wrote:
ShadowCell wrote:As a rule, we're not fond of threads that just consist of "ideas" with no story to prove them, but I suppose I can let it slide if your intent is to ask for help. However, I do expect you to post something more concrete.

Now what do you mean by "filler"?
Lord of Darkness, I'm thinking it would be better to be more welcoming or inviting to people, especially if they're asking for help. I'm not even sure why I'm saying this though, since I'm pretty much in agreement with you. I know you like to keep the place nice and tidy (and yes, I'm very glad to see how organized everything is) but I think discussion and help with writing can be very beneficial. But anyways....
I make a habit of pointing that out because just about every fanfiction section on just about every forum that has one is clogged with threads that consist of just "ideas," and then inertia sets in and nobody wants to continue them and all you have are orphaned "ideas" floating around. It's kind of sad to see all these ideas, some of which are pretty good, just collapse by the wayside and starve, not necessarily for want of talent or skill, but for want of the wherewithal to go anywhere with them. What I'm looking for is effort.
Charismatic Enigma
Posts: 248
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:07 pm
Location: Somewhere in Kansas

Have you tried looking to things that you would like to see/read concerning this story? I heard that's what Lucas did when he wrote Star Wars.

That's what I do whenever I try writing (I hope to become a published author someday), I try to think of something I'd like to read and make up my own original plot around that subject.
"Aaahh!"-The last words of many a mobile suit pilot.
User avatar
Heretic
Posts: 644
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:38 pm
Location: Behind the Sofa to escape from the Daleks.

I’ve never had this problem myself, I have a head for narrative and the words just flow when I’m in the zone. But enough about me.

My suggestion would be to start off with some world building, give a history to the principle nations, major cities, cultural subtleties, not all of it has to be used and it doesn’t have to be set in stone, but it saves you from having the make the world up as you go and really pays off for the reader because it makes the fictional world seem more real.

Once you have this foundation, its easer to build on, because now you have a world that contributes to how your characters came to be and perhaps why they act the way they do. Something that can result out of this is that the story picks up its own momentum, moving towards the conclusion under its own power. You as the author can guide it where you want. Think of it in organic terms, the ground work and world building become the bones that hold everything up, the “Filler” as you call it is the muscle that drives it and you are the brain that controls it.

Just a suggestion anyway. Some self exploration to find your own way of thinking about writing could be helpful as well.
Everything I know about rock music, I learned from K-ON!!
User avatar
Big B
Posts: 328
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2007 1:27 pm
Location: Heaven's Pillar
Contact:

Write out some plot lines, that, even if you don't use them, will help get the creative juices flowing. It gives you focal points to work with while you move from point A to point B.

It's not filler. You don't want your work to be the written equivalent of a clip show, and that's what filler is.

For a story to be engaging and entertaining, you need details. There's nothing wrong with the cool factor. We like big robots here, so we're happy to see them. At the same time, while that may seem like the focus, outside of the likes of Transformers, focus on the machine will become droll in rapid fashion. The characters, major and minor are crucial to people giving a damn about your story.
If you have trouble making up names, you can pick up a baby name book and/or Google baby names. For added flavor, check out various cultural names.

Have fun creating the various characters and the environment. If you don't, it's going to be a drag. In that case, you're writing will suffer.
Write down your character's profiles. It may not be much to start with, but it will give you some help in remembering who's who and what direction you're taking them.
Charismatic Enigma
Posts: 248
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2006 5:07 pm
Location: Somewhere in Kansas

That's a very prime idea, and how knows, what ideas may not initially work can work elsewhere.

Nice avatar by the way, B Big.
"Aaahh!"-The last words of many a mobile suit pilot.
Imperial
Posts: 1017
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:52 pm
Location: Athens, GA
Contact:

One wonders how Darnell has the time to go and fight in a war that has nothing to do with him when he's supposed to be busy running his country. It would be one thing if he were perhaps king, usually hereditary title, and is shirking his repsonsibilities. But being democratically elected implied he put a lot of time and effort into obtaining that position, so it strikes me as odd to see him fighting as a guerilla.

Then there's the notion of helping a war effort by "randomly attacking" enemy fortifications. Such reckless stupidity is bound to get anyone killed. Wars are won by numbers, firepower, and tactis rather than heroism or dumb luck.

You obviously need to put this bun back in the oven and let it cook for a little while longer. Then you might find your "filler" instead of asking someone to spoon feed it to you.
This space for rent
Locked