Enter the frustrated writer.

[allisnow]

Since no one is online right now to keep me company/distracted/procrastinating, I'm going to yammer on with no particular direction. It's your own damn fault, people. You have no one to blame but yourselves.

Some of you might have noticed that I haven't been writing much any fanfic lately. Part of the reason is that with SGA on hiatus the muses have had lockjaw. The other part of the reason is that I've been toying with an origific idea for... well... almost a year now, scarily enough, and I don't want to lose the flow of that story by going back to fanfiction. I think that's a pretty good excuse. Unfortunately, it still hasn't been very flowy.

I've come up with the names of my main characters, and more than a few of the supporting cast, and a bit of their history as it pertains to the story. I have set up the opening scenes and how the main characters come together. I have my eye on the ship aspect -- naturally.

Unfortunately, what I still don't know is what this story is actually about. I mean, okay, it's about a sort of backwater culture that has to fight off a more technologically advanced culture because the latter thinks the former has taken over their 'holy land'. Fortunately for the backwater culture (I imagine them as around turn-of-the-20th century) they weren't always so backwater, and also a soldier for the advanced culture has sort of defected to their side.

But that doesn't satisfy me. I want to know what the climactic scene of the story is going to be; of my four protagonists, who will it come down to? Even with what they learn about their ancestors, how does the less advanced culture even put up a fight if the more advanced culture really wants to beat the crap out of them? Is the antagonist really the source of the turmoil or is she just being used by others? Is this story fantasy or science fiction, or both? What is the overarching theme?

I know, as the (potential) author, I'm supposed to be the one answering these questions. But I don't know!

I think I would like to punch someone now. Or at least bounce something off their heads.

*Glower*

Comments

[sjhw-tolerance.livejournal.com]

Okay, so remind me again? How will we know you're *not* writing?

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

*narrows eyes*

I Feel Your Pain... or is that mine?

[bellajennza.livejournal.com]

Not offering my head as bounce practice, but there are some considerations your thumbnail dredged out of my poor fron.
Why is the land holy? Could that be some part of the less advanced culture's advantage? Traditionally, the science-y culture would win in SF with the less advanced but maybe more mystical/magical winning in fantasy. Who do you want to win and why? Why did the 'less advanced' culture regress? (For an amateur's take, try "Way of the Wolf" by Pa Burke on Twisting the Hellmouth)
Also, there are techniques and traditions and values embraced by insurgents and guerillas from the Revolutionary War to current events that give them an advantage over more advanced forces. Are you thinking of your story as a parable or reflection on the US vs the Axes of Yadda3? If not, or okay, even if so, you might need to come up with a way to distinguish between current events and your story.
Turmoil can be focused around your antagonist, but everyone brings their own issues to the most clearly divided of battlegrounds. People in positions of power become symbols for the rest of us to project our own values and frustrations onto - couldn't she be the primary mover of the turmoil and still used by others?
I don't worry much about themes and style as much as heart. I love "The Accidental Goddess" by Linnea Sinclair because she really puts a piece of her heart in her book - it has some of the cultural divide/science vs mysticism issues that you might have - but it's a scifi romance and the theme as far as I can tell is ... well, I hated themes when I had to come up with them and I can't put it concisely into words. But the main internal conflict for the primary character is between duty to calling and duty to self. That's theme-y, right? ;-) Another society in conflict scifi book I loved and still re-read regularly is "Heart of Gold" by Sharon Shinn. Hers is more patriarchy vs matriarchy and urban v rural, but the main thought I walked away with is that neither side lives up to its potential as fully as it could. The individual of any given society can make it work or tear it apart as far as their immediate world, and sometimes the most loyal, disinterested of people can become patriots for causes they never saw coming. Plus, Nolan Adelpho *is* early Daniel Jackson. Except he's a scientist, so maybe early Saniel Jackarter. And he grows to feel a bit out of place in his own culture, so I'd work in Teal'c's name, too, if I didn't have to be at work in, oh, seven hours!
Sorry, just had a frustrating day thinking of my own fic endeavours and couldn't leave without unloading on yours!

Re: I Feel Your Pain... or is that mine?

[allisnow.livejournal.com]

lol, unload away, and thanks for the thoughts!