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Posted By: Wilz Feb 29, 2004 - 01:18 am

My story idea. Set way into the future in an alternative earth, there are a vast range of civilizations. The first being the great superpower with great technology, the second being a poorer society with little technology, they are farmers, fishermen etc. There are many others but I'm concentrating on these first. One day a farmer returns home to fidn everything destroyed. His family dead and his crops burnt. At first he believes this is a terrible crime so he goes to his local town to report it, but finds this destroyed.

Now this is where I'm stuck. I have lots of ideas, but no idea how to reach them.

Somehow he discovers that this is an alien invasion of earth, and he needs to reach the first civilization to give them the news of the attack. On his travels he meets up with a younger girl.

When he reaches the city, he isn't believed and he is thrown out. But then, he is picked up by a secret society which has secretly been preventing similar invasions for the past 100 years. He then teams up with a series of unlikely superheros to defeat these aliens.

Now here's where the problems come in. I don't know how he will discover that this is an alien attack, I don't know who the 'unlikely' superheros will be, and I don't know how he will stop the aliens. If anyone has any solutions to this problem please post them here and they will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Posted By: Bmat Feb 29, 2004 - 04:36 am

Maybe he could be noticing an unusual phenomenon and be talking about it with a friend over drinks. They could discuss reasons for the phenomenon- global warming, flouride in the water... whatever, and as a joke he could toss out "alien invasion." They would both laugh, or the other person could say "Yeah- that would also explain (phenomenon 2). and they would laugh some more. But later on, maybe just as the person is falling asleep, he will realize that yes, alien invasion could explain it, and the second point, and a third point. He goes over it in his mind, and realizes that the only explanation for all of these things together is... alien invasion. Then he observes more carefully and sees proof that would be missed if you weren't looking for it.

Posted By: Neurolanis Feb 29, 2004 - 04:01 pm

I don't understand; is this is a comedy or what? Either way an intimate connection to the aliens is needed. Maybe he used to be one, is somehow spiritually linked to one...or something.

Posted By: Wilz Mar 01, 2004 - 07:41 am

its not a comedy... I don't know why everyone assumes that... he is a simple farmer, he is not an alien, that all comes later, I just need some helpful advice... but its not a comedy, and what makes it seem like one?

Posted By: Aldan Mar 01, 2004 - 10:24 am

I don't think that THAT was what Bmat was driving at...
Even though it would have something funny in it doesn't make it a comedy. I mean, does that make anyone who tells a joke a comedian? No?
Using comedy to introduce a serious plotline is actually a very effective tool, because it helps the characters run through the gamut of emotions, from cheer to curiosity to terror, and THAT helps the reader to connect more closely with the characters.
Now, as for what NEURO thinks, well, that is a question for the sages.

Posted By: Bmat Mar 01, 2004 - 10:28 am

It didn't occur to me that it might be a comedy.

Posted By: Wilz Mar 01, 2004 - 11:37 am

I know... it wasnt Bmat who was getting at that... but nice points... thanks

Posted By: thegreentick Mar 01, 2004 - 03:00 pm

To be honest, I don't really like the storyline so far because it is faaaaar too cliche.

"Low born hero finds everything destroyed and sets out with a group of friends to save the world."

It's been done too many times.

Posted By: Aldan Mar 01, 2004 - 03:21 pm

"It's been done too many times."
As has almost any fantasy story plot ever devised.
Good to hear from you again, greenie! I was wondering what rock you'd crawled under.

Posted By: Ariette Mar 02, 2004 - 04:48 am

well, I don't think it's cliche.

I just don't like the alien idea. I think aliens are far to overused. However, I am not fully awake right now so I can't offer up any suggestions either.

My advice: do what feels right for your story. If you don't like it, shred it.

Posted By: Wilz Mar 02, 2004 - 07:59 am

well please... I would like some ideas/feedback, instead of aliens what could they be?

Posted By: Aldan Mar 02, 2004 - 09:51 am

One thing that I think you could use is a hyper-intelligent dog character who can talk. This character, though, will start out APPEARING to just be a dawg (y'know, scratching, sniffing, pissing on fire hydrants) and will be the one who actually is the focus of events, as will slowly become evident. And, as it DOES become more evident that he's the focus, his intelligence will also become more evident, until he actually DOES speak to the less than stellarly intelligent human who thinks he's the dog's master.

Posted By: Spiderkeg Mar 02, 2004 - 10:35 am

Aliens are over done? I had no idea.

In my story two groups of alien species find themselves stranted on an unexplored, but not desolate, planet... with humans (or humanoid beings) being the primary lifeform. The humans pair off, looking up to either group of alien species as Gods. The problem being is that these gods have been at war with each other for centuries and since they are now stuck on this planet, but the begin using their new human discipls to continue the war as human weapons.

There's a lot more involved granted, but that's one aspect to the story revolving around the "Gods" as they become to be known.

Is this cliché thus far? I'm aware of the similarities to "Stargate" but I assure you there is a vast difference.

Posted By: Aslan Mar 04, 2004 - 01:51 pm

If there's an organization preventing these attacks, it's likely that they'll appear at the farm death scene. Since it's secret, they'll probably take off, but it would be a nifty clue that perhaps would lead the protagonist to find them later.

Does this secret organization also want to keep the aliens' existance a secret? Does the government? Perhaps the protag could stumble across a cleanup crew. That would tip him that there are aliens involved.

As far as unlikely superheroes, it should probably be people close to the protagonist. That allows for fleshing out of the character. Like maybe his AA group?

I don't have any ideas about how to stop the aliens. Depends on what kind of aliens you've got. Are they humanoid? Balls of energy? Vegetables? Robots? Textbooks?

That's all I got.

Posted By: Talon_Sinnah Mar 08, 2004 - 11:11 am

Beings from another deminsion. Bent on enslaving our's. Have their diminsion a desolate one and they are interested in ours because there is no water int theirs. Than add a Jet Li THE ONE twist were everyone has a twin and the envaders infiltrate and kidnap there twins to lure more into a trap. Or vice versus, the heroes infiltrate to save their comrades.