I'm writing a sort of sci-fi/fantasy/drama/adventure series. It takes place on another world. There are 4 POV characters in the series. The first 3 are introduced at the very beginning and the fourth one, who is actually the primary main character in the series, is introduced in the middle of the first book. There are probably going to be 3 books.
I don't want to give the actual names, so we'll just use the names Alex, Bree, and Connor for this thread. None of them know each other before the beginning. They all meet in the story.
I should explain that none of the main characters are quite human. They are a different race that we will call 'Race X' for now. They don't look different than humans. The only difference is that Race X is more like a race of superhumans who are stronger, tougher, and faster. They also have senses that we do not have. For example, they can sense when another of their race is near. They can also distinguish individuals if they know them (it has nothing to do with the individual's smell). In the story, one of the main characters is trying to find his friend, who is being held captive about 100 miles away, but he can still sense where he might be (the general direction). It's a bit like how the Jedi from Star Wars can sense where other Jedi might be.
Moving on...
I'm having trouble because it seems like if I want things to connect...it requires coincidences that might be a bit far fetched.
As an example, we'll take the beginning of the book.
First we introduce Alex. He finds out that his uncle has died and had mentioned him in his will. He inherits money and a book. He meets his uncle's mysterious friend who thinks his uncle may have been murdered by someone looking for that book.
Meanwhile, Bree is working late at a museum when she meets Connor. They talk about some of the artifacts in the museum, and then Connor points out that the glass is broken and she realizes that a painting was stolen.
Connor ends up catching the culprit later in the book. It turns out that he was also the one who had killed Alex's uncle.
So, the events are connected because the culprit wanted the painting and the book.
Now I still need to figure out a way that they all meet. I think it would be too much of a coincidence if they all happened to meet seperately. Connor and Bree have met, so one of them has to meet Alex and introduce him to the other.
I don't think it'd be realistic if they all met seperatey. I know that if you live in the same general area (same large town in this case) mutual friends are bound to come up. It might not be too far fetched for Connor and Bree to both meet Alex seperately and then find out later that they both know him, but since Bree and Alex have already been "connected" by the robber/murder...I think it would be too much of a coincidence. You know what I mean?
They are also all connected because they are all the same race (Race X). The fact that they can sense when another of their kind is near could actually help me here...but I think it should have something to do with the events. The museum has many artifacts related to the ancient Race X culture...which is why Bree works there, and the book involves Race X mythology, which is why Alex's uncle had it (since he was also Race X). So, the robber/murdered was after these things because they were connected.
So I guess my question is how can I avoid coincidences. How much of a coincidence is too much of a coincidence? I know it's different for everyone...but for me there were too many coincidences in the first season of Heroes. All these people who happen to be supers just happen to all meet up in the last episode. What are the odds?
And that's really the same problem I have here. How do all 4 of these people meet up without it being a coincidence?
I don't want to give the actual names, so we'll just use the names Alex, Bree, and Connor for this thread. None of them know each other before the beginning. They all meet in the story.
I should explain that none of the main characters are quite human. They are a different race that we will call 'Race X' for now. They don't look different than humans. The only difference is that Race X is more like a race of superhumans who are stronger, tougher, and faster. They also have senses that we do not have. For example, they can sense when another of their race is near. They can also distinguish individuals if they know them (it has nothing to do with the individual's smell). In the story, one of the main characters is trying to find his friend, who is being held captive about 100 miles away, but he can still sense where he might be (the general direction). It's a bit like how the Jedi from Star Wars can sense where other Jedi might be.
Moving on...
I'm having trouble because it seems like if I want things to connect...it requires coincidences that might be a bit far fetched.
As an example, we'll take the beginning of the book.
First we introduce Alex. He finds out that his uncle has died and had mentioned him in his will. He inherits money and a book. He meets his uncle's mysterious friend who thinks his uncle may have been murdered by someone looking for that book.
Meanwhile, Bree is working late at a museum when she meets Connor. They talk about some of the artifacts in the museum, and then Connor points out that the glass is broken and she realizes that a painting was stolen.
Connor ends up catching the culprit later in the book. It turns out that he was also the one who had killed Alex's uncle.
So, the events are connected because the culprit wanted the painting and the book.
Now I still need to figure out a way that they all meet. I think it would be too much of a coincidence if they all happened to meet seperately. Connor and Bree have met, so one of them has to meet Alex and introduce him to the other.
I don't think it'd be realistic if they all met seperatey. I know that if you live in the same general area (same large town in this case) mutual friends are bound to come up. It might not be too far fetched for Connor and Bree to both meet Alex seperately and then find out later that they both know him, but since Bree and Alex have already been "connected" by the robber/murder...I think it would be too much of a coincidence. You know what I mean?
They are also all connected because they are all the same race (Race X). The fact that they can sense when another of their kind is near could actually help me here...but I think it should have something to do with the events. The museum has many artifacts related to the ancient Race X culture...which is why Bree works there, and the book involves Race X mythology, which is why Alex's uncle had it (since he was also Race X). So, the robber/murdered was after these things because they were connected.
So I guess my question is how can I avoid coincidences. How much of a coincidence is too much of a coincidence? I know it's different for everyone...but for me there were too many coincidences in the first season of Heroes. All these people who happen to be supers just happen to all meet up in the last episode. What are the odds?
And that's really the same problem I have here. How do all 4 of these people meet up without it being a coincidence?
