Does This Sound Like A Good Idea?

Newyorkknicks07 · Apr 19, 2010

I heard this song called "She Talks To Angels" by The Black Crowes(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a76FeV2-Dw) (it's worth a listen trust me). Now i'm considering writing a novel based on it. It's about a woman who becomes a crack addict, has a child, and loses him.

I obviously plan to add more depth and subplots then this, and of course, and ending, but i'm wondering if it would make a good novel. I guess there's only one way to find out for sure, but i would still like opinions.

Baryonyx · Apr 19, 2010

Go for it. It sounds like it'd make a good drama story

Not sure about whether it would fall into copywrite rules or not though. I ain't really knowledgeable about stuff like that :/

But yeah if copywrite won't apply then go for it

Lydia Sharp · Apr 19, 2010

In the words of my husband (also an author, but he's not a member here): a good writer can make a story about a ham sandwich seem interesting.

Go for it.

ETA: I also meant to say that he recently wrote a story based on Pearl Jam's "Just Breathe", and I honestly think it's one of his best yet. Songs can often spark good story ideas. Good luck!

Mr Flibble · Apr 19, 2010

I've just finished a WIP based on / inspired by a Metallica song ( okay it morphed in the writing, but still. How can I blame you, when it's me I can't forgive?)

So go for your life

underthecity · Apr 19, 2010

Newyorkknicks07 said:
I heard this song called "She Talks To Angels" by The Black Crowes(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a76FeV2-Dw) (it's worth a listen trust me).

No problem to write a story around it, but oh my God . . .

You made me feel so old.

I've heard the song only ten million times.

I remember when the Black Crowes were The New Thing, and I bought the CD.

I was on air at the campus radio station in college and STTA was one of the currents. It was five minutes long enabling a quick bathroom run.

I can't imagine hearing it now for the first time.

Now, back to the thread.

Newyorkknicks07 · Apr 19, 2010

haha, sorry about that underthecity.

Age ain't nothing but a number.

Jwriter · Apr 19, 2010

underthecity said:
You made me feel so old.

I've heard the song only ten million times.

I remember when the Black Crowes were The New Thing, and I bought the CD.

I was on air at the campus radio station in college and STTA was one of the currents. It was five minutes long enabling a quick bathroom run.

I can't imagine hearing it now for the first time.

Now, back to the thread.

My thoughts EXACTLY.

As for your story idea -- inspiration can come from anywhere. I'll bet that once you get going, your characters will take on a life of their own and the uninformed reader won't get the connection between what they read and that song. (Even if they're old enough to remember when that song was on the radio every 10 minutes)

greatfish · Apr 19, 2010

The plot should be a vehicle for communicating ideas to the reader. I would be wary of coming up with a plot line first, and then trying to think of ideas for it to convey. It should work the other way around.

willietheshakes · Apr 19, 2010

greatfish said:
The plot should be a vehicle for communicating ideas to the reader.

Horseshit.

Oh, and OP -- one of my favourite songs of all time. Damn I'm old. (Hence my curmudgeonly response...)

Birol · Apr 19, 2010

underthecity said:
No problem to write a story around it, but oh my God . . .

You made me feel so old.

I've heard the song only ten million times.

I remember when the Black Crowes were The New Thing, and I bought the CD.

I was on air at the campus radio station in college and STTA was one of the currents. It was five minutes long enabling a quick bathroom run.

I can't imagine hearing it now for the first time.

Now, back to the thread.

What do you want to be the 07 in his name means he graduated high school in 2007? *sigh* These young'ns have only recently gained the ability to make me feel old.

lucidzfl · Apr 19, 2010

You can't be that old if your first time hearing something was on CD

I'll take Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight on LP for 500, Alex.

JPStarr · Apr 19, 2010

Newyorkknicks07 said:
...Now i'm considering writing a novel based on it...

I obviously plan to add more depth and subplots then this, and of course, and ending, but i'm wondering if it would make a good novel...

Yes. Do this. Go forth and write. Or sit down and write, whichever is more comfortable for you.

greatfish · Apr 20, 2010

willietheshakes said:
Horseshit.

When communicating, it's best to know what you intend to say before you start speaking, and what is writing if not a form of communication? Do you always speak without thinking? Anyway, I was just letting you know how it's done. You can take it or leave it.

willietheshakes · Apr 20, 2010

greatfish said:
When communicating, it's best to know what you intend to say before you start speaking, and what is writing if not a form of communication?

Except that's not what you said, nor what I responded to.

You SAID, and I quote, "The plot should be a vehicle for communicating ideas to the reader." -- I have no idea how you intended this, but I read it as a mandate: that plot EXISTS as a vehicle for ideas, and that's how it SHOULD be.

Which, frankly, is horseshit. The old joke has been updated: You want to send a message? Use email.

And as far as intending to know what you intend to say: no, not necessarily. A lot of us on this board are unplanning writers - determining what we "intend" to say is an absolutely alien idea.

greatfish said:
Do you always speak without thinking?

Haven't started yet.

greatfish said:
Anyway, I was just letting you know how it's done. You can take it or leave it.

Oh, letting us know how it's done. Would that be the bit about deciding what ideas you want to communicate before you come up with the plot?

Again, horseshit.

That MIGHT work for you, but it's neither a SHOULD nor a HOW IT'S DONE.

Where did the OP ever state that s/he was looking to include sweeping ideas? Near as I can tell, s/he was inspired by a song, has some ideas for building a novel inspired by it, and is wondering if that's kosher...

shaldna · Apr 20, 2010

Songs are great inspiration.

greatfish · Apr 20, 2010

willietheshakes said:
And as far as intending to know what you intend to say: no, not necessarily. A lot of us on this board are unplanning writers - determining what we "intend" to say is an absolutely alien idea.

Then what do you say?

Margarita Skies · Apr 20, 2010

Many times I use songs as inspiration, but I avoid using the title of the song because I fear getting sued, and instead of using only one song as inspiration, I use like two or three and then I make storylines, but I haven't done that in like 4 years.

Mr Flibble · Apr 20, 2010

I say that I write to find out what it is I want to talk about. I often don't know how I feel about anything till I've written it down. Heck, half the time I don't know what the story is about until I'm 20k plus in.

Anyway I don't write 'messages', I write 'entertainment'.

So, in a nutshell, what I'm saying is 'bollocks' to the idea of writing being solely to communicate ideas. It's one reason yes. Not the only reason. Or even the best reason. Even if it was, why can't the writer be communicating the idea that this song inspired them to write?

NeuroFizz · Apr 20, 2010

It's difficult to write a novel from a soapbox without looking down on one's readers. I prefer to write eye-to-eye with them, encouraging them to become partners in the journey.

willietheshakes · Apr 20, 2010

greatfish said:
Then what do you say?

What do I write, you mean?

The next word. The next paragraph. The next scene. What happens next is my guiding force.

Look, it sounds to me like you write to send a message. That's fine, all the power to you. Good luck with that.

But I don't. And I HATE being told I "should" do anything.

Alwoody · Apr 20, 2010

Lydia Sharp said:
ETA: I also meant to say that he recently wrote a story based on Pearl Jam's "Just Breathe", and I honestly think it's one of his best yet. Songs can often spark good story ideas. Good luck!

My favorite song right now.

I often get inspiration from music but have never based a full story off of it, but I may be trying it out. Go for it!

Tracy · Apr 21, 2010

Sounds good as the genesis of a story, but it's not a plot IMO. I like to remember that every story is this: "The protagonist wants something, and can't have it, and tries to get it anyway".

So, is the story that she loses the baby early, and the rest of the story is her fight/quest to get him back?

Or what? If the story is just: woman gets addicted to crack, gets pregnant, has baby, social services take baby - there's no story.

But so many stories start with 'What if ...' and this sounds like a good 'What if ...' to start with.

greatfish · Apr 21, 2010

willietheshakes said:
What do I write, you mean?

The next word. The next paragraph. The next scene. What happens next is my guiding force.

Look, it sounds to me like you write to send a message. That's fine, all the power to you. Good luck with that.

But I don't. And I HATE being told I "should" do anything.

Sorry. I didn't mean to agitate you. I was just curious what a person writes when they have no intention to say anything to the reader.

willietheshakes · Apr 21, 2010

greatfish said:
Sorry. I didn't mean to agitate you. I was just curious what a person writes when they have no intention to say anything to the reader.

Are you deliberately misrepresenting what I said, or do you really just not get it?

What I -- and others in this thread -- have said, repeatedly, is that I don't write fiction to send a message (ie, 'say anything'). I write fiction to tell a story. Full stop.

I'm not interested, in my fiction, on defending causes, or raising issues, or commenting on the world. Stories. Period.

What about that is so hard to understand?

greatfish · Apr 22, 2010

willietheshakes said:
Are you deliberately misrepresenting what I said, or do you really just not get it?

What I -- and others in this thread -- have said, repeatedly, is that I don't write fiction to send a message (ie, 'say anything'). I write fiction to tell a story. Full stop.

I'm not interested, in my fiction, on defending causes, or raising issues, or commenting on the world. Stories. Period.

What about that is so hard to understand?

Isn't that what I said? That you don't intend to say anything? I'm sorry, it must be my phrasing. I guess what I was wondering was just... Why do you write? To what end? What is your goal? I know these are not easy questions to answer, but I'm sure you have at least a basic idea of what you're doing it for. So what are you doing it for?

Does This Sound Like A Good Idea?

It's open to interpretation

for the love of love

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Finestkind

It's open to interpretation

Going places

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Around and About

Back from the dead

New kid, be gentle!

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

The grad students did it

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.

Back for another round

Gentleman. Scholar. Bastard.