I have an idea for a story

kdnxdr · Sep 23, 2007

Hello,

I am one of those beginning writers that has one completed short story and two beginning books in limbo at the moment.

Recently, I heard a story on National Public Radio that I think would make a fantastic book/movie. It's a contemporary story that started over 4,000 years ago. It's an intense story that is primarily a conflict between a specific culture group and the federal government.

I don't have the expertise to get this story cranked out. I think it's a HOT story and the quicker it's in book form, I think it has the potential to be snatched up as a film. I would love to collaborate with someone on getting this story in print. There's TONS of information and research will be easy.

I would like to find someone, with some level of experience, who would like to be the lead writer that would take me on as a collaborator. The more I read about this subject, the more I can see it on THE SCREEN. As I said, this is a highly current story with many historical/cultural/emmotional levels.

I would like work with someone that the mods would give a good reference as a trustworthy person. We can talk privately as to what type of contract that would work for us both.

kid

Dave.C.Robinson · Sep 23, 2007

My advice to you is to try and do it yourself. The best way to get better is to write.

Mike Lynch · Sep 23, 2007

I agree with the idea of doing it yourself. You obviously have the passion to tell this story, and that is one of the most important elements when it comes to writing. My suggestion is to sit down, do the research, and then start cranking out the chapters. When you're done with the novel, let it sit for a while and simmer. You can either take a break for a few weeks, or work on another writing project. When you feel you've put enough distance between you and the story, then go through it again and clean up all the typo's you've made, spice up the dialogue, revise the clunky sentences, until the story is as good as you can make it. Once you feel you can't do any better with the story, THENNNNN give it to someone else to read/critique. If you are going to a writer of any merit, you have to hone your craft and learn what it means to tell a story well. There is just no substitution for hard work. If you feel that the only way to get this great idea in print, and possibly made into a movie, is to have another person take the lead in this project, then perhaps you might want to start with short stories. They don't take near as long to write/edit. And when you start sending them out to magazines, the response time is much shorter than a publishing house. It's just a suggestion.

Mike

CheshireCat · Sep 23, 2007

The problem with "highly current" stories is that they're, well, highly current. By the time this is researched, written, polished, and ready to be shopped around, it isn't likely to be current anymore.

Not to say it wouldn't be a rousing success -- but the odds are against it. And since we all get our ideas from the same sources (TV, movies, other books, NPR), I'm willing to bet there are already at least half a dozen other writers out there mulling over some version of the same story.

Again, not meaning to discourage you. If you feel so strongly about this idea, go for it. Just know that there are damned few sure things in this business.

melaniehoo · Sep 23, 2007

I think you should go for it on your own! You do sound very passionate about the story and you may not find someone else who feels the same way. They may recognize the story's worth but it might be frustrating to have someone else 'bring you down'. As for the story keeping it's relevance, it's true others may be working on the same idea, but what have you got to lose?

Danger Jane · Sep 23, 2007

Word.

With that much passion, you'll make it sing once you get the mechanics down. Just WRITE, man. Anyway, I think there's a forum for this down below somewhere??

preyer · Sep 23, 2007

yep, do it yourself. it sounds as if you're of the (hopeful) opinion that an experienced, hard-working, fast writer will be able to cut in half the time it takes to get this out. maybe it would work out that way, maybe not. i'm not sure how other collaborators work.

if you see it as a movie, write it as a script.

unfortunately, by the time it comes out, the year will be 2009. as mentioned, not so current. that sucks. but, imo, the bright side is that if it's a great story, it doesn't matter when it's released.

of the fifty other writers who happened to catch the same story, half of them won't get started, half of those won't finish it past the second chapter, half of the rest won't get around to finishing it between kids and work and other projects, half of them will make it into a romantic sci-fi vampyre story, so you've only got like 1.3 people to worry about, and that one person couldn't write a grocery list. it's that .3 person i'd worry about, they're always sneaky.

Willowmound · Sep 24, 2007

kdnxdr said:
Recently, I heard a story on National Public Radio that I think would make a fantastic book/movie. It's a contemporary story that started over 4,000 years ago. It's an intense story that is primarily a conflict between a specific culture group and the federal government.

Four thousand years? At what point did your government get involved?

kdnxdr · Sep 24, 2007

Not too long ago.

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2007

Perhaps what you actually would benefit from is writing it yourself and then showing it to someone with more experience who can suggest ways for you to improve it. You don't learn to ride a bike by running along behind it while your dad pedals, after all.

David I · Sep 24, 2007

Willowmound said:
Four thousand years? At what point did your government get involved?

Well, the Federal Govt is involved in all kinds of peculiar disputes. For example, there are big arguments with various Native American tribes over human remains from several thousand years ago. (In a lot of cases there is evidence that the remains are of people unrelated to the tribes in question; in other cases, evidence in the other direction.) Or Native American whaling. Or all kinds of things.

I've had a lot of people tell me that had a great idea for a book for me to write. They have always been wrong. What they might have had was a great idea fopr a book from them to write. So, I'm with the rest of the crowd--if you're that excited about the idea, then it's probably your book to write.

Ali B · Sep 24, 2007

Yep, it is always best to write things yourself. It's how you get your writting chops. Soon you will be an experienced writer!

PeeDee · Sep 24, 2007

The problem with having a great idea is, it's only one step in the right direction. A great idea does not equal a book, a short story, anything else. I have ideas all day long. Some stay with me, some don't. Who cares? The good ones stay and turn into stories eventually, the rest don't. Ideas are just ideas.

blacbird · Sep 24, 2007

Yeah, me too. Several ideas for stories, in fact. Maybe I should write some.

caw

Jamesaritchie · Sep 25, 2007

Great idea

Ideas are pretty much meaningless, the best of them are a dime a boatload, but if this is a great idea, and if you got it from NPR, odds are fifty-eleven other writers also have the same idea, and are already hard at work on writing the story.

roger · Sep 25, 2007

People do collaborate on books but I couldn't imagine doing it myself. I would imagine it's fraught with difficulty and I would think it would work best when the writing burden -- and it is a burden -- is shared equally, for instance writing alternate chapters.

wee · Sep 25, 2007

kdnxdr said:
I don't have the expertise to get this story cranked out. I think it's a HOT story and the quicker it's in book form, I think it has the potential to be snatched up as a film. I would love to collaborate with someone on getting this story in print. There's TONS of information and research will be easy.

I don't have the expertise to do the story I'm writing, either. I've read over a dozen books on the subject -- I half-joke and say I'll read ten times as many pages on this subject as I'll ever write about it -- but it isn't really a joke, and now I'm wondering if it will be more like 20x, plus time spent making visits to historical sites.

But I decided - no one else is doing it, so I might as well. I have an idea for another book-length story that is current & relevant right now, but I can't bring myself to write it yet. I know an author that I want to write to and say, "would you please write this so it will quit keeping me up at night?" because I believe she is infinitely more qualified to write it than me. I might not get it written in time, but that's okay.

If you told me your idea, I would NOT want to collaborate with you. The best part of writing is not having to deal with other people. I would take your idea & run with it if I liked it, and tell you to buzz off if you wanted part of the proceeds. Just write it! And come back to tell us all about how it made you famous! You might end up making a career out of quick research & knocking these things out. If the research is easy - what are you waiting for?

wee

kdnxdr · Sep 25, 2007

I'm black and blue from all the nudges but, hey, I know it was all done in love.

I appreciate what you all have posted and you are all right. I know I am so far removed from having confidence and with the shape my two stories are in presently, the whole thought of doing a serious work is very intimidating. Thank you for your encouragement, it's much appreciated.

I'm going to start writing with absolutely no clue of what I am doing. I haven't written anything with an outline sine highschool but, here I go.

kid

Little Red Barn · Sep 25, 2007

kdnxdr said:
I'm black and blue from all the nudges but, hey, I know it was all done in love.

I appreciate what you all have posted and you are all right. I know I am so far removed from having confidence and with the shape my two stories are in presently, the whole thought of doing a serious work is very intimidating. Thank you for your encouragement, it's much appreciated.

I'm going to start writing with absolutely no clue of what I am doing. I haven't written anything with an outline sine highschool but, here I go.

kid

Good for you Kid. You can do it, and we are all here for you.
hugs

Mike Lynch · Sep 25, 2007

Glad to hear you've decided to jump into the deep end of the pool. When I first started, I also had no idea what I was doing. But I persevered nonetheless. Along the way, I started to learn the craft of writing. After a few years of diligence and hard work, I have four books under my belt. If I had relied on someone else to take the lead, I would probably still be on my first novel.

Mike

kdnxdr · Sep 25, 2007

I've worked on the research end of the story for about an hour. I have almost 10 pages of resource info. There is so much!! I'm already starting to feel so overwhelmed. I have the feeling that I'm just going to end up with a ton of research, and no story.

Now that I'm into such a huge project, I think the first line of order is to pick a thread out of the whole thing and make that my project.

I'm feeling weak.

Little Red Barn · Sep 25, 2007

kdnxdr said:
I've worked on the research end of the story for about an hour. I have almost 10 pages of resource info. There is so much!! I'm already starting to feel so overwhelmed. I have the feeling that I'm just going to end up with a ton of research, and no story.

Now that I'm into such a huge project, I think the first line of order is to pick a thread out of the whole thing and make that my project.

I'm feeling weak.

No no no, take it one step--chunk at a time. Get a dry-erase board, start outlining first if that will help. You can also use index cards. And walk away if you're feelin' overwhelmed, then go back. Slow--slow.

roger · Sep 26, 2007

Good for you, kdnxdr. Good luck with it all.

Dave.C.Robinson · Sep 26, 2007

Good luck and keep plugging away.

KTC · Sep 26, 2007

kdnxdr said:
I don't have the expertise to get this story cranked out.

bull crap. What credentials does one need to sit down and write a story? Hey, Kid! Sit down. Write the story. You can always find someone later to sit down with you and help you edit it...if need be.

I have an idea for a story

One of the most important people in the world

... with the High Command

Mostly purring. Mostly.

And thus we begin the edits

excessively spartan

Lightly salted

One of the most important people in the world

Where's my tea, please...?

Just Hanging Around

Where's my tea, please...?

just a little

One of the most important people in the world

haz own threads

One of the most important people in the world

haz own threads

... with the High Command

Stand in the Place Where You Live