Fantasy novel idea

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Selena_Fai

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Hi everyone.
I have been tossing around the idea of a particular story for quite a while now and have actually written the first chapter, or part of it anyway. I guess the longer I put it off the worse I think my idea is...So, does anyone find this storyline interesting?

There is a planet out there in which only fairies live. They have their own society, set of rules, ect. The basic idea is that certain fairies are banned from their planet and sent to live on earth as humans. They are stripped of their powers and memory and go on to live among humans as if they always were. There will be a big fight between selct humans and fairies although I have not worked out all the details yet. The book explains in detail how the fairy folk received their powers and why they are living on a planet alone. Other creatures will be introduced, aliens, a few ogres, maybe some elves.

Does anyone think this might be a marketable idea, if written well of course. Or is this not original enough?

I am looking for honest answers.

Thank you.
 

zornhau

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Hard to say without an idea of what the meat and backbone of the story will be: Urban fantasy? Conspiracy stuff? Hardboiled supernatural detective romp? Tormented interspecies romance? Romantica?

It's like if I said: There's this young boy with special powers and he's got to save the kingdom from the Orcs. Is this going to be a story of healing and conciliation, or a smite-fest with the orcish bodies stacking up like so many broken action figures?

It certainly won't work on explanation alone. Unfolding Revelation - unless it's a Mystery - is usually a bonus rather than a reason to read on.
 

ChaosTitan

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I agree with Zornhau. It's an interesting hook, but where's the meat? Are we going to sympathize with the cast out fairies living as humans? Will we side with the select humans? Or are the true fairies the heroes?

The idea has potential, I think. Perhaps we could have a few more details?
 

Selena_Fai

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True

You're right. I think that's why I've holding off. I'm having trouble thinking of something that hasn't been done somewhere in some way. Maybe I'll put it on the back burner for now.
 

Jewel101

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Don't concentrate on something that's never been done. Concentrate on making it as good and interesting as you possibly can.
 

MadScientistMatt

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Your idea certainly sounds workable, and an idea doesn't have to be totally new to make for an interesting book. There isn't anything in that premise that automatically says, "This book will suck."

The only potential problem I can see with that idea is what speculative fiction crit groups have dubbed "the tabloid weird." If the aliens have future technology and the faeries have magic, you will have to be very careful to avoid something that feels like it is really two different novels clumsily spliced together. On the other hand, if the aliens are like the ogres, running around in crudely tanned pelts and bashing creatures' brains out with clubs, or a group of sorcerors, you should be in the clear.

Give it some believable characters we care about and a goal we care about them accomplishing, write it well, and I can see this being a good story. I think the revelation could work as something to drive the story if your start with a group of exiled faerie who gradually start finding clues that they aren't human, and have no idea what to make of them.
 

bylinebree

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Fairies on their own planet...and aliens...I can't think of when this had been done. Are they traditional fairies in loincloths living in the woods or meadows, or are they more "high-tech" fairies (think of the E.L.F. squad in The Santa Claus, freeing Santa from the jail -- they were a hoot!)

Sounds like a possibility to me. I go along with the person who said 'don't worry if it's been done before'...just make it YOURS and UNIQUE. Take your first idea and "twist it" by thinking of the weirdest most plausible thing you can -- then go forth, and spew out writing!

My own fantasy started out with a character; the plot grew from there (and grew...and grew...omg please stop growing now!)

Be careful of "info dump" about fairies. Weave in their society and history skillfully through the story, though it may not be in the first drafts you do.
 

Silverhand

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Selena,


This sounds like a nifty concept. I know this is a stretch, but have you ever seen any of the Highlander series?

In one of the movies, it is explained that the immortals are guys who live on another planet, and that they send outcasts to Earth. Umm...i think those that are outcast are also stripped of the majority of their powers.

Anyways, good idea but something to think about.
 

dragonjax

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That HIGHLANDER film was the second, "The Quickening," which I and my posse referred to as "The Sickening." Hated it.

As for the idea...work with it. Sounds like you've got the set up, but what's the plot itself?
 

Sage

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Selena, I think that if you focus on the specific goals of one or a few characters, you'll be better able to come up w/ a plot for the novel (rather than just the overall idea). Are you going to focus on a fairy-made-human who suddenly finds themself dealing w/ powers they didn't know they had? Will you focus on a human who has found out that there's a group of these fairies trying to take power in some way? Will there be some epic reason for this war (like two groups fighting to gain some sort of power), or simple culture clash & prejudice? I think defining these kind of things will help you out. At the very least start with a character to focus on & begin to build the world around him/her.

I have heard some examples of fantasy creatures as aliens, & technically, mine has fairies & other fantasy races who are aliens (they're not on Earth, but my human characters are on the planet too), but I can't recall (other than Highlander :p ) any with fairies coming to Earth & becoming more or less human. Sounds neat. But needs focus.
 
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