I know what I want to find but how to find it?

aguywhotypes said:

I want to write a story, I'm thinking fantasy.

The little town is dying out and they need a financial boost.

I want a group of two or three rag tag adventures to go off and find some special herb that has quick healing properties.

The problem I'm having is if I just "discover" this it feels like a bit Deus ex Machina
but how else would I logically find it or know to look for this?
"rumors?" seems a bit hokey

anyway else I can do this?

I know what I want the adventures to find; just not quite how to find it.

and yes, where this is is tough to get at or they have to fight a big bad thing - a la dragon?
or maybe the answer lies below this little dying town?
enter: caves/tunnels/excavating

Click to expand...

Tons of possibilities --

They're doing something (to make money or otherwise) like digging out a field to plant stuff or build something, and find something (a glowing jar, an old book, a letter... ) that has some very oblique reference to the herb or whatever, so they have to go find someone (a town elder who lives in a hollow tree...) or some other thing (a book, a time capsule...) that will explain the old thing and then they have to go search for it, but it can only be found in some thing that they have to get to from some other thing, or it can only be harvested by something that's gone or...

Backsolve from why the town died (presumably they didn't have/couldn't obtain) the herb thing, but why, then go forward again.

Your healing herb could even be a GMO gone awry.

I suggest you stop trying to force your story into being, in my experience, the best of them come about organically - dreams sometimes, or just telling myself stories as I ride my motorcycle. Just play with it, and let the tale unfold.

If it's coastal New England, then have them discover it in a book from Pilgrim times. Back then, when they came to the New World, they documented everything because they didn't know squat about the local flora and fauna.

Maybe they have to team up with a descendant of the Native American tribe that cultivated it. People say they want to see more Native Americans in fiction.

How about they set off on the quest to find some treasure/gold/artefact to help the village. They reach the entrance to the mine/caves etc but can’t find a way through/are beaten back by a mythical creature/traps/undead army etc etc.
While trying to decide what to do, they rescue an old/man woman from attack/peril. For their selfless act they are shown them the herb/magical healing thingy

Just an idea - the possibilities are endless!

This provokes endless ways of going about reaching your goal. Play with a number of ideas and choose the best one to pursue.

aguywhotypes said:

I need to concentrate more on the fiction. I've given myself permission to write anything I want even if it doesn't make sense. I can go back and rework it later.
I put myself under to much pressure to begin with.

Click to expand...

Sound like a writer, to me

Ha, yeah. Put pen to paper, friend. Answering the questions you've just posed is the challenge and the joy of writing.