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Remixing, inverting...how to make it original?

satyesu

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The answer to this question may be the secret-you-have-to-figure-out, but here goes. For the novel I'm planning, I'm drawing ideas from a set of ancient (and not-so-) religions, a modern "magic" tradition/system, and a little bit of science...but it seems to fit together too well. It feels vanilla. How do I throw a twist in? What questions should I ask to get a new take on it?
 

Nerdilydone

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Uh, well, that's your doing as a writer. You're the one who has to make it good. My recommendation is to write out a list of possible options, no matter how stupid, lame, or just out of place. This way you will get all the inadequate ideas out of your head and be able to look objectively at them.
 

lizmonster

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In general, having a strong voice and vivid characters is more important than finding a genuinely original plot. Most stories, one way or another, have been told before.
 

Woollybear

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The answer to this question may be the secret-you-have-to-figure-out, but here goes. For the novel I'm planning, I'm drawing ideas from a set of ancient (and not-so-) religions, a modern "magic" tradition/system, and a little bit of science...but it seems to fit together too well. It feels vanilla. How do I throw a twist in? What questions should I ask to get a new take on it?

The books I enjoy most (1) use eternal themes and (2) make me think.

Self vs other.
The nature of true power.
Tradition vs. innovation.

That kind of stuff. My advice is to ask what themes you hope to play with.
 

gtanders

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It feels vanilla.

I think that's the key. At face value, how you described it, sure, I could see a system like that working. But it sounds like you're feeling "meh" about it.

I'd say, start journaling out how you feel about the mix. Ask questions, describe your frustrations and insecurities, etc.

That's my answer from the writing process angle. :)

Now the actual plot content angle...

In the discovery phase, I find my brain pulls in all kinds of threads from all over. There are so many things that can relate to so many other things. The key is figure out which one is the absolute ruler over all the others. This is the thread which you simply can't imagine taking out.

Once you've identified that, you can start bringing back other threads one by one, keeping only the ones that "pay their rent on the page" (i.e. contribute to 1) the external plot, 2) MC's interior emotional journey, or both).

How's that for platitudes? :)

Hope it's helpful though. Paring down the conceptual/thematic landscape is really hard. Don't give up!
 

frimble3

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Or, go with the old 'what is the worst thing that can go wrong'. Especially if you're smooshing together various traditions, look for the conflicts.
Little stuff - one system uses live plants, the other burns them - for the same ritual.
Bigger stuff - one system values chastity and dedication, another is into sex magic and drunken experimentation.
Personal stuff - old woman into nude dancing; young man, fully robed, with chastity pants at all times.
One side reveres cats, the other slaughters them to appease dark forces.

Go through what you've got, and look for conflicts?
 

stephenf

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A lot of fiction is a retelling of old stories . If your writing to entertain , and your writing is entertaining . Being 100 % original is not the main priority of good writing.