Do you have any scenes/scenarios for your setting that won't fit in a story?

ChaseJxyz · Jul 31, 2020

Does anyone else come up with interesting scenes/ideas for their characters or world but get kind of bummed that there really isn't anywhere to put it? Like it won't fit into your story, but it's also not enough to be its own short story (or is too much for a short story but not enough for a novel/novella), so it's probably just going to sit in a word doc and not go anywhere.

I'd really like to see far into my world's future where science/technology is more like our real world's and how the different species/kinds would handle it. The High Elves can "see" most forms of energy/natural forces and have essentially "invented" the foundation of all science through their research and abilities...but a biological eye can only see so much, and the squishy biological mind can only work in so minute a detail. I think it would be Extremely Funny to have a story where they dispute the existence of gravity and relativity (because they can't see it as a force, so it doesn't exist, it has to be something else) or they are so behind the curve with medicine because they don't have the fine control of magic to cut up DNA, and CRISPR is clearly inferior, can you really trust an unthinking molecule to do the job right? There really isn't a plot and there would be too much worldbuilding to make this be a standalone short story.

Anyone else?

Aegrin · Aug 1, 2020

I have a lot of ideas and snippets that would just clutter the book. It's a pity, but reality. Not every backstory, worldbuilding element will be revealed and explored during main storyline. But I think that almost every concept can be reworked into a independent story. Your premise looks interesting, I see no reason why you cannot incorporated that into short story. You can alternatively always write it as article and put it on World Anvil for example. I also pondered about future of my fantasy setting, but I focused less on tech/science and more on evolution and anthropology.

starrystorm · Aug 1, 2020

The old I've got a great idea, but it's a premise instead of plot. I have these a lot.

Kalyke · Aug 1, 2020

I'd Just take a note of them and keep them for a future project.

lonestarlibrarian · Aug 1, 2020

Sometimes I have random vignettes in my head, and I start building a story that might use, say, three of them. And then halfway through writing, things veer off in another direction, and I realize that perhaps some of them belong in a different story. So I keep them for future reference, and finish writing what I've started, and then give it another go for the next one. It's always nice to have something in the queue begging to be written, even if it's not something that's applicable to the current project, rather than staring out the window trying to find inspiration in the grass or the street or the neighbor's mailbox.

Kat M · Aug 1, 2020

Oh I do! Since I write contemporary, they're usually scenarios for my characters that don't fit in the main plot. I call them "Fran fiction" because I had a side character named Frannie who played a minimal role in my actual story, but captured my imagination.

I write down snippets and scenes when I can't stop thinking about them. I suspect that I'll be like lonestarlibrarian and someday some of those snippets will morph and I'll have a Franniesque (or other) character in a different book. It's a lot of fun.

Snitchcat · Aug 1, 2020

All the time. Sometimes they're backstory, sometimes they fit in the future, and other times they're catalogued for other stories.

Albedo · Aug 2, 2020

Some people have daydreams. I have plots not written down yet.

Chris P · Aug 2, 2020

Yeah, tons. It kills me not to use them, but I can't include everything. A very few I've been able to use in other projects, and another became a stand-alone story the publisher used to promote the book.

Part of my journey in growing as a writer is learning how to focus, and learning what's needed and what's not. I have less of these side stories in newer projects than when I started.

Do you have any scenes/scenarios for your setting that won't fit in a story?

ChaseJxyz

Writes 🏳️‍⚧️🌕🐺 and 🏳️‍⚧️🌕🐺 accessories

Aegrin

starrystorm

Kalyke

lonestarlibrarian

senior bean supervisor

Kat M

Ooh, look! String!

Snitchcat

Dragon-kitty.

Albedo

Alex

Chris P

Likes metaphors mixed, not stirred