DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
- c_nordlander
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DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
Ever written something and later felt that one of the characters or some other element was really interesting and could do with more development? And did you ever end up using that character/thing in anything else? I was mostly thinking about fanfiction when I came up with this topic, but it certainly works for original fiction as well.
Me, I introduced a nomadic alien civilisation called the Peacemakers in my Futurama fic Anthology of Interest III. Their backstory was that they were the only survivors of a massive thermonuclear war that destroyed their planet, on account of being offworld at the time it happened. As a result, they developed a staunch anti-war ideology and set out travelling the galaxy with a powerful fleet, conquering and subjugating all sapient civilisations they encountered in order to ensure that they would never be able to make war again.
In my story, the Peacemakers were essentially just a threat for Professor Farnsworth to develop a superweapon against (incidentally, the very same week as he and Fry exchanged intelligence levels), but within hindsight, it strikes me that they were a pretty fun idea, even if they were just a barrage of science fiction clichés. Kind of makes me want to put them in something else.
So, what about you folks?
Me, I introduced a nomadic alien civilisation called the Peacemakers in my Futurama fic Anthology of Interest III. Their backstory was that they were the only survivors of a massive thermonuclear war that destroyed their planet, on account of being offworld at the time it happened. As a result, they developed a staunch anti-war ideology and set out travelling the galaxy with a powerful fleet, conquering and subjugating all sapient civilisations they encountered in order to ensure that they would never be able to make war again.
In my story, the Peacemakers were essentially just a threat for Professor Farnsworth to develop a superweapon against (incidentally, the very same week as he and Fry exchanged intelligence levels), but within hindsight, it strikes me that they were a pretty fun idea, even if they were just a barrage of science fiction clichés. Kind of makes me want to put them in something else.
So, what about you folks?
Last edited by c_nordlander on Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- gkscotty
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
Sometimes, but mainly with things I never finished in the first place. (of which there are so many)
In particular the concept behind my old Simpsons RPG is something that I plan to come back to (with a non-Simpsons project) and kind of the same with The Ionic sequence. Btoh featured normal people being sent to a more hostile parallel world.
In particular the concept behind my old Simpsons RPG is something that I plan to come back to (with a non-Simpsons project) and kind of the same with The Ionic sequence. Btoh featured normal people being sent to a more hostile parallel world.
It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone’s fault. If it was Us, what did that make Me? After all, I’m one of Us. I must be. I’ve certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We’re always one of Us. It’s Them that do bad things. - Jingo, Terry Pratchett
Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
Well haven't been in the writing game long enough for this but artwise, yeah. I do often feel like remaking stuff.
------
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- missy_misery
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
Oh yes! In fact I was ironically thinking of re-opening the Wavingverse soon.
Now known as Lisabella! (Or Missy. Missy's good.)
Creator of the Waving Universe
Crack!Fic, The Marge Simpson Way: "Just then, Sir Lancelot rode up on a white horse and saved Joan of Arc. They got married and lived in a spaceship. The end." - Tales from the Public Domain, "Hot Child In The City"
Creator of the Waving Universe
Crack!Fic, The Marge Simpson Way: "Just then, Sir Lancelot rode up on a white horse and saved Joan of Arc. They got married and lived in a spaceship. The end." - Tales from the Public Domain, "Hot Child In The City"
- c_nordlander
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
You know I'd enjoy it!
But that's not ironic, just neat.
But that's not ironic, just neat.
Pretty little baby
Pretty little monster
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Sitting with a harpoon
-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"
Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
Pretty little monster
Went to the good school
Left with honours
Brand new tycoon
Sitting with a harpoon
-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"
Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
- SirMustapha
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
If I've ever felt like revisiting something, it's definitely the characters. As a rule of thumb, I think that my stories only have a chance of succeeding once I fall in love with the characters. Of course, this means that finishing a story is, in a way, like saying goodbye to a few dear friends, but as we all know, making art has to be A N G S T Y.
One thing I've considered more than once is tying my stories together through the characters, make them all part of a single world. This could be easy, considering most of my stories take place in the same town around the same period of time, but I haven't found a way to pull that off convincingly, without looking tacky. Still, in a work-in-progress I have, I do feature a character from another story in a major role, but I'm still working on that one.
I've never really got attached to plot elements, though. I mostly see them as isolated incidents that only make sense in their own context, which is sort of the opposite of characters, really.
One thing I've considered more than once is tying my stories together through the characters, make them all part of a single world. This could be easy, considering most of my stories take place in the same town around the same period of time, but I haven't found a way to pull that off convincingly, without looking tacky. Still, in a work-in-progress I have, I do feature a character from another story in a major role, but I'm still working on that one.
I've never really got attached to plot elements, though. I mostly see them as isolated incidents that only make sense in their own context, which is sort of the opposite of characters, really.
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- c_nordlander
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
I can relate to what you said about your characters. And I agree that it can be fun to tie the various "worlds" of your stories together. As long as you don't force it, I think you'll be fine.
Interesting point about how you don't feel the need to revisit plot elements, too.
Interesting point about how you don't feel the need to revisit plot elements, too.
Pretty little baby
Pretty little monster
Went to the good school
Left with honours
Brand new tycoon
Sitting with a harpoon
-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"
Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
Pretty little monster
Went to the good school
Left with honours
Brand new tycoon
Sitting with a harpoon
-- Mother Mother, "Business Man"
Now offering writing commissions! Fanfiction or original, PM me for more information.
- missy_misery
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Re: DISCUSSION: Ever wanted to revisit an old plot element?
I need to fire up the old noodle and figure out what the kids would be doing later; I have specific stuff in mind for an Allison chapter, for instance.
Now known as Lisabella! (Or Missy. Missy's good.)
Creator of the Waving Universe
Crack!Fic, The Marge Simpson Way: "Just then, Sir Lancelot rode up on a white horse and saved Joan of Arc. They got married and lived in a spaceship. The end." - Tales from the Public Domain, "Hot Child In The City"
Creator of the Waving Universe
Crack!Fic, The Marge Simpson Way: "Just then, Sir Lancelot rode up on a white horse and saved Joan of Arc. They got married and lived in a spaceship. The end." - Tales from the Public Domain, "Hot Child In The City"