A New Story Approaches
Hey folks, wanted to run something by you all before I started writing it. I have had an idea for a story of triumphing over evil, where the different races of the world unite. Now, normally in these circumstances the races I would be referring to would be humans, elves, dwarves etc. However this time I am actually referring to the different human races.
The reason I want to run it by you all first, is I don’t know if this will be hitting too close to home on the whole racism fight that goes on. The start of the story is very much a war. Each race tells incredible lies about the others, how the blacks are demons, the whites are devil worshippers and so forth. Is that too dangerous a topic to venture near?
I only plan to do a small series of short stories with this, with the first few very much focused on their hate for each other. But as the real evil arises, the story will then shift into how they work together. I would look at what problems might arise, the clashes of personality, and then the surprises they discover when they throw away all their preconceived ideas from the ignorance beforehand. The final parts of the story will very much focus on the evil I stated before.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
What Drives You?
On reflection, I noticed there were two recurring themes that seemed to boost motivation. The first, and most common, is the desire to be the best. Great people are incredibly competitive, with seemingly limitless energy to push them forward from average and beyond into greatness. If someone is better than them, they do everything they can to improve. I admire their strength, as I have found myself in situations where I believed I was the best, only to have someone completely overtake me in whatever field I was developing at the time. I fought back for awhile, but then my ember was lost in the wind.
A strong desire to provide for people is also another recurring trait. Some people will do anything they can to provide the best possible lifestyle for those they love. I admire the unfaltering belief they have in their ability to support others. I often find myself wishing I could support others and plan how I would be able to manage it. Then the fear would strike, and I find myself unable to find belief in myself. If others should rely on me and I falter, I won’t only be disappointing myself. While those stronger than me would use this to drive them not to fail, I cannot, for fear of the consequences.
What bothers me the most, is that I appear to find excuses to not reach my potential. If someone is better than me, I tell myself that there is no point in continuing. If someone will rely on me I tell myself that I could ruin things for them. When I was younger I would jump at the challenges set before me with ease. I would become the best, and help all those who would rely on me. When did I lose my drive?
It occurred to me that modern society doesn’t exactly encourage creativity. Schools tell you to do something a specific way and don’t really aid in your understanding of topics. They are designed to help you pass tests, not learn topics. Creative topics are also weighted less heavily than maths for instance. Not everyone can understand maths. As the great Albert Einstein said “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
This rings true for me. I never found school particularly difficult to learn, but I always felt like I was being forced into ideas that were not my own. We are taught that making a mistake is the worst thing we could ever do. This is good for exams, but not so good for life. We learn from mistakes, and we grow. Mistakes are nothing more than ourselves realising we could have done better. Schools don’t allow for mistakes, and instead force you to be perfect from the start, or to not bother trying because you failed. Being subdued by the weight of these wild expectations leaves little room to manoeuvre your own thoughts. I believe this system has weakened my resolve to stand up for my ideas, and now I’m going to strive to get my drive back. There are millions of people like me, but only I know what I’m thinking; what my passions are, and what motivates me. I will get back my drive. I will make mistakes, and people will be better than me. This shouldn’t stop me from trying to be the best at everything I try my hand at. It will be difficult but nothing in life worth having comes for nothing.
And They Say That A Hero Can Save Us
My last post on villains got a lot of feedback, so I’ve decided to do the flip side of the argument now. Would a hero you feel negative towards still be a good hero?
One of the characters in my book is an assassin, precise and deadly, with little regard for those he sees as unworthy. He is the best at what he does, and a master at psychology. With his incredible intelligence he often works out the best ways to manipulate his enemies. I adore him. I want to give him his own book as a prequel to the events that are taking place right now.
I am not saying that no reader would be able to relate to him; I think many would be able to relate. I just mean that this protagonist would not be the shining knight that everyone expects to see in fantasy novels. This protagonist will have a kind heart, that is not always apparent to the reader. He will do things that they don’t understand until the effect he desired is created. Personally, I hope this will add a layer of mystery to the situations that arise and keep the reader guessing at what might happen. The more emotions I can draw from the reader, the more powerful I believe this character could get. I have the basic draft for the story I want to tell for this character too; one that I hope will pull at the heart strings of many readers.
What do you, as readers, find exceptionally powerful? I know I plan to have you witness this character from many perspectives, to show how he views himself and others, and how others view him. There will be some sharp contrasts which I hope will make the reader think about perceptions. Often things are not what they seem, and I want to be able to capture that essence in the best way possible.
As always, your thoughts on the topic are welcome!
fantasywriter91 