Question

I need help with my Plotline!! (I'm writing a YA dystopian romance book!!!)



So I've been working on a project for a while now...
(More info in comments!!)

Answer 1

I've been working on this project for a while now, it's nameless, even after three months or so of work, but I'm having a hard time putting out the plot.

The baseline is that we follow a young man, Living in a dystopian Finland. And they're in the middle of a fifth world war, and gets drafted, but there are three different branches that someone could be drafted into, and he is drafted as a Finnish royal guard. My issue is that my plotline requires him to be allowed to be near the in-home potential wives (Spoiler, none of them are going to be his wife) for the picky prince Kota to choose from. I wanted to start at the beginning, where my M/C (not yet named) is living in Low-cost housing on the outskirts of Helsinki, but I don't really want to start from the beginning as well? It would be such a hassle to have to write multiple YEARS worth of him training to be a palace guard. What do I do?

Answer 2

Welcome to QuestionCove!!

Consider using flashbacks or brief exposition to cover the essential training period without delving into years of detailed narrative. You can always focus on specific training moments that shaped your main character and provide context for his skills as a palace guard. This allows you to jump into the main plot without a lengthy training arc. Additionally, you could explore his experiences and challenges during the war, creating a dynamic background for your character.

Here are some ways you can do that:

• Establishing the present situation; begin your story with the main character in the present, drafted as a Finnish royal guard and assigned to the palace.

• Continue to introduce characters; introduce the key characters, including the picky Prince Kota and potential wives included or not.

• Include flashback triggers; include moments in the present that naturally trigger memories related to training. This could be a specific location in the palace, a particular duty, or interactions with other characters.

• Brief flashbacks; including short flashbacks during these trigger moments, focusing on crucial training experiences. This could include rigorous exercises, mentor interactions, or significant challenges your character faced.

• Make sure the flashbacks carry emotional weight. Show how the training shaped the character's skills, mindset, and relationships to give readers an idea why he’s going through the flashbacks.

• Dialogue and reflection; remember to use dialogue or internal reflections to convey key aspects of the training. This allows for information delivery without extended training scenes.

• Gradual revelation; give details about the training gradually, spreading them across the narrative rather than in a single information dump so it doesn’t seem like you would have to start from the beginning all over again.

• Maintain focus on main plot; make sure to keep main plotline at the forefront, using flashbacks as tools to enhance character development and understanding without diverting too much from the central storyline.

Answer 3

Hey :)

In response to creating a plot, it would be a great idea for you to take things to the future. You would not necessarily have to identify who these characters are and elaborate deeply on what roles they might play in your particular story.

Some examples I would use with your current "baseline".

: Start off with someone in captivity (the main character possibly)
-what led to this captivity and why

:The last nation
-Humanity is gone
-The world is at its end
-Talk about what is currently going on and what the character (s) are doing to fix this problem

Overall, you would start off with the future with these examples or examples of your choice then go back and explain exactly why and how this event occurred. If possible add some drama and thrill into your story with intense and elaborate detail to engage the reader!

Just another thought/idea for you :)

Answer 4

huhuhuh

Answer 5

Having even more problems figuring out GEN PLOT--
help 🧚

Answer 6

I think the above comments provided some great recommendations for how to handle the two different instances of time adding to the story. Are you having new problems with the gen plot?

Answer 7

Well, there are different kinds of writers. Some people are architects, and they plot everything out in advance. Others are gardeners, who take things as they come and write and grow the characters on the page.

The latter might require more drafts as you correct for things, but it's a process that works better for some. And architects do a lot of the work up front, figuring most things out in the preparation stage.

The latter sounds like where you've been, but it might be time to try a different method if you're finding yourself stuck.

I often switch between these two different modes at times. If I'm stuck, I will just garden, and write and explore the characters. But when I want to prepare for a deep chapter, I architect.

Answer 8

For example, you can just start writing out scenes where you envision the character. Start to hang out with them and get to know them. What's their favorite spot on a Saturday evening? What's their favorite food? Where do they go when they are feeling melancholic?

You can begin to get a sense of your character and their identity.

Answer 9

I'm having a hard time thinking of ideas for a plot, I have many ideas, don't get me wrong, but like, NONE of them are plot-related, and I'm scared that there's gonna be too many factors in my novel (It'll be a standalone with a possible spin off?)
I had a document of things I was going to put into the novel but I lost it due to bad google acc syncing and I don't know where to start now! Haha! (Please ignore my tech woes)

Answer 10

Well, I see. You have a character you want to write, but not a plot to put them into.

There are many different kinds of plots. To cite Christopher Booker, there's

"Overcoming the monster"
"Rags to riches"
"The quest"
"Voyage and return"
"Comedy" - (Also romance)
"Tragedy"
"Rebirth"

Within the setting of World War V, you can imagine several plots that fit into each of these archetypal stories.

Perhaps our protagonist defeats a monstrous doctor who is experimenting on prisoners of war.

Or maybe after his valorous work in the military, he comes across a hidden wealth obscured by their enemies.

Or perhaps, his officers set him out on a quest to locate the hidden plans to an assault which could damn the alliance.

And so on.

Answer 11

I forgor to mention It was a forced proximity regency book.. Oops! :')

Answer 12

So you are struggling on how to pull off the romance?

Answer 13

.. Yes (And everything else, just gonna rq give you a list of.. COUGH COUGH.. 'Ideas' *requirements* I'm forcing myself to put in the book bcs I want them to be in the book-)
- forced proximity
- fake dating
- enemies to lovers
- Bodyguard romance
- afraid to commit
- the list goes on... teehee!! (I'm not puttin the in detail other romance things because I don't feel like getting banned)

Answer 14

Hmm, I'm beginning to see what you mean, that's a lot of ideas.

Answer 15

For me I would start writing scenes with the protagonist and a random character or a character you intend to have about some of these ideas and start feeling them out. My suspicion is that it will be difficult to fill all of these in, so you need to start seeing which ones make sense with your character.

Answer 16

It is a book though, and depending on how long it is, you *could* fit them all. But a book is often defined on the strength of its themes, and you probably want a few well defined ones over a multitude of less developed themes.

Answer 17

It sounds like you have a great idea for a story but are facing some challenges in developing the plot. Starting from the beginning and writing about years of training could indeed be a daunting task, especially if it doesn't serve the overall plot.

One option could be to consider starting the story at a later point in time and using flashbacks to provide context and backstory for the main character. This way, you can focus on the main plotline while still providing the necessary background information for the reader.

Another option could be to skip over the training altogether and have the main character start his duties as a palace guard right away. This could allow you to introduce the potential wives and their interactions with the main character more quickly, leading to more action and intrigue in the story.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you as the author. It's important to remember that a good plot should serve the characters and not the other way around. Focus on what drives the main character and how their experiences and interactions with the world around them shape the story. Good luck with your writing!