How can I use a chosen one in a creative (unique) way?

[Writer’s_Magic]

Well. I told you about my novel idea. (By the way, I put it beside until I got a better style and a plot idea.) Thereby, so planning in my mind, I notice something. In fact, a huge cliché! My thought was, “Fuck! I got a chosen one.”. But I often read to use this is a bad idea. However, somehow my mind wants a prophecy. So, how can I use the chosen one in a creative way?

 

[goldhawk]

You can't. Everything unique has been done before. You can only make your work distinctive.

You can make him an accidental hero. That is, he tries very hard to avoid becoming a hero but does so anyway. I'm thinking of Moist von Lipwig of Terry Pratchett's Going Postal. A character of dubious moral fibre determined to get the most out of any situation and becomes the hero only because other paths are fatal, or at least, very painful.

 

[Orc Knight]

All sorts of ways.

They can deny it and walk their own path (maybe accidentally still fulfilling their destiny or outright completely throwing it off), embrace it with all the giddiness of Goku getting in another fight, be coerced into it or them having everything taken away from them and forced into the role. Or just accept it's what they must do for things like duty, honor and protecting what they love. Or maybe they got really good deal with the Chosen One. All sorts of things can be done with it.

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Orc Knight Well … I don’t think so anything can be used. I mean, your first exampled sounded like a cheesy, medieval B-movie. The second one would be á la Hunger Games with a prophecy. And the last one, I don’t understand what you mean by this. So, could you explain this, please?

 

[Orc Knight]

You're writing a super heroic sort of story if I recall, involving the Norse gods. If that ain't filled with cheese coming from both ends, don't know what is. And actually from a lot of what I've read and watched involving denying it tends to a lot less cheesy. Usually used as a darker take on the Chosen One denying saving the world.

As for the really good deal, the main calling that comes with being a Chosen One is sweet swag and a fair amount of greed along with it. So, you're the Chosen One. You get cool armor, weapons, powers, a new base, family is protected (if not already dead so you don't have to worry about them or the plot killing them, damn plot) and you can live in style, do heroics, be a celebrity and basically live it up. I admit, not often a take on it. But greed can be a powerful motivator. Especially with stuff like that.

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Orc Knight That’s the challenge! An Author’s duty is to create something that sounds familiar, but fresh and unique. Maybe I should put many obstacles in the character’s way. She is going to need a lot of weakness. I have to create empathy. Or what do you mean?

 

[Orc Knight]

There generally should be obstacles, though they don't always have to be physical and literal ones. And yes, weakness' and building audience empathy should be a part of it. Thing is, maybe try writing for yourself before what the audience expects. Many have pointed out that you have a lot of idea's but nothing really set down yet. Just got to start with that and damned if they are acting as a Chosen One and on the Hero's Journey at that.

One of those things you start with and can go over later once you've got something written out. Fall into the plot holes, figure out more solid character motivations and see where your own path leads you. There's only so much advice even we can give until you get something down and explore it yourself. Hell, I'm using the Chosen One in a couple of my stories (which I am kind of staring at too) right now. One goes out of her way to deny her status and the other follows his blithely as can be. Just figure to look at those particular sides of it myself.

So, boils down to just write it and see where you go with it. Chosen Heroine vs. Norse Gods, jump on in and see if Tor's lightning strikes.

 

[Heliotrope]

I agree with Orc Night. You are spending an awful lot of time worrying about what "not" to write instead of just writing. Write something. Let someone read it. If, at that point they say, "This is pretty cliche." Then switch it up. If they don't, then great.

The chosen one trope is not a bad trope. Lots of people love that trope, myself included. Don't try to write something totally new. It is impossible. Just write stuff! Have fun with it! Write a story that is fun to you.

 

[Chessie2]

I agree with Orc Night. You are spending an awful lot of time worrying about what "not" to write instead of just writing. Write something. Let someone read it. If, at that point they say, "This is pretty cliche." Then switch it up. If they don't, then great.

The chosen one trope is not a bad trope. Lots of people love that trope, myself included. Don't try to write something totally new. It is impossible. Just write stuff! Have fun with it! Write a story that is fun to you.

This + tropes are a powerful way of communicating your idea to readers. Too many writers (newer ones anyway) worry about being cliche or redundant or whatever. Readers don't want anything new per say; they want the same story told differently, the same story packaged in a new way. Tropes exist for a reason. Readers love them. You won't be writing anything that hasn't been done before so get over it already and start writing.

 

[WooHooMan]

There's two twists that I've been wanting to try out.
First, a story about a character who is close to the chosen one (spouse, sibling, parent, etc.) and how the chosen one being chosen effects their relationship with the protagonist.
Second, more emphasis on the process of choosing a Chosen One. Why were they chosen? Who chose them? And so forth. How does one go about writing a prophecy and how does it catch on? I was thinking of doing a story starring the oracle who writes the prophecy and their herald going-out and finding the chosen one. I was going to have the story end on a bittersweet note where the oracle and herald both die but their chosen one is off on their journey and the villain's defeat is inevitable.
I rejected the second idea outright because I feel it's too subversive and I hate "subversion for the sake of subversion".

 

[Rkcapps]

The thing is you have to write a ton of rubbish and so you need to just write. My 2 cents? If you write a story with prophecy, you take away the character's active motivations. I like the idea of running away from a prophecy and it still coming to pass. That's an active motivation, still with the prophecy. I do love a good prophecy story, even if it's a tired cliche. But just start writing. Make a rough outline before you do (which you may find you diverge from). Makes the writing so much easier.

 

[Black Dragon]

Devor wrote a great article on this very topic a while back. You may find it helpful:

The Chosen One: Trope Reboot

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Black Dragon Thank you!

 

[J Q Kaiser]

I'm a fan of the idea of a red herring chosen one. For example, and I never read beyond the first book so I only know the fun fan theories and speculation, Neville Longbottom ends up being the real a chosen one. The character in the background, who is connected to the events but seems insignificant or weak or mediocre, ends up being the real hero.

Note: My wife tells me that isn't the case, but Neville believes he might be and that gives him courage.

 

[rktho]

My "chosen one" doesn't have "defeat the villain" in his job description, but he does it anyway because it takes precedence over his actual purpose at the moment. It sounds more subversive than it actually is.

 

[SithLord]

My "Chosen One" is in the vein of, "he was prophesied by these people" but these people, "said another prophecy". While others lost the meaning of said prophecy over the years and thought it meant something else. While my magick body believes it one way, while others in the same magick body doubt the prophecy could even come true. Others fear it, while the main mentor has faith in it. All in all, it's an accidental chosen one with many different beliefs from many different cultures in the world.