Is my series worth writing?

[Tinawat42]

Hi, my name's Tina, I'm new to writing & I wanted to know if my idea for my first series is worth it or not.
A young woman who can communicate with spirits is caught trying to bring back the ghost of her dead friend by a powerful (female) necromancer & blackmailed into helping her get back at her rival. This magician threatens to tell the religious/government leaders who fear & worship the dead about her actions, which would lead to her being put to death for heresy, so the girl (Claire) gets caught up in a world of spirits, black magic & political/reliious corruption.
I'm REALLY nervous that this is a stupid/lame/melodramatic idea for a story so any input (even constructive criticism) would be great. Thank you!

 

[gerald.parson]

If you want to do it. Do it. If you feel it is worth it, then it is worth it.

 

[Klee Shay]

There aren't any stupid/lame/melodramatic ideas. There are, however, ideas that are never realised and ideas that become more than just ideas. As long as the story comes from you (appropriately cliche, don't you think?) it's worth running with it.

 

[Kelise]

Any idea can be written. It comes down to how you write it, and whether your way of writing works.

 

[The Din]

Three vague answers in a row, you are special... Sounds like a good idea, just don't let it turn into more twilight drivel. (Unless you want to sell out and make some money.) Try adding some sex and violence, just don't let it turn into more trueblood drivel. (Unless you want to sell out and make some money.)

In the scenario you proposed, I'd like to see the necromancer turn out good, only desperate. Anyway, she dies and leaves Claire wondering what could have been worth stooping to blackmail... Just an idea, I'm sure how ever you spin it will kick arse.

 

[Queshire]

Really, that's a loaded question if there ever was one, OF COURSE We're going to say yes! What kind of bastards wouldn't!

But even ignoring that, I think it's a good idea, "dark" stories are always popular, but vampires, werewolves, demons, and witches have been done to death, Necromancy is a more or less untapped niche, there's been some stories following necromancy prominently, but very few compared to the other subjects, and it's perfect for a Dark is Not Evil type of plot as nothing screams EVIL! EVIL! EVIL! in modernday times like necromancy, hell, I'm sure that between a necromancer and the devil the necromancer will be automatically presumed to be more evil.

Ah, on a side note; one of the main character's in the story I'm writing is a good necromancer, but it's not a major point of the story.

Some "good" uses of necromancy:
-letting familys communicate with their lost loved ones.
-solving murders (nothing like getting a spirit to point out the guy who killed him)
-Cheap labor (zombies don't need to be paid)
-Autopsies
-Burial Rites
-Settling legal disputes (lot easier to tell what the founding fathers would want if you could just ask them)

Now, it's perfectly fine if you want your necromancer be generally EVIL as well, there's a bloody good reason there's such negative connotations with them to begin with. Maybe necromancy generally tortures the dead spirits? Like it feels like a hundred foot long hooks pulling them in all directions, in which case your hero has to work with the temptation of giving into the dark powers to defeat her captor but possibly turn into what she hates. If you go that route, you should have a good alternative to Necromancy that she could use her powers for, like Exorcism is good, asking spirits for help and banishing demons, while Necromancy is evil, manipulating corpses and binding spirits to your will.

It has a lot of potential, and sounds like something I'd read if I picked it up off the shelf.

 

[Ghost]

It's worth writing if you want to write it. That's all there is to it. I'm not sure what value you're trying to put on it. Whether it's good or not, you can learn from it. No one can guarantee it will become a bestseller. Even if it is the Best Idea Ever, that doesn't mean the execution will be any good. You just have to try it and see what happens. If it's an idea that doesn't excite you, then find something that does.

We can't tell from an idea if the series will be good, but you should definitely work hard on the main character. Readers will be in it for the long haul and few things are worse for a series than annoying, Mary Sueish, and/or stupid main characters. I have no idea what Claire is like based on your post, but she is what will make or break your series.

I don't understand the Twilight/Trueblood comparison because I didn't see mention of vampires or romance, and I don't think a book has to be in that category just because it features a young woman and the supernatural. Besides, there are worse things it could be. *cough*Eragon*cough*

 

[Ravana]

I'm normally the sort who will give answers similar to those above–well, actually, I'd normally start out by asking you what you meant by "worth writing." In this case, however, I'm going to see how many people I can surprise.…

I think it sounds like a solid idea.

Seriously.

Now I'll ask you: what do you you mean by "worth writing"? If you mean "Will this make me rich?" the answer is that no one can guarantee that. If you mean "Has this been done to death already?" then the answer is, to the best of my knowledge, no–which is why I think it sounds solid. While it's difficult to find a story idea that hasn't been done at some time, by somebody, I'm not familiar with anything that runs along the lines you propose… and while I can scarcely claim a comprehensive knowledge of everything that's been published in supernatural fantasy in the past couple decades, this doesn't ring any bells with me whatsoever. (Others might have different knowledge.) And even if it has been done before, if you do it better, it is still likely to prove marketable–if that's the measure of success you plan on applying. There are others.

Which leaves the entire rest of the writing process. No matter how original the concept, it won't make the slightest difference if your writing reeks. So, since you are, as you say, "new to writing," my first suggestion is that you start small. Don't try to make this a "series" straight out of the gate. Just write a book. That's hard enough. You can leave it open-ended and write sequels later if you like. If you decide later that you don't, you aren't committed to anything.

In the case of your proposal, a whole lot is going to depend on how well you execute the intrigue… especially if you try to extend this past a first story. Keep in mind that the blackmail motive is probably only going to work well for the first book: otherwise, your readers are eventually going to start wondering why your main character hasn't either found a way to get out from under, disposed of the person making the threat, or been revealed (at least to those who matter), thereby rendering the threat largely or entirely irrelevant. In other words, it'll get old, and your protagonist will seem like a total wimp for continuing to put up with it… which I somehow doubt you want. So by the end of that first story, you'll want to have built up the rest of the "world of spirits, black magic & political/religious corruption" to where you have several other points of entry for additional stories.

In the meantime, don't limit yourself to writing only this one story: if you're new, what you need most of all is practice. So in that sense, anything you write is "worth writing"–even if it goes straight to the bottom of a drawer and never sees the light of day again. (Never throw anything out: I've found some great candidates for revision I'd previously given up on as hopeless.) Don't even limit yourself to things like this story: try a bit of everything. In fact, you're probably better off not trying to write similar material while you're putting your main focus into a given story… you're less likely to unconsciously constrain yourself that way.

Ultimately, the answer to your question is the one Ouroboros gave: "It's worth writing if you want to write it."

 

[Caged Maiden]

I began writing when I was 21 because I worked long hours and hated my job and often sat around bored. SO.... I wrote little stories set in a fantasy world and named my characters after my coworkers and made bad things happen to them. OKAY I KNOW IT'S IMMATURE. Anyways, at the time, that was why I wrote, to get through a boring situation and make myself laugh. Now what began as one silly story has continued, and I now have nine books that followed that first one. of those nine, the last three are really good. As with all art, it is a progression. When I began drawing I wasn't very good, and when I began sewing I ripped more seams than I kept. But with time and practice one gains a style, worldly incite which is evident to a reader, and an ease about how to communicate with written words. Whether you believe your story has potential or not it is worth writing, because the worst that can happen is that you aren't completely satisfied when it's complete. You can always do what I do, and revisit it later (for me, it's years later, but there's no harm in that) and revise, revamp and edit the hell out of it. I hope whatever you decide, you do so because it makes you feel happy.

 

[soulless]

Just seeing the title of the post my answer was already "yes", then upon reading your brief description it became "YES". Please do, as it sounds quite interesting.

 

[grahamguitarman]

Every story is worth writing if its going to be written well. But if you are new to writing then as has already been suggested I'd get in some practice - and get plenty of critical feedback from your peers.

Try starting with short stories to begin with, full novels can be quite daunting, and require lots of time and commitment. With a short story, you can get a lot of storytelling and structure experience in a smaller format, since you still have to consider things like story arc, character development and pacing.

You could perhaps write short stories based in your fantasy world, this would have many advantages for your story telling over and above simple writing practice.

First it will help you to refine the world your novels will eventually be set in, if something doesn't quite work in a short story its not a real problem, and is easy to fix or dump. In a novel its harder work to put something right afterwards, as you have invested too much emotional input into it.

Also writing about a character who has found themselves in a similar situation but has been caught, would be good background development for your story. If you have written about the awful things that can happen in necromancy, and what happens to someone who falls afoul of the authorities / religion, then it will be easier for you to give a more real sense of the danger in your actual novel.

anyway good luck with it

 

[Xanados]

Ideas are incredibly cheap and arbitrary notions. One can make a good story out of a bad idea, I believe, if they are able to write well.

 

[Devor]

Hi, my name's Tina, I'm new to writing & I wanted to know if my idea for my first series is worth it or not.
A young woman who can communicate with spirits is caught trying to bring back the ghost of her dead friend by a powerful (female) necromancer & blackmailed into helping her get back at her rival. This magician threatens to tell the religious/government leaders who fear & worship the dead about her actions, which would lead to her being put to death for heresy, so the girl (Claire) gets caught up in a world of spirits, black magic & political/reliious corruption.
I'm REALLY nervous that this is a stupid/lame/melodramatic idea for a story so any input (even constructive criticism) would be great. Thank you!

These things always sound stupid when you try and compile them into a couple of sentences. Don't worry about it.

I think your loose outline is pretty good, but you'll want to find ways to deliver on the specific elements. Spirits and magicians (and everything else) have been done a lot, so you'll need to find a way to make them more distinct or impactful with your storytelling.

Of course, it goes without saying that the quality of your story and your characters will matter more than anything else.

 

[myrddin173]

The real question here is why do you think it wouldn't be? I think we are all in agreement, if you want to write it, write it.

 

[San Cidolfus]

After reading the above posts, I think the vote is solid. If you want to write it, then write it. Or write something smaller and more manageable. Since you're only beginning the craft, the smaller project is definitely wiser. You need practice before you can handle a full length novel.

Anyway, I didn't post this just to reiterate what the others have said so eloquently. I wanted to add that if and when you do start writing, please feel free to post it in the showcase section. There are more than a few of us who are willing to take the time to give you honest critiques and constructive advice, if you have the discipline to write and the courage to post it. So please do.

 

[Leif GS Notae]

I'll throw in a yes vote as well, but it seems as though this is a huge project that might get lost on the way if you don't take the time to plan the sign posts first. Necromancers are easy to fall into the stereotypical plot trap, so you want to make this part interesting and identifiable with your reader. You'd do well with sitting at a desk with a blank sheet of paper or two and just mind mapping some major points while asking "What if?" to root out anything that might be an issue or doesn't make sense.

Sounds intriguing, look forward to reading what you have in the future.

 

[Alexander Knight]

I'd say yes, the story sounds interesting enough to catch people's attention. But, like others have said, what's going to make it a good read is if you enjoy writing it. A book is a large project, a series even larger. So it's going to take a large commitment from your to complete it. But if you've got it in you, let it out!

One thing to keep in mind, what makes a story an interesting read for you? For me, it's the characters. So when I write I try to make my characters interesting enough to make me want to read about them, learn about them, and explore their with with them. If that characters are interesting, the plot could be as mundane as possible but the book would still be enjoyable to read because we enjoy spending time with the characters.

And remember, even Harry Potter (the biggest thing to hit fantasy in decades) was turned down 27 times before being published. So, you see, your commitment to the series may need to be bigger than just the time it takes to write it. But as long as you enjoy the process, the effort expended will feel like a joy rather than a burden.

 

[Darwin]

I agree completely with Alexander. Before I even read the description that you gave my answer was yes. As a writer, if you feel you have a story to tell then by sheer natural impulse you should write it. Truthfully it doens't matter what anyone else says, this is your story and ultimately it's yours to tell or not tell. Now in terms of the description my answer is still yes. The aspect of spirit worlds and talking to spirits isn't exactly original, but this is one of those subjects that is different everytime it's told. While stories of magic and dragons can become stale due to many people essentially writing the same story, stories about spirit worlds are inherently different. So by all means, get to work on this series of yours.

 

[James Chandler]

Yes.

(Do I really need to say more?)

 

[SeverinR]

If written properly a person could write about the life and times of bread mold and be interesting.

There is no definate best seller and no total failure story. The author makes the story.

Take any block buster, if written by a different person, it could be a total flop, take a total flop of a story written by someone else it could be a best seller.

Like any other form of art, the artist makes the art.

I agree with Graham,
Writing short stories allows you to create characters, settings, a plot, and get feedback on it over a short period. You can correct mistakes or ways to do it better as you progress.
You can work on your full length novel, but expect that you will learn how to do it better as you get feedback(or even just learn reading these forums)

I had three books finished in editing stage when I started on the forums, I have learned alot, and am currently rewriting two of the three, not sure the last is salvagable.(it was my first book)

Oh, and if your working on a series, you can write short stories related to the series, and you will have background for the real books. But even if not related, nothing you focus on writing at your best, is wasted. (If you don't try, you won't improve, thats why I say focus on)