Please, critique my plot idea (warning: spoiler alert)

[Writer’s_Magic]

So, I wanna write a book series, which is like a crossover between 1984 and The Selection. But I don’t know if the rough plot is good enough. So, here is the plot of the three books.:

In the first book, the protagonist is looking for a way how to flee to the democracy part of her world (Eurasia). But the protagonist’s family gets a letter that the prince of North America (Yep! America is a kingdom in my novel’s world.) is looking for a wife. The protagonist’s mother wants that she joins the damn contest. So, she is doomed to do this. At the palace, there is a mean girl, a minister, who wants more power and manipulate the king and tries to do this with the prince, and other conflicts (maybe you have an idea.).

In the second book, there was a rebels’ attack and the safety measures are stronger now. Many rebels are captured. Dumb that one of the rebels is the protagonist’s long-lost brother. And the evil minister has a secret son, who lives not in the civilization, makes problems, and can read Shakespeare (Shakespeare became unknown—because of the war.)

In the third (and final) book, the prince and the protagonist falls in love with each other. The minister’s plan B (kill the family) starts.

In the end, the protagonist and prince marry. The prince gives the civilians more rights and the caste system is dissolved by the prince. The minister is prisoned—because of high treason!

 

[Heliotrope]

Writers Magic, I’m not sure how old you are but I gather you are quiet young. I say go for it. Write this story. You seem very excited about it. That is what is important.

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Heliotrope If you wanna know it, I’m 17 years old. And at the moment, I stuck just on these descriptions.

 

[Heliotrope]

And at the moment, I stuck just on these descriptions.

What do you mean by this? Can you explain this a bit more?

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Heliotrope Well...I got just this rough plot. I had more detail, but then, I noticed that it’s too similar to The Selection.

 

[Heliotrope]

It takes a while to brainstorm these things. Where you go next is really up to you. You can simply start writing out a synopsis (telling yourself the story), or you can start writing a rough draft, or you can start brainstorming character motivations. That will help you to flesh things out a bit.

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Heliotrope I brainstormed. A lot. But I didn’t move forward. I got the feeling something is missed.

 

[Heliotrope]

Then start writing out a summary. You will see gaps and holes right away. It is a simple as telling yourself the story, right from the beginning to end. Every single thing you know about the story.


Opening Scene

Sophie is making dinner for her parents and her little brother, Simon. From the kitchen window of their tiny third floor apartment, she can see the riots are starting to get worse and worse. The people are wanting the current leadership to step down, but the leadership refuses. People are now throwing rotting fruit at the parliament building. Some people are trying to climb over the wall to face the Prime Minister, who has been hiding inside and refuses to face anyone. People are holding up their sick children, desperate for reform. Sophie's own brother coughs in the background, and her mother tends to him. A plague has wiped through the country these past few weeks. The government had access to the medicine needed, but because of the holes in the bureaucracy it took too long for people to get access to it, and a lot of it fell into the black market. People are mad....


Etc..... just keep writing out everything you know in synopsis form. Eventually you will see where you need to flesh out some ideas or do some more brainstorming. When that happens, you can either do it then, or you can leave it as a question and come back to it later.

So all through my summaries I usually have little questions or notes for myself....

What is she making for dinner? What does the plague look like? How can I add tension to this scene? Maybe she wants to go to the riot but her dad won't let her.... or maybe he is down there and she is worried about him?

Is a plague cliche? What else could be wrong... how can I show that the government is crumbling?

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Heliotrope In another forum, which I joined, they said the idea isn’t mellow.

 

[Heliotrope]

I don’t understand what that means? Please elaborate.

 

[Writer’s_Magic]

Heliotrope Not good enough to work with it...

 

[Heliotrope]

Writes Magic. You are 17 years old. Just write stuff. Any stuff. Don’t let people judge an idea in it’s infancy. If there is one thing I know about writing it is that ideas are a dime dozen. What you do with the idea is what counts. Just because a few people tell you they wouldn't write that story doesn't mean you shouldn’t. You need to settle on something. Anything, and just write it.