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Idea of a book

Idea threads

oz87

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Okay I have an idea for a book that I have been looking to ask for critiques on for a while now, I have posted the synopsis below and would really appreciate some honest opinions on turning this into a book:

I would have sold my soul to the devil for one more shot. One more shot at proving myself, proving that I could be all he needed and more.

I wasted so much of everything, on someone who I became obsessed with. Someone I didn't think I could live without but then once he had me, he left me high and dry. Like an addict desperate for a fix.

After him I was sure that I was destined to be alone; until someone found me and helped me climb back out of my dark depression. A person who put my life back together. A person who made me choose between real life with him or a fantasy with someone who had already left me.

I believed that life could be good again. He earned my trust and I told him everything. I can't say that he understood, but he didn't run either. He stuck around and I fell in love once again.

Then it happened. He found me again and now he says that he is in it for the long haul. One conversation to find out why he played this game with me and tore my life apart couldn't hurt, right?
 
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RyanSki

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Okay I have an idea for a book that I have been looking to ask for critiques on for a while now, I have posted the synopsis below and would really appreciate some honest opinions on turning this into a book:

I would have sold my soul to the devil for one more shot. One more shot at proving myself, proving that I could be all he needed and more.

I wasted so much of everything, on someone who I became obsessed with. Someone I didn't think I could live without but then once he had me, he left me high and dry. Like an addict desperate for a fix.

After him I was sure that I was destined to be alone; until someone found me and helped me climb back out of my dark depression. A person who put my life back together. A person who made me choose between real life with him or a fantasy with someone who had already left me.

I believed that life could be good again. He earned my trust and I told him everything. I can't say that he understood, but he didn't run either. He stuck around and I fell in love once again.

Then it happened. He found me again and now he says that he is in it for the long haul. One conversation to find out why he played this game with me and tore my life apart couldn't hurt, right?
So will the book start with that conversation and continue from there? Or will the book start with the relationship that in synposis ends where he lives main character high and dry?
 

oz87

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The book will begin from where the obsession began, a few years prior to the present day of the main character and it will describe the intensity of the relationship and the pure addiction that came from it. Basically the main character who is female will become someone she doesn't recognise and only begin to realise this when she tries to move on. The story is going to be about knowing when to cut ties with someone who is addictively toxic. I hope that makes sense! :)
 

Vigilante

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Rule #1 of writing something.

Don't ask people's opinions.

You will get 10 different opinions, and none of them mean anything.

If you have a story to tell, tell it.
 
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MJ DeMarco

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After him I was sure that I was destined to be alone; until someone found me and helped me climb back out of my dark depression. A person who put my life back together. A person who made me choose between real life with him or a fantasy with someone who had already left me.

I'm not your market, but IMO this is pathetic storyline and a total turn off.

To me, your character sounds like a desperate stage-five clinger who shouldn't be in any type of relationship.

When someone is broken, the answer isn't found in someone else -- it is found in themselves.

Other than that, writing a book and tossing it on Amazon is incredibly easy nowadays -- my opinion does not make a market.
 

Raoul Duke

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Rule #1 of writing something.

Don't ask people's opinions.

You will get 10 different opinions, and none of them mean anything.

If you have a story to tell, tell it.


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fresh

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What does your character want? Why can't the have it? Who/what is stopping them? And how will they change to finally get what they want? Struggle, passion, intensity is a good place to start. Look up things like Hero's Journey, or GMC (Goal/Motivation/Conflict) etc...and go from there. I think you know what your theme is...Making the right choices..good vs evil, etc... but before jumping in, if you figure out the path you may have a clearer picture of where your strengths and weaknesses are. I say, follow your gut, but remember that you need to account for reader's expectations.

Download the beat sheet here (for romance she has a good one) Write Romance? Get Your Beat Sheet Here! (not associated, it's a free download for writers)...and look at the others she offers. A lot are a version like Save the Cat! beat sheets. You want to make sure there's enough conflict internal and external, and these can help you work your way through the hurdles she'll have to climb.

Another very basic method, and I wish I could remember who to credit for it, but saw it on a list of plot structures...it was so basic it stuck with me... 1.Chase your hero up a tree. 2. Throw rocks at them. 3. Let them down. That is your beginning, middle, and end.

There's also Pixar that has a very basic stream (but originated with Brian McDonald)...

Once upon a time there was ___. Every day, ___. One day ___. Because of that, ___. Because of that, ___. Until finally ___.

You have your basic ideas, but for each and every scene and character look at their GMC. Debra Dixon I think wrote that, great book. It helps you get a hold of the thoughts and sort them out.


Good luck with your story. There is an audience for everybody. Your job is to figure out who your audience is, and write to their expectations. That sounds like angsty new-adult maybe...read books like those you want to write and see what works for you in those stories and what doesn't. Figure out the why it worked or didn't work for you...etc.
 
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Millenial_Kid5K1

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Sounds like a teen drama/romance novel. I doubt your target demographic has much in common with the demographic of this forum. Throw it out there on a twilight fanboard and see how they react.
 

Imgal

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I was going to say it doesn't sound like the demographic here is the one that you are after. The good thing is that posting here is you get to experience something that will make or break a person - criticism, and rejection of an idea.

If you really want to become a writer then you won't let this get you down - you'll do a couple of things. You'll go and find out who are the kind of people reading the kind of books you want to write. Start that by going to Amazon and finding bestselling titles with similar stories then go and find where people are talking about them in forums and Facebook Groups and find out what they liked about them so much (don't forget to look in the comments in the Amazon reviews for further evidence).

Next thing - learn your craft. I want to write a non-fiction book, but if I was to do it right now... it would be a horrible jumble of words that would come across as preachy and far more of an ego read than anything useful. It would get 100 sales, but that's only because my Mum would buy all those. Before I even think about doing it I need to spend time learning, writing, getting it horribly wrong and shot down by my peers so when I do put it out it has a chance of selling.

If you want to do this thing then you're going to do it.
 

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