Help! There's a hole in my story!

[fantasywriter]

I have a great idea for a Fantasy Novel. It's about a girl who has special magic powers with two best friends that makes her a target. The bad guy, Thor wants to make her evil.
I know the start is her finding out about her powers and the end is the final battle with Thor (I'm hoping for a series) but I have no general direction for the story. There's a hole in the middle of it. Any ideas people would like to read about in a fantasy novel?
I'm hoping the story will be like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, things like that. Can anyone help me?

 

[dustinzgirl]

You're missing the forest for the trees.

Calm down and think about what you want your character to evolve to. What will she need to learn about herself, her powers, her environment, her friends, her family, her abilities, before she can defeat the mighty being?

Thats your plot. It is in all those books.

 

[Malloriel]

Don't be afraid to write inconsequential scenes with your major characters. You never know what might turn into a plot point while you get to know them.

And while I can see what you mean, in general, about the series you mentioned, to me they're all VERY different kinds, which evolved for very different reasons. You might sit down and analyse them to figure out what made each one unique as a series, and why they exist at all. Perhaps understanding the series you admire will help you determine where to go from here.

 

[Writers Blocked]

If originality isn't a big thing for you there is a tried and true formula that would at least allow you to flex your writing muscles in fleshing it out. (too much biology?)

The lead character discovers their powers and has two friends. One encourages patience and control over her powers, the difficult and boring path that yields no imediate fun and emphasises control over power. The other friend encourages her to go down the easier and more fun route of wreckless empowerment which would offer her more power but with less control. There's your conflict. She alienates the good friend, joins the bad one only to realise that she was wrong to do so all along. There's a confrontation that leaves her beaten and defeated but the first friend takes her back and she learns to defeat the bad guy using patience and control. Happy ending which can continue especially as she has enough control not to kill the bad guy, but leave him bitter and impotent, swearing revenge.

It's a classic, I know, but it can be hidden in good writing and characters and if you're just doing this as an educational exercise, I don't see anything wrong with the odd cliche.

 

[dreir]

If you don't mind me saying, that's an awfully big hole..

- Dreir -

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Well I would drop the Thor for the baddie unless he's a hammer wielding god.

Also it's a bit like - Judi Canavan - The Black magician Trilogy

However, there are plenty of options as Writersblocked has suggested.

Though it would seem thinking of a series at this stage with such a gaping hole might seem a tad ambitious.

 

[Writers Blocked]

If you don't mind me saying, that's an awfully big hole..

- Dreir -

Hey, they're just missing the middle, they've got the beginning and the end, so that's, like, two thirds of the work done right there

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Writers:

Once upon a time...

**

The end

** story is left as an exercise for the reader.

Please send cheques to.....

 

[Writers Blocked]

Once upon a time...

**

The end

** story is left as an exercise for the reader.

Please send cheques to.....

You know, as an educational tool, that's actually not as stupid as is sounds. A Choose Your Own Adventure book for aspiring writers where you get the first and last chapters and have to fill in the "hole."

We can split the royalty cheques in half

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Writers: Count me in.

 

[Writers Blocked]

We're gonna be rich, rich I tells ya!!!

Which would be great if I do end up losing my job.

 

[New Ray Tech]

You missed saying how much you have written. Develop your characters and then let them write the story for you. Real Characters give realism to your fantasy.

 

[RcGrant]

I don't think you have a hole in your story at all; I think your story is simply a premise. So don't panic. Step away, realise you have a nugget of an idea, and get brain-storming. Any of my ideas which have a chance of developing, usually come to me with the ending first.