Deth Muncher
2011-03-03, 05:30 AM
So, I've had in it my head for a while now that I want to write short stories. Whenever I stay up excessively late, I get all these ideas that would be wonderful for short stories - well, presumably wonderful, anyway. I've actually done a little bit of research into how to get noticed/published once I actually have a portfolio of sorts, as well as somehow, my father knows published writers who said they'd be more than happy to take a look at the things I write. So huzzah! But what am I doing here, you might ask? Well...I want to bounce an idea off of you, for the moment, and eventually post up what I write.
The current idea a-brewing in my brainmeats:
So, there's times in the day when someone pisses me off, and I hold up my hand in a dramatic gesture and imagine them being engulfed in flame. I then realize, of course, that this can't happen, and am saddened. And then, of course, I thought "Hey wait. That's a neat idea for magic." Now, I realize this has probably been used in a videogame or a story already because, of course, there are no new ideas under the Sun, but hear me out. (Also, by element, I'm referring to the classic fantasy idea of elements, what with the fire, water, electricity, and not, for example, giving people the ability to manipulate Tungsten or something. That would be silly.)
So let's say that characters in this story occasionally develop elemental manipulation powers. Why? Not important right now, though it will be later. So, let's say that main character notices he's a little more static-y than normal. Like, everything he touches zaps him. And just for lulz, he makes like he's throwing a lightning bolt, since he clearly has so much built up energy. And then a tree shortly thereafter catches on fire, because he just threw a goddamn lightning bolt from his hand. Also, from being in such close proximity to a lightning strike, he goes temporarily deaf.
From there, secondary characters develop other elemental powers, and we go from there.
My first question: Is this too cheesy and overdone?
My second question/statement: So, in my mind, I either see this story playing out in a highschool, and turning into the classic love triangle, but the guy who loses out on the deal has superpowers and will proceed to light everything on fire until he gets his way, OR, on a college campus, in which it turns a bit more E.T., where at least one of these kids starts using his powers publicly, and soon runs into the reason why this trope never gets subverted - displaying supernatural powers gets you lots of attention you don't want, and possibly being dissected by the military to figure out how you work. Is THAT too cheesy and overdone?
The current idea a-brewing in my brainmeats:
So, there's times in the day when someone pisses me off, and I hold up my hand in a dramatic gesture and imagine them being engulfed in flame. I then realize, of course, that this can't happen, and am saddened. And then, of course, I thought "Hey wait. That's a neat idea for magic." Now, I realize this has probably been used in a videogame or a story already because, of course, there are no new ideas under the Sun, but hear me out. (Also, by element, I'm referring to the classic fantasy idea of elements, what with the fire, water, electricity, and not, for example, giving people the ability to manipulate Tungsten or something. That would be silly.)
So let's say that characters in this story occasionally develop elemental manipulation powers. Why? Not important right now, though it will be later. So, let's say that main character notices he's a little more static-y than normal. Like, everything he touches zaps him. And just for lulz, he makes like he's throwing a lightning bolt, since he clearly has so much built up energy. And then a tree shortly thereafter catches on fire, because he just threw a goddamn lightning bolt from his hand. Also, from being in such close proximity to a lightning strike, he goes temporarily deaf.
From there, secondary characters develop other elemental powers, and we go from there.
My first question: Is this too cheesy and overdone?
My second question/statement: So, in my mind, I either see this story playing out in a highschool, and turning into the classic love triangle, but the guy who loses out on the deal has superpowers and will proceed to light everything on fire until he gets his way, OR, on a college campus, in which it turns a bit more E.T., where at least one of these kids starts using his powers publicly, and soon runs into the reason why this trope never gets subverted - displaying supernatural powers gets you lots of attention you don't want, and possibly being dissected by the military to figure out how you work. Is THAT too cheesy and overdone?