Writing: finding plots and asking "what if"

[Rita]

We're watching our economy crumble down around us, and many people are saying "well, we should have done this," or "we should have done that." These are the types of questions we need to ask ourselves--as writers--about our world in order to find stories.

I have been playing around with this question: what if, in our society, we invested in our own dreams rather than putting our money into other people's businesses? What kind of society would we have?

I don't have an answer to that yet, but I could see this being an interesting utopian plot line. Or maybe distopian. Hmm.

So what "what if" questions do you ask about life that helps you find topics to write about?

[Seth]

oh, that is an AWESOME what if question, rita! my current "what if" is "what if serial killers could never be stopped?"

[Rita]

That would make an interesting murder mystery story.

[Seth]

its not really a murder mystery . . . its weird.

[Rita]

It sounds it! I can't imagine a scifi with that premise. It would certainly be different.

[Seth]

it is kinda scifi/fantasy . . . interesting stuff.

[David]

The question "what if" is exactly what I asked when developing the plot for my novel "ITP: Future Hope". What if our government becomes the supreme entity, what if science and technology "solve all our problems, etc. It made for interesting writing and speculating.ITP Future HopeDavid Gelber

[Jim]

Every writer is involved in "what if?" & we create worlds we'd like to see, no matter how closely it resembles the actual world we live in.

That's what I've been doing investing in my dreams.

[Rita]

And I ask what if questions about my characters too. Look for an interesting personality, ask some what if questions, and change it just enough to include it in you story. What if that girl at work who wants everyones attention and pretends that she does more work than anyone else was really a boy who was out to control the world? What they would say and how they would act wouldn't be too hard to imagine because you have a live example in your life.

[Rita]

Jim wrote: "...That's what I've been doing investing in my dreams."

That's what we are as writers. Dream Investors. I wrote an article about this on my blog. http://afantasyfiction.blogspot.com/2...

Please check it out!

[[deleted user]]

Very good question. For me, it is very hard to not invest in someone else's business, whether it is with my time or the money I cobble together to pay for advertising or edits, mailings etc.

I think there is a story in there. Your premise sounds good.

[Phyllis]

Seth . . . wrote: "it is kinda scifi/fantasy . . . interesting stuff."

I have another 'take' on a similar what if...what if there was a way to stop people who had decided to commit a crime just before they act? It's a novel I have a good start on, but there are a few other stories I have to finish before completing it.

[Leslie Ann]

Phyllis, make sure you've seen the movie 'Minority Report' before you get too far into your novel.

[Phyllis]

Leslie wrote: "Phyllis, make sure you've seen the movie 'Minority Report' before you get too far into your novel. "

Thanks, Leslie. It's always good to see how others have dealt with the same 'what if?' My story doesn't use precognition and it takes a different turn when the wrong people start to die.