My plot may be a load of rubbish (:

[LR]

I'm 3 chapters into (what I hope to be) my debut novel, and guess what! I just realised that my plot may be another pile of regurgitated, done-before, boring mess that doesn't make sense to anyone at all...great :) Should I scrap the idea, or should I carry it on? Just be frank, if its ridiculous then I don't want to waste anymore of my time on it. (WARNING: This is going to be quite long.)

Plot: The daughter of a British nobleman just reached the age where she can join her family in their business, not their public business, but underground work full of murder/lies/deceit.

During her ceremony she builds up so much anxiety and anger that she unknowingly lashes out and kills all the guests with her bare hands and eats their hearts in the process. Turns out, that build up of anger caused her to turn herself into a beast that can only survive on human hearts. She runs away and is taken in by a group of people like her, who have also turned themselves into heart eating creatures.

The story follows how the girl comes to terms with her new state, the reason she hated her parents was because they were secretly murderers, and now she has to do the same just to survive. It explores her thoughts, and whether killing humans is wrong because she herself was one, but she also wants to live and if she doesn't kill them shes gonna die.

On the other side, her best friend believes that she's dead and joins the investigators/military to eventually kill all the creatures, as revenge for killing her best friend. She grows to believe that the creatures are the scum of the earth and have no reason whatsoever to be left alive. We explore their side of the story, how these creatures are murdering their loved ones and constantly posing a threat to them.

Basically its a huge mess exploring identity, morality, loyalty etc.
So what is it a huge load of crap or should I continue? If I should, what genre do you think it would be?

Side note: If you respond, can you leave your age? You dont have to if you dont want to, I'm just curious.

Thanks :)

[Alexis]

Before I read: OMG I HAD THIS SAME FREAKOUT TODAY and came close to sending the whole thing to the trash bin.

Okay, let me go read your plot now,.

[Alexis]

May wrote: "I'm 3 chapters into (what I hope to be) my debut novel, and guess what! I just realised that my plot may be another pile of regurgitated, done-before, boring mess that doesn't make sense to anyone ..."

I’m younger than 35. :)

Honestly, the plot is wild. But good writing can save almost any plot, in my opinion. I’d label it YA Fantasy

[LR]

Alexis wrote: "May wrote: "I'm 3 chapters into (what I hope to be) my debut novel, and guess what! I just realised that my plot may be another pile of regurgitated, done-before, boring mess that doesn't make sens..."

Wild as in good wild or wild as in bad wild cos honestly I'm willing to accept both TT

Also omg nice to know Im not alone in this! Realising your plot it horrid is probably the worst thing that could happen.

Thanks :)

[D.J.]

I'm 46, feel about 700. The thing is, EVERYTHING has been done before. I wouldn't let that stop you. I like the idea of the underground business. I like the idea of eating hearts-not my favourite meat! Yes there are a lot of searching out identities and trying to find a place in the world stories. So? There are a lot of every other story out there too. It's the way you write it that will set it apart from everyone else.

[LR]

D.J. wrote: "I'm 46, feel about 700. The thing is, EVERYTHING has been done before. I wouldn't let that stop you. I like the idea of the underground business. I like the idea of eating hearts-not my favourite m..."

Do you suggest I keep it the way it is? Or should I get rid of some elements..

[D.J.]

I'd write it then see what needs cutting at the end. But really it's up to you. If there are bits you aren't happy writing, rework them now.

[LR]

D.J. wrote: "I'd write it then see what needs cutting at the end. But really it's up to you. If there are bits you aren't happy writing, rework them now."

Thanks, also what genre would you put this into?

[Alexis]

D.J. wrote: "I'd write it then see what needs cutting at the end. But really it's up to you. If there are bits you aren't happy writing, rework them now."

I have like 5 books in Work in Progress status, so I’m not one to talk, but I say.. finish it. You can always fix in the end or use parts of it for another book.

[D.J.]

Same as Alexis, I think. YA or NA Fantasy.

[Alexis]

May wrote: "Alexis wrote: "May wrote: "I'm 3 chapters into (what I hope to be) my debut novel, and guess what! I just realised that my plot may be another pile of regurgitated, done-before, boring mess that do..."

Wild good, if you can make it good, tbh.

The heart eating thing is actually not that crazy. I remember an episode of Charmed where one the girls turned into a Wendigo and had to eat hearts to survive... so, yeah, it’s been done. (Which, of course, doesn’t mean you can’t also do it and put your own spin on it.)

[D.J.]

Zombies aren't picky about the body parts they eat. Plenty of zombie books around. Love a zombie book. Eating hearts is not that 'out there'. I may even have eaten one myself (not human and as I said, not my favourite meat!)

[Dale]

May wrote: "I'm 3 chapters into (what I hope to be) my debut novel, and guess what! I just realised that my plot may be another pile of regurgitated, done-before, boring mess that doesn't make sense to anyone ..."

It's fine. Write it. If nothing else, you need the experience.

My "debut" novel (the one that was actually published by my own little company) was my sixth. That, after writing piles of unsellable short stories for a couple of decades. I don't mean to scare you--your trajectory will be your own, not mine--but honestly, most of us don't write a winner the first or second or third time out. But we must write those early works anyway, because that's the only way to gain experience and expertise in writing. So just write it and don't worry about it.

I'm 59. Genre doesn't matter so much. Audience does. Tell the story. If you want to tell it for a YA audience, make it a YA something or other. If you want to tell it for an adult audience, make it an adult whatever. It sounds like horror or dark fantasy to me, but I'm not much into either of those genres, so what do I know?

[Karen]

I'm 54, and I say keep going! There's nothing new under the sun, so just look for your own take on whatever it is that has been done before. If your characters are interesting and readers feel for them, this plot can definitely work.