Post by Admin on Sept 4, 2016 12:20:03 GMT
Over on Holly's boards you posted you were having trouble with a story. Is it the one about the ghosts? I was thinking about that idea and wondered if maybe you're having trouble identifying with the other side.
What exactly is a ghost? (spirit, non-corporeal entity?)
What is their function? Do they live on that side and only incarnate a host when they have life lessons to learn? Are they like butterflies that go through a chrysalis stage?
Is a human body the equivalent of a cocoon and at death the soul is freed?
Why would a ghost (for want of a better term) stick around?
What would make them try so hard to interact with the human world?
In my book coming out soon, I have 4 people who, because of being close to someone they love, acquire some unique gifts. The person passing, didn't go all the way over. They anchored themselves to the person with them at the moment of dying.
1 character has the gift of healing
1 character has a ghost that follows him around
1 character has the gift of automatic writing. Her twin sister talks through her and because her twin is on the other side is able to see, know, and relate things that are not dependent on the real? world.
1 character is a medium and other spirits can speak through her.
Each of these characters has rules they must abide by. Have you figured out the parameters of your ghost world?
I'm thinking some of your problem in writing these stories is you haven't established the world they live in. You need to do some world building. Set up parameters of what they can, and can't do. Figure out why a spirit would want to stick around and interfere with the corporeal world.
Once your world is established then you can figure out what their need is. is your protagonist trustworthy? Or does your protag have some serious mental issues to work around. I would think, in a healthy individual, and by healthy I mean mentally stable, I think leaving the cocoon (body) would free them to their real existence. I'm not sure human emotions, human needs, would motivate them. And if it does, why?
You could always go back to basic journalism questions.
Who is your story about?
What does your story need to accomplish?
Where does your story take place?
When does your story take place?
How does the story work? Under the 'how' questions I would put point of view. Who tells the story? If its a ghost, what are the restrictions he has in relating the story? Is he talking to the reader? or does he have a companion he talks to?
I think you're on to something fresh and different but its not a case of sitting down and writing. You have a lot of work to do before you write. Welcome to the world of professional author. We wander on to strange and wonderful paths.
What exactly is a ghost? (spirit, non-corporeal entity?)
What is their function? Do they live on that side and only incarnate a host when they have life lessons to learn? Are they like butterflies that go through a chrysalis stage?
Is a human body the equivalent of a cocoon and at death the soul is freed?
Why would a ghost (for want of a better term) stick around?
What would make them try so hard to interact with the human world?
In my book coming out soon, I have 4 people who, because of being close to someone they love, acquire some unique gifts. The person passing, didn't go all the way over. They anchored themselves to the person with them at the moment of dying.
1 character has the gift of healing
1 character has a ghost that follows him around
1 character has the gift of automatic writing. Her twin sister talks through her and because her twin is on the other side is able to see, know, and relate things that are not dependent on the real? world.
1 character is a medium and other spirits can speak through her.
Each of these characters has rules they must abide by. Have you figured out the parameters of your ghost world?
I'm thinking some of your problem in writing these stories is you haven't established the world they live in. You need to do some world building. Set up parameters of what they can, and can't do. Figure out why a spirit would want to stick around and interfere with the corporeal world.
Once your world is established then you can figure out what their need is. is your protagonist trustworthy? Or does your protag have some serious mental issues to work around. I would think, in a healthy individual, and by healthy I mean mentally stable, I think leaving the cocoon (body) would free them to their real existence. I'm not sure human emotions, human needs, would motivate them. And if it does, why?
You could always go back to basic journalism questions.
Who is your story about?
What does your story need to accomplish?
Where does your story take place?
When does your story take place?
How does the story work? Under the 'how' questions I would put point of view. Who tells the story? If its a ghost, what are the restrictions he has in relating the story? Is he talking to the reader? or does he have a companion he talks to?
I think you're on to something fresh and different but its not a case of sitting down and writing. You have a lot of work to do before you write. Welcome to the world of professional author. We wander on to strange and wonderful paths.
