It's all in the twist

 
It's been said that there are no new stories, just the twist in which the author spins that makes something original. I always love reading something that has an original spin (especially if that spin keeps me guessing to the end), and I love trying to think "outside the box" when it comes to creating my stories, always looking for a way to tell my story in a different and hopefully unique way.

So, I'm tackling my new story "Swayed" like this. I've got two main characters, twins, who get a copy of an unreleased game and as they get to the higher levels of it, the game gives them super powers and the game is brought into reality.

This story is allowing me to try and twist something that is well known (superheroes/villains and super powers) into something that is different. Yeah, I could give all my heroes flight or strength, but I wanted to be different. I do, in fact, have a speedster who is super fast, but the difference with this power is that she builds up  light as she runs so she looks like a shooting star. But, for the rest of the powers I'm trying to find some of the under-used powers.

Jett (my main villain) is a technopath. He can understand how any mechanical object is assembled and works, and can build anything. The only problem is that when he builds he doesn't know what he's building (or what will happen once the device is switched on) until he tests it. His whole subconscious takes over when he starts building and he works more on instinct.

Jace (my hero) can open portals which she can travel through. The limitation is that she can only open portals to as far as she can see. They can also be dangerous if she can't control them and they become like a vacuum.

So, just for fun, what sort of super power would you like to have? And, would you be a hero or villain?

Is originality dead?

Every time I see something different I absolutely love it. I saw Despicable Me yesterday (I absolutely adore animations) and I thought it was rather different than what the majority of movies are about.

Most of the movies being made these days are adaptations, remakes, reimaginings or revolves around the same plot elements that so many stories before had used. Even the majority of novels can be seen doing this, using the same formula of successful stories, just with a new twist (either to the plot or to the characters).

But, I can see this is a good thing, because it allows the story to be easily classified (especially for movies). Two movies that I absolutely loved at the cinema was Kick Ass and Scott Pilgrim vs The World. The problem with these two movies was that they were hard to classify because they were unlike most other stories out at the moment.


So, my question is, can anything be original or what makes something original? Also, is it dangerous to be too original because the agent/publisher/audience won't know how to react or relate to it?

Your take on Originality

Well, yesterday I gave the question of whether you write for the audience or yourself... today is along similar lines. It's already been established (I hope) that to be a writer you've got to read and write as much as possible. That being said, how can you make sure what you write is your own idea, or even original?

I've been working on Haven for way too long, and every now and again a novel with similar elements crop up (like one called 'Haven' which is being released next year... Now I know I've got to change the title). I guess that everything's been done and nothing's original anymore, but how come people are still devouring novel after novel? I believe it's the spin they put on the familiar.

Here's a quick (and just totally made up) formula for creating an intriguing story:

1. Start with the familiar - the audience has to be able to relate, and having something that they know will help hook them.
2. Add a spin - something that's never been done, even if the character just has a quirk that will make them stand out from every other character out there.
3. Populate the world - more of the familiar, make the characters stand out and break from stereotypes (I hate stereotypical characters, but love the quirky ones)
4. Make them suffer - hey, this is where the interest lies (I often think my characters are going to mutiny against me because of the amount of pain I put them through)... it's all worth it
5. Enjoy what you write... you can't write a good story if you don't like it.

I believe that originality lies in the spin, the one thing that differentiates the story/novel from all the others on the same topic. But, that just makes the story even better reading something from an angle that I had never thought about before.

Do you think there's anything original these days?

Putting a Spin on Things

Have you ever heard "Your story's just not original enough?" But, what is original these days?

Take me, I'm trying to write a vampire novel (and if that's not bad enough it's set in a schooling environment). Now, as soon as I mention vampire I get the whole "oh, like Twilight" or "not another one". When I put the two words together (Vampire School) the comments get even less favourable.

So, I know the importance of trying to think of original ideas (in my defense I've been working on Haven for over 5 years to get every aspect right).

I have absorbed everything to do with vampires and, believe it or not, most of the stories I've read have a spin on the legends from vampires that glitter in the sun to vampires that have come out in the open to vampires being the main creature on the earth with humans being rare and hunted. All of these stories have something that makes them different.

 

Now, this is a vampire I can sink my teeth into.

Yummy. (for anyone not knowing, this is Damon from

Vampire Diaries.)

What makes mine different? I've got mortal vampires. My werewolves look like giant porcupines with dragon nozzles. My witches suck the life energy from living things. And other things, but that's best to be kept a secret in fear of ruining the story.

P.S. I think I have to change the title of Haven. I just found out that there's a book called Haven set to be released in 2011 (damn it)... so still trying to figure out what I'm going to call it.

How do you handle originality and have you ever tried to put a spin on an overused concept?

It can be done...

What? I hear you wondering. Well, I just got back from the movie Daybreakers (and by the way, I absolutely loved it) and that movie just proves that an overused topic can still have a fresh and intriguing twist added to it. And for all those out there that haven't heard of the movie (well, you should have) it is a great "Australian" made vampire movie.

I hear gasps of horror. Surely there's no other way that a vampire story can still be original. You guessed wrong. The twists this movie plays up is the question of "what would happen if the world was over run by vampires and humans were a rare commodity".

Sitting through this movie made me ponder some questions that I have been asking myself in regards to my vampire novel, Haven. I hate to say it, but I seriously need to do a rewrite (and focus less on the vamp school thing). I've had a great idea to alter the setting, which will probably take a lot of work, but I've never been more motivated in my life (and all because of a movie... that actually shocks me too).

Instead of a school for Haven I've decided to turn the location into a Boot Camp. What does that sound like? A boot camp for vamps... where everything's back to basic training for these new recruits. I'm not changing because one person doesn't like the setting, I'm changing because my gutt is telling me something.

Do you ever feel like this, where something has inspired you enough to decide that a major rewrite of your story was necessary, or even been inspired enough to write something that you would never have thought about before? Or, am I just going a bit crazy?

P.s. Tonight I'm over the moon, after getting back from the movies I found out that I've been accepted into uni to study to become a teacher... Yay me...