A plot, my kingdom for a plot ...

[sholio]

In two days, I've written more of the original-fic novel that I'm not supposed to be writing than I've managed to write, over the last two weeks, of the one I'm supposed to be writing. I guess I'll shelve the old one for awhile, then! At some point, however, if I keep writing this thing, I really must come up with a plot -- I can't just have them run around the city bickering for the next 20 chapters. And maybe a title would be nice, too. (My original working title had to do with maps, but that only made sense before I started writing. Me: "Hey, I think I'll write a novel about a mapmaker!" *writes 11,000 words that aren't about a mapmaker* Me: "Oops.")

Anyway, this is mostly for fun, because even I'm not crazy enough to write a novel by polling my flist for plot points, but I *am* actually curious how you respond to the following:

[Poll #1204159]

Comments

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

One thing I like about the "ancient technology no one understands" thing is when it's our technology, rather than some alien technology. Post-apocalyptic FTW.

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

That's actually more what I was thinking - well, I was leaning towards the descendants of long-ago colonists rediscovering their colony ship, but I hadn't even though that it might be set on a far-future Earth. Hmmmmm...!

[spark-force.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Agreed.

[naye]

My votes are all enthusiastic and mostly unhelpful, since I get stuck at cool!. Oops. And also? Pirates! Aliens! Alien Pirates!!! Yes. I think I like that a little too much.

The city breaks down, and THEN they explore the whole world!

See, I would have voted for this, except I started hearing the Final Fantasy 7 theme music, and saw the world rolled out like a map to explore... FF7 starts in a city with lots of tech that is kind of mysterious, and then the little band of adventurers go off to explore the world after the city starts breaking. (There's a reason for the breaking, but still!) Besides - domed city with mysterious tech sounds COOL! (See. Totally unhelpful!)

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the noveling! You inspire me to get cracking on some of my own original stuff...

[bratfarrar]

Mostly I trust that whatever you wind up writing will be interesting, and not more of the tired old tropes rehashed. Even if they are the same old tropes, judging by what you've written in the past, you'll find a way to turn them into something original and worth reading.

Well, as original as anything can get at this point.

[ladyoflisquill.livejournal.com]

Firstly... Ticky Boxes! \o/

Secondly, just about the animal question; I ticked earth animals but I think you have to go one way or the other. A dog running around with a bugaloo (or whatever) just always seems to me like trying too hard. Unless the animals are pertinant to the story or the world you are trying to create I think simplicity is the key.

::two cents thrown in::

[rogue-pudding.livejournal.com]

Buried Alien spaceships are cool; so long as you avoid the typical Von Daniken thing making them recent enough to have muddled in human cultural development. Go old, really old, something that's been sitting in the rock for millions of years until it is freed. Unless it's the far-future, our technology thing, that can work to.

Ditto on the mysterious old technology; plus if it's old alien stuff feel free to mess around with control interfaces and readouts not meant for human hands or eyes.

Pirates!

Enclosed city, uninhabitable surface.

Earth animals, inside the city.