Brainstorming session #1
Sep. 27th, 2011 09:04 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pyrostingerI had a bit of a brainstorming session last night. Not quite sure what to do with it, but maybe going to transcribe it a bit and keep thinking in order to flesh out this story. And for those of you watching, you're going to get an idea of what I want to do for this story.
First and foremost, this is a story for FANG, an erotic themed anthology put out for Bad Dog Books. The theme for volume 5 is "Best Enemies." For whatever reason, my first thought was 'rivals', or some kind or rivalry. I guess it's sorta my fault that I wanted to further write the story in my own little steampunk universe, if only to flesh it out some.
The first idea that I had (I had help with it, thanks Meisarelle) was two rival inventors with the penultimate scene at a world's faire of some sort, where they would compete maybe for patronage. Since it kinda has to be a sexy story, I was thinking that maybe one or both of the rivals would be blowing off some steam in one of the whore houses/bordellos of the area, the one that my character Shiya runs. But the thing of it is... even though I came up with some concepts as well as a few characters, the entire situation seemed... very awkward to me. I imagine it's going to be something similar once I return to the Unsheathed story prompt. Regardless, I'm not sure it's working for me, and I'm inclined to abandon the idea in favor of another.
See, the other idea that I'm developing is essentially a rivalry between two apprentices. I'm not sure how to make it work, but I think one or both is called upon to essentially do some upkeep around the place. Perhaps they're also fighting for the Master's affections. Not like that, but more in the way of favored apprentice and that still sounds kinda wrong somehow.
The submission page on FANG also lists some jumping off point, like an enemy who became a friend or a friend who became an enemy, so there are other avenues to explore on this. Hell, if I do it right, I could probably flesh out a bit of Shiya's past... which would be less of a problem. I haven't really put much thought into her origins, so there is that. But then there's the whole best enemies thing, which I wrote down in a notebook implies that they are perfectly or ideally opposed to one another. There's something going on here that makes two characters particularly good enemies... and yet, there's also supposed to be sex in here. The sex is probably going to be the hardest part, and most likely it's also going to be a pay off of some kind.
Perhaps I could do a bit of a sexual rivalry, but that seems kinda weird.
You know, I think maybe my major problem is trying to shoehorn the setting I want to in there. That might be the biggest problem. Or is it me trying to figure out how to put the sexy portions in it? I know that there has to be some kind of tension between the two characters, as that's the entire point, but why can't it also be sexual tension? Would there just be two people who have a falling out or something? Or is there some kind of inherent competition going on between them?
Maybe we can go back to the 'prentice idea, and have that two of them trying to out do each other. For whatever reason, I kinda want there to be a third party of some kind, to sorta... vent to. Perhaps the story could be a series of conversations, since that does seem to be my strong point. But even so... I think I want something more. Something to the story, I can't necessarily simply pander to my strong points. But the two 'prentices try to out do each other, maybe, and they're competing separately in a contest, maybe? Could be that one rival grabs the other behind the store, then in a minor twist, starts making out with the other.
What is steampunk, anyway? I wrote some of this down last night, and essentially it's kinda victoriana, probably around the 18th and 19th centuries, or therabouts. (Girl Genius kinda helps, here, in terms of clothing). There's exploration and a sort of explosion of innovation. Perhaps modern items made through antiquated methods. Inventors, scientists, engineers, alchemists, airships and dirigibles, pistols and revolvers, and probably plenty of goggle action.
I think I'm done for now... I'll think of something.
First and foremost, this is a story for FANG, an erotic themed anthology put out for Bad Dog Books. The theme for volume 5 is "Best Enemies." For whatever reason, my first thought was 'rivals', or some kind or rivalry. I guess it's sorta my fault that I wanted to further write the story in my own little steampunk universe, if only to flesh it out some.
The first idea that I had (I had help with it, thanks Meisarelle) was two rival inventors with the penultimate scene at a world's faire of some sort, where they would compete maybe for patronage. Since it kinda has to be a sexy story, I was thinking that maybe one or both of the rivals would be blowing off some steam in one of the whore houses/bordellos of the area, the one that my character Shiya runs. But the thing of it is... even though I came up with some concepts as well as a few characters, the entire situation seemed... very awkward to me. I imagine it's going to be something similar once I return to the Unsheathed story prompt. Regardless, I'm not sure it's working for me, and I'm inclined to abandon the idea in favor of another.
See, the other idea that I'm developing is essentially a rivalry between two apprentices. I'm not sure how to make it work, but I think one or both is called upon to essentially do some upkeep around the place. Perhaps they're also fighting for the Master's affections. Not like that, but more in the way of favored apprentice and that still sounds kinda wrong somehow.
The submission page on FANG also lists some jumping off point, like an enemy who became a friend or a friend who became an enemy, so there are other avenues to explore on this. Hell, if I do it right, I could probably flesh out a bit of Shiya's past... which would be less of a problem. I haven't really put much thought into her origins, so there is that. But then there's the whole best enemies thing, which I wrote down in a notebook implies that they are perfectly or ideally opposed to one another. There's something going on here that makes two characters particularly good enemies... and yet, there's also supposed to be sex in here. The sex is probably going to be the hardest part, and most likely it's also going to be a pay off of some kind.
Perhaps I could do a bit of a sexual rivalry, but that seems kinda weird.
You know, I think maybe my major problem is trying to shoehorn the setting I want to in there. That might be the biggest problem. Or is it me trying to figure out how to put the sexy portions in it? I know that there has to be some kind of tension between the two characters, as that's the entire point, but why can't it also be sexual tension? Would there just be two people who have a falling out or something? Or is there some kind of inherent competition going on between them?
Maybe we can go back to the 'prentice idea, and have that two of them trying to out do each other. For whatever reason, I kinda want there to be a third party of some kind, to sorta... vent to. Perhaps the story could be a series of conversations, since that does seem to be my strong point. But even so... I think I want something more. Something to the story, I can't necessarily simply pander to my strong points. But the two 'prentices try to out do each other, maybe, and they're competing separately in a contest, maybe? Could be that one rival grabs the other behind the store, then in a minor twist, starts making out with the other.
What is steampunk, anyway? I wrote some of this down last night, and essentially it's kinda victoriana, probably around the 18th and 19th centuries, or therabouts. (Girl Genius kinda helps, here, in terms of clothing). There's exploration and a sort of explosion of innovation. Perhaps modern items made through antiquated methods. Inventors, scientists, engineers, alchemists, airships and dirigibles, pistols and revolvers, and probably plenty of goggle action.
I think I'm done for now... I'll think of something.
