The one thing that pulls everything together in a successful novel is identifying one pressing question.
This one question, better known as the Main or Major Dramatic Question, is usually a straightforward yes or no question which is answered by the end of the story
As an example, the major/main dramatic question in Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls is whether Robert Jordan will escape his apparent fate by surviving his military mission.
Identifying the major or main dramatic question of your story is a great way to stay on track as you plot, characterize, understand the motivation of your characters and help you focus during the revision process.
So, what’s the major dramatic question of your novel?
Will Anna (a were-mountainlion-tiger mix) come to trust Francois (a vampire) and allow him to adopt her, her siblings and her children?
I already know the answer, but that's not the reason to write the novel. The reason for writing the novel is the journey that gets you to the answer of that question; the little questions that need to be answered along the way. Like, "Should she stay with Francois after his men break a vow he made to her, or should she run? And when he finds her after she runs, should she trust him again, or should she once again decide to run after attempting to kill him, thinking he is as bad as his men? Or perhaps worse, since -- if he IS as bad as his men -- he's one hell of a liar.
The main question of my novel is: How will the young Ethiopian boy manage to find money to get him training as an actor. Will he use the stolen goods handed to him? What happens to the Gap year student who looses the goods? How will her mother and brother manage as they loose touch with her?
I have completed the 50,000 words and I am now stuck to find a link between my two stories and an ending for my novel. I have tried several ideas and don't like them. Help!
May I suggest that if you haven't already, have the two characters meet and explain themselves, and maybe one will be able to help the other. The way I see it, from here they can only have either a lasting friendship, or a burning hatred for eachother. That's the best way to end a novel. Thoughts of revenge or of peace of mind.
Will Tommy have the heart and gut enough to dig through past criminal investigations to stop a raging serial killer, picking off women like flies for his own personal gain, or will he back down and cower out of his fear for loosing the woman he loves most in the world after her life was threatened?
I will have to read this. Being half Mexican, the war on drugs affects us a lot, in that we can't go down to Acapulco just to see our relatives safely. Excellent concept.
When faced with something way over your head, should you keep it to yourself anyway because it seems the world we live in could only ever make it worse?
LocationEldersburg, Maryland (suburbs of Baltimore)
JoinedOctober 28, 2011
Posts15
Mine is Does the main character, Stephanie, defeat the evil in both worlds? Does she survive the events on Earth? Not quite sure what to name the book yet.
The Anglo-Zulu War. This lead directly to Apartheid, and all the atrocities that spawned. Yet, no one outside of South Africa really gives it much thought, and that is a shame. I hope to shine a light on it, and make the subject approachable, so someone will look into what really happened. History is MEANT to be studied, and learned from.
Can people of any race, upbringing, class, religion, or gender ever truly change who they are to the core, for the betterment of society? Can one simply cast away ten years living selfishly, struggling to get by, in order to save others? Can someone cast away beliefs they've always held so dear simply because they've been proven wrong? Would they do it if it meant saving the one they love? The biggest though is...if one is complacent in life, and faced with the suffering of those of lower standing, would they idly stand by and continue living their lives? Or would they rise up and do what is right?
The question is either going to be "What did the author drink/smoke/eat before she wrote this?" or "Why did I decide writing this was a good idea?" The second question is one I'm actually considering. as dumb as it is, I may write my book about ..... a person who writes a book. Imagine that.
My last scriptfrenzy was about a writer writing a scriptfrenzy script. real life events became part of the script - emergency phone calls etc. It was fun.
I am writing about a person that is writing an online blog. I don't think writing about someone writing a book is dumb. Think of all the movies that have people writing books. It's more popular than you would think.
Oh yeah, by 50 we will all have naturally grown wise and mature. But the concept that people don't necessarily have to start acting old to coincide with when they physically enter adulthood is definitely something that deserves exploration.
"Will Dexter be resurrected ?" with a combination of "Will Jason, Casimir, and Zoe be able to handle the permanence of Dexter's death should they fail?" and eventually "Is Jason losing his mind?"
"If Roslyn wasn't fat, would anyone like her?" Alternatively, "If everyone loved Roslyn when she is thin, does that mean no one likes her personality--does everyone just like her for how she looks?"
daisychains93 wrote: "If Roslyn wasn't fat, would anyone like her?" Alternatively, "If everyone loved Roslyn when she is thin, does that mean no one likes her personality--does everyone just like her for how she looks?"
There is so much prejudice against fatness. If you explore all the layers, I will love to read what you write.
Is it ever too late to recognize our part in our own suffering? Will the MC ever realize that only he can break the cycle of abuse in his life? Will he be able to rescue those he loves from it? ( Is he capable of actual love and compassion as opposed to self centered obsession?) Will he ever see his part? Can he be redeemed or will he live out his days in denial, loneliness and sorrow?
I suppose mine would be: is Erin all she's made out to be or will she just die like anyone else in the end? (Admittedly I'm not sure of the answer to my own question quite yet)
Yes, excellent. Some times understanding parts of your past will help heal. Sometimes you just have to forgive some people, but don't condone or forget the action. Sometimes it's better to build your self esteem from now on.
This is definitely my favorite question thus far. And I am grateful that I know there is still more coffee in the cupboard, otherwise you'd have had me in a full-on anxiety attack!
Will Alyssa choose the love of a vampire...and thus become one herself,or will she choose the love of an angel... and thus be responsible for his falling and becoming mortal?
Mines: Is ignorance truly bliss? And if not, what would you do if you knew the secretes lurking in the long forgotten? Would you change them? Or just forget like the rest of the world...
Probably going to be something around... Will Sarah accept that all her schoolmates are magic??
I think you have something there. (If this is posted else where, blame my foster cat Amelia) It is a turn around of Sabrina and a bit different than the first Xanth novel by Piers Anthony. Bink apparently has no magic powers in a land where everyone has magic powers. It takes the whole book before he finds it and then it's a sneaky talent. But please don't use as many puns as he did. Some were very sneaky and some where pretty smart.
So, what’s the major dramatic question of your novel?
At the moment the only way to answer that question is: "What novel? Where?"
*sigh*
I've not yet started planning what to write. I wonder if I could do this the other way around? Come up with a question and than base my novel on the question?
So, what’s the major dramatic question of your novel?
At the moment the only way to answer that question is: "What novel? Where?"
*sigh*
I've not yet started planning what to write. I wonder if I could do this the other way around? Come up with a question and than base my novel on the question?
David Morrell came up with an idea, an image and then started asking questions until solving the mystery of writing a novel - First Blood. (the first of the Rambo series). He imagined (daymare) someone chasing him through the woods and started asking who, why, etc. So, sure, why not?
When you have a choice between two different lives, two different people, two different times.... do you choose the one you want or the one you belong to?
Well, that's the end huge questions. Of course, there's plenty in the middle. But I'm still processing all of my info together! And no, this isn't dimension traveling, just one messed up future world.
A way that it's been proven they can for some things: Money. We made up the idea and now it is reality, those pieces of paper genuinely do have value, but only because we all decided to believe it.
Will Calix be able to learn how to control her powers, find her grandfather, and defeat her embittered aunt? These questions are so interesting, guys. I wanna read the story behind all of theeem. :b
Question: Will June Dandridge be able to deal with her mother's sudden departure and having to deal with her distant, pompous, band director father, whilst at the same time trying to keep her sexuality a secret from the conservative Southern town she lives in?
A family struggles to keep it together as the matriarch of the family loses her fight with Breast Cancer. During their bereavement, they take a trip to Hawaii, in honor of her last request. Memories and tempers abound as they try to forge forward without their anchor. COULD IT BE THAT MOMMA KNOWS BEST, EVEN BEYOND THE GRAVE? Can healing and love be found, on her beloved island?
I already know my answer and am hyped to get started writing it. The document I had for it, with one line, was wiped by a virus nearly a year ago and I have been mentally re-working it when not busy with other stories, so barely at all.XD
LocationLost in the dark resesses of my brain sometimes, other times sit
JoinedOctober 28, 2009
Posts2
This main idea revolves around the beginning of a universe, not ours, seven very different religions on seven very different worlds (I think - this is still gelling). What happens if one particle of matter falls out of place? What happens if some one stops following traditions? What happens if dark matter evolves and begins to consume parallel universes?
Will the main characters survive, the keepers of the dirt.
Eliot, dare I say what I think the answer is...of course this existence is not as good as it gets.
I hope you also explore the unanticipated potential for truth, goodness, and beauty in this life. Everyone has a capacity to be overwhelmed by these positive things. What are the events that will bring the answer into focus?
Locationin a flat. flat place, far far away - Fenland
JoinedNovember 1, 2008
Posts1
How do you connect a national scandal, two million exam scripts, three weeks, four disparate individuals and a feline security guard? I haven't got a title for it yet, however!
Will Todd Lynch (14yo teenage computer hacker working for the government) be able to protect himself and his family from the people the government tell him to sabotage?
Find out in my novel Hackerz squad: Breaking the walls
Mine: Will Buddy (just an average sweet-hearted punk 16 year old boy with hidden troubles) be able to end the madness in the world of twisted wonders without falling prey to it himself?
It's hard to think of a question when I haven't even sorted out half the plot... I'm not a very organized writer ha. I make it up as I go along most of the time, I know, it's naughty of me.
My question would probably be: Is taking a life to save the memory of another worth it in the end?
Tale of Two Twitterers is a Vampire-Amish Romantic Comedy Adventure replete with Social Media & Roller Derby. The main dramatic question is will the new breed of very bad vampires be successful in taking over the world? I will be posting a new chapter every day in November at:
GeoffreyWood wrote: Tale of Two Twitterers is a Vampire-Amish Romantic Comedy Adventure replete with Social Media & Roller Derby. The main dramatic question is will the new breed of very bad vampires be successful in taking over the world? I will be posting a new chapter every day in November at:
taleoftwotwitterers.tumblr.com
Come read along...
AMISH VAMPIRES? AMISH VAMPIRES? LOLOLOLOL, I'm so jealous, I wish I'd thought of that!!!!!!!!! Hurry up and write it so I can read it!!!
I've made a lot of notes on the actual structure of the novel instead of the story, but I have some ideas. My question is: Is it possible to 'fix' a person who experienced death (they killed somebody)?
It's going to be written from the perspective of a man madly in love with a woman who's a criminal. Yeah, I did get the inspiration from the lyrics to 'Fix You' by Coldplay
Will Persephone remember? Man, looking at that question you really get no idea that the story takes place in hell (Kind of it easiest to explain it as hell :p) and that she is the only one that doesn't remember her life on earth (other than Lucas of course :p)
Mine would be: If there was an intelligent outside perspective on earth, what would humanity look like to it?
Hmm...this idea is still sketchy for me. I originally had another one for this (and I might still go back to it, since we're practically on top of the event) BUT I'm adventurous and apparently enjoy taking last-minute risks (this probably isn't healthy...ahh well). I feel this idea would challenge me more than my original one would. I enjoy thinking this far outside the box.
mine is: Is it possible to be strong enough to save a child from the hell that you have been living in for most of your life, if the cost is that you lose your only chance to free yourself?
Is it better to follow the moral precedents set by your culture and your family, or to ignore your humanity and do what it takes to survive the temporary world around you and gain the trust of your comrades?
In this case, my narrator is a firefighter marooned in a burned forest, trying to protect the one (female) survivor his brigade has managed to rescue after her main protector dies under suspicious circumstances, while trying to lead them back to civilization again, even though the men of his group want to use the woman for their own means. It's suspenseful, but doesn't take itself too seriously at times.
I suppose mine would have to be "How many mental disorders does our male lead actually have?!" Or if you wanted to be more serious; "What makes a hero?" possibly even "Is there any way to really get away from the legacy your family leaves before you?"
In my novel to come, the million dollar question is: Did Jasmine really fail?
A young girl, who finds a dragon egg, and raises it, runs off into the wilds of the world, fights to survive. Using her journal book for information in the world she has chosen, she gives all for nothing in return. Told by Eircha, the dragon, that she failed before she even began, she must show how she didn't. She must prove her worth.
Mine: What do you do when you discover the answer to something you've been searching for your whole life is not what you wanted it to be?
The cool thing about this question is it applies not only to my MC, but also to my antagonist. Although they are brothers, they both have lived through a life that the other envies and because of this, they continue to look for something that was never meant for them. Due to this, they both travel down the path of depression but during the climax, one discovers a new purpose and the other discovers hatred. The whole story is all traced back to their origins, but it plays out kinda like good vs. evil for a while. Although it's not supposed to be.
There are three for mine: Will Brigid find something to challenge her at her job, will she buy the house of her dreams, and will she finally find the right guy for her?
Mine is probably, 'Should we put commitments infront of personal development'? For example, to people agree to help eachother with something, one ends up happy, the other sad, but doesn't want to let the other person down.
Why is Arva by law not allowed to be with the man she planned to marry, and why, when she goes on a quest to rectify the past, does she fall in love with someone else?
Not quite a yes or no question, but... How much does someone (particularly, in this case, a cocaine addict) have to lose before they decide they need help?
Can the protagonist (I haven't decided on a name yet) finally begin to deal with the grief of losing her best friend ten years ago and start to heal?
I know what I want the answer to be, but I don't know if that's the answer I'm going to get. It sounds odd, I know, but the story is a personal one and I haven't found the answer myself.
Can Felicity, a transferee (as they're called in my story) on an alien planet, find the true motive behind these "transfers" and overthrow the the regime that oppresses two races without their knowledge?
Mine is: Will Jason Morgan be able to reconcile his hatred of all things occult with his own recently manifesting powers; and will he be able to put his feelings aside in order to catch a serial killer targeting occultists?
Will the small group from the Wilderness be able to take control of the entire government and start again? And, will Ryan figure out who he loves?
^I swear I hadn't even started to read the Hunger Games when I wrote this. I read them last week and now I realize how copy-cat this sounds, but now I really want to write this anyways.
My question: Will Meg (protagonist) conform and do as she's always done or let herself feel and think for herself regardless of the consequences (which are huge).
Okay, let's see... What's more important to the invisible girl: a niche in the popular crowd when she accidently recieves the ability to choose visibility, or the boy who sees her even when she's invisible?
Why should one chose to live when there appears to be no hope?
Plot concepts: Living in the face of despair, a girl with crippled magical ability, five space fleet commanders who destroy her homeworld and systematically murder her people, a dark nebula from which none return sane, magical ink, passion for music, the beautiful, the Watchers who will return, the meaning of justice, an unknown foe that threatens all life... and seeing how all these are in fact connected.
I've been sitting here trying to flesh this simple question out... make it something that includes a bit more of the heart of the story... but , I really can't. But that's okay, given my particular story.
Will Donna find the fame she so desperately craves?
Mine is a terminator-inspired story, about a soldier who travels back in time to kill the woman who creates a cyborg that will end up threatening humanity's survival. So my question is, will Roman (the soldier), end up saving his race's existence?
I have an answer, and I'm so pumped to write this!
My main character is given a vision for a future of prosperity. My main question is, does she succeed in bringing that prosperity? I think this is the main question, only because I know the answer.
It isnt a yes or no question, buts its basically what gets the reader wanting to read more. My writer coach told me that in books, you decide what your character wants most, and put everything you can in their way so that they dont get it. In my novel, that's all Riley wants. Is to know what happened to her sister. And so, I made it into a thrilling, blood-chilling mystery. :)
After 768 years of war will she ever remember that real reason to keep living, and when she does will she be able to accept it and continue living the unrewarding and empty life as a tortured underling?
I guess my plot's main question is: Will they all survive, and if so, will it be worth it? The thematic question is: What's it worth to you? "It" is up to your definition. My novel (as it is planned now) is centered around a group of four or five escaped test subjects for a program to create genetically/chemically engineered supermen. Each has a specific ability gained from their testing, and they all must choose between living on the lam on nothing but their wits, powers, and friends, or living comfortably after betraying the others.
On a personal note, this is also my first attempt at such a huge endeavor, and I am so excited!
How will one average mostly untalented and uneducated person cope, survive, and thrive when she is apparently the last human being on earth? And what will be her purpose for continuing to continue?
Will Dr. Kevin Hopson, devastated by the death of his wife from breast cancer eight years earlier, be able to clear the name of the new woman in his life after he learns she is the FBI's main suspect in a series of serial killings at hospitals all over the eastern United States, and that's only if he can figure out that she isn't actually the serial killer the FBI has accused her of being?
LocationAll over the place, the world, right behind you when you least expect it.
JoinedNovember 2, 2010
Posts6
I guess my main question would be: Can a father's love for his son overcome the fact that his son is the reincarnation of the serial killer that killed the father's wife?
After Artie's wave of petty crimes and home invasions sends him into an existential crisis, will he atone for his wrongdoings and finally leave Philadelphia a braver man?
Will the crew of the Tyr be able to reveal the ultimate hypocrisy represented by the United government of P.A.X and thus destroy it? Will the destruction of P.A.X be a move for the betterment of society or a move towards its utter destruction?
When a man recovering from an A.I.D.S. related brain infection, finds himself alone and in the cross hairs of two ruthless assassins, he barely gets away with his life. But, with no corroborating witness to back up his story and no answer to the question of "why?", can he convince the authorities that a relapse of his condition is not to blame, as well as discover who wants him dead before they find him and finish the job.
Cassandra wakes up to realize that she has been living the wrong life. Circumstances and her own decisions have landed her in a life far different than the one she'd intended to live. Now she has a chance to change everything, to start with a clean slate, but it is not a simple choice; people will get hurt. Does she care? Can she turn her back on the life she has created or are her ties deeper than she believes?
My main question: Does overcoming adversity actually make you stronger and improve your life in the long run or can taking the easy road and avoiding struggle be the better path?
Can love truly conquer all or is that some romantic and mystical wish we all have? What if what love had to conquer was beyond reason? Beyond belief? What are the limits? Where is the line drawn?
MIne is easy. I merged two outlines into one: A who dunnit, turns into a what dunnit. Who/what killed the former CIA assistant director in a modest midwest hotel after he published his memoirs? While attending a book signing at a local bookstore, the assistant director is found dead in the morning. Who / what dunnit? Was it the tired old desk clerk who was a former employee purged after 911 because the analyst tried to warn them and was ignored? Was it the Somalian driver whose family was killed because he declined to act on information about an attack. The Serbian houseman whose village was destroyed because he did act, but based on wrong information? The Nicaraguan nationalist who lost everything in the Contra War? Or any other of the 100 odd displaced nationals from around the world, who came to America because their lives at home had turned to Caca ........Or was it something else, a cosmic horror that manifested itself that day and in that place.
Could a bunch of young criminals and underdogs end a war that's been going on during 15 years?
Well, my novel is starred by a group of anti-heroes, and I like it because of the fact that you would never think they can be the ones to save the day.
"What kind of mother tries to sell a baby for $500 at a Mexican fast food restaurant and why?"
My main character, Bree O'Donnell, witnesses a Hispanic mother trying to sell her baby for $500 to a woman at a Mexican food restaurant. Bree unwillingly gets caught up in the drama and discovers a ring of Baby Brokers...."
the main question to my novel is - what if hate and love becomes so close that you can't tell them apart anymore? what if you can't hold onto your hate anymore and start to love instead? could you even become a parent in this case then?
Hard to fromulate at this stage, the whole thing is very sketchy and may change as things progress, but at the moment it is along the lines of: Will Julia ever understand why her son committed suicide and how far can a parent expect to be involved in an adult child's life anyway?
The main question of my novel- Hmmmmm- how much history do we lose when we throw away old things- the main premise of my plot is tracing an item found in an elderly aunts house back through history- learning of the dramas it's previous owners encountered when they wore it, and finding out about an otherwise secretive family member
What unifies family? What IS family? The numerous characters dogpiling, leapfrogging, and slamdancing their way into this narrative aren't making this question terribly easy for me to answer but I'll let them duke it out. At least so far no one's lost an eye....
I'm not convinced of the need for a Main or Major Dramatic "Question"; chance, fate, etc, should colour the writing better than some bland/formulaic plan.
Yeah... though I guess it depends on what you mean by 'successful'... and also, in many respects, by 'novel'. A novel can be successful artistically without being successful commercially. And, well... just what IS a novel? We all have our own definitions. We'd all term 'Finnegan's Wake', 'Tristram Shandy', 'Factotum', 'War and Peace', 'As I Lay Dying', 'One Day', 'Jude the Obscure', 'Picwick Papers' and 'A Box of Matches' as novels... yet they're all completely different from one another in terms of style, structure, pace, dramatic progression, plot, etc. I guess the best that can be said is that a novel is an extended piece of writing with some kind of dynamic - narrative or otherwise - that holds it together from the first page to the last.
And having said all that.... I think the major dramatic question of my novel is whether or not the protagonist can succeed in writing a novel before the last page is reached!
The 127th Centauri Irregulars have finally landed themselves a solid contract - a decent wage and a stand-up fight. How will they, and their opinion of their chosen careers, change as they learn that they've signed on to fight for the Bad Guys?
I have no idea what my main question should be. My story is about a group of people who die unexpectedly and are chosen to become the next grim reapers. They have to attend an academy, taught by teachers who live in insane asylums on earth, and learn to, and specialize in, reaping souls. However, the devil's agents are plotting to corrupt the new grimlings, while an unexpected foe is plotting the end of both humans and the undead. I guess I could ask: Can death die? Or maybe is there anything after death once you've been reaped? I have no idea. Any suggestions?
Will Sai (a dragon) be able to overcome the trials and tribulations sent before him as he travels through Appalach in his quest to defeat the tyrant Swartz, and become King himself.
I'm looking forward to this and vein baked to meet other writers and give and receive feed back on our stories :D
Is the problem with society the system of government people choose to follow or the people themselves?
My story is based in a utopian.dystopian society, but in my head i always thinks of ways in which it wouldn't be perfect. this is why i thought of the problem not being with the system but with people themselves.
I have to tell you a little about my setting before I get into the questions... here goes.
The universe is divided into 3 or 4 Galaxy Systems. One of the systems, named Ua'flor, has been ruled for many generations by identical quadruplets (multiples are a common phenomenon in Ua'flor). The set of identical quadruplets that are up next to take the throne are the main characters of my novel. One of the quads, I am thinking the youngest, will find out a secret. Will she tell her sisters what she has discovered? If she does, when would be the "best" time to do so? After the secrets innards have been uncovered, or not, what will the girls views on Ruling thier Galaxy System be? Will the sisters find out about their aunts plot to place her sons on the thrones? Will their mothers thirst for power within tradition be the demise of the girls' entrance into rulership, or will it just be the backdrop of the secrets details?
Will Tom manage to overcome the difficulties in his life, and his own inner demons, and maintain his sobriety following a drink-fuelled suicide attempt - and by so doing, can he regain the confidence and respect of his family?
Danielle, in her early twenties, lives life according to a loose philosophy she hardly realizes she lives by: get close to no one and no harm will find her. Never again.
She keeps a low profile, always, especially in Toronto. Yes, especially here in Toronto. What would be the point in getting caught now? None.
So, she, of all the people involved, is the most shocked when she finds herself alone in her living room, the phone receiver in her now-sweaty hand, having a conversation with a police emergency operator. Makes no sense. Did she really just dial 9-1-1?
She can barely breathe as she very reluctantly answers the operators' questions. Since they can tell where the call came from, what choice does she have? Either way, they've got her. The operator asks Danielle to remain on the phone while the police head over to her apartment. She cannot believe that she just basically invited police into her home.
A few hours later, Danielle finds herself in a police station working with forensic artists and being interviewed by numerous detectives, many amazed that she's sitting there, unharmed, and telling the story. She feels like somewhat of a freak in a side show, but mostly she's just afraid that she'll be discovered. That she'll caught. That she'll be the one sent to jail.
None of what's happening on this night fits under the "keep a low profile" advice of her attorney when she first returned here a few months ago, after all those years away.
All the while, Danielle puts on a good face, but her heart beats as fast as a jackhammer on overdrive. She realizes that she's waiting for Sergeant Dinker to walk up to her at any moment, recognize her, and cuff her.
Two questions demand a yes or no answer: will Danielle's extraordinary deed, unplanned and even unwanted on her part, be punished or rewarded? And the hardships Danielle lived through over the first 25 years of her life...were they somehow pre-ordained so that she'd behave in the exact manner required for her to be spared this night - and save many others in the process?
Haha, my question is: Is this real? Or is this all a dream? And to answer with Dumbledore here: Of course this is all in your head, Harry. (hm, maybe I'll actually call a character Harry...) But that doesn't mean that it's not real.
....or something like that, I haven't got my Book with me right now.
Actually I'm not sure yet, of this will be the answer to my question. Maybe I can think of a more definite one^^
NOPE! They're in our hearts and our minds forever imprinted though we cannot hug them or have them have a awsome conversation they will alway's be there even if we dont know it
I'd find this interesting if the answer is ultimately "Yes" otherwise I'd worry that it'd turn into a lengthy 'woe is me' monologue and personally I prefer uplifting books. Good luck with it whatever the answer is you're working towards as I'm sure the journey will be revealing either way.
_daisy_ wrote: I'd find this interesting if the answer is ultimately "Yes" otherwise I'd worry that it'd turn into a lengthy 'woe is me' monologue and personally I prefer uplifting books. Good luck with it whatever the answer is you're working towards as I'm sure the journey will be revealing either way.
doh - no delete button... I clearly didn't read the question accurately - "WHAT does it take.... " sounds good to me!
NICE! When I read this, it made me think of a book by Chuck Palahniuk called Diary. It was about pushing to insane lengths to create...not the FULL theme of the book, but it was throughout. Good stuff. Good luck in November, friend!
Oh, this could definitely be non-comedy, too. In this book I had to read for English over the summer, it talked a lot about punctuation and grammar. Leaving out a comma here or there can completely alter the meaning of a sentence, sometimes with drastic results. My favorite example is this:
I guess mine would be...Can they bring to previously embittered nations together after years of war and will they ultimately be able to fulfill their dream of living together in a peaceful world?
The Main Question of Your Novel
The one thing that pulls everything together in a successful novel is identifying one pressing question.
This one question, better known as the Main or Major Dramatic Question, is usually a straightforward yes or no question which is answered by the end of the story
As an example, the major/main dramatic question in Ernest Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls is whether Robert Jordan will escape his apparent fate by surviving his military mission.
Identifying the major or main dramatic question of your story is a great way to stay on track as you plot, characterize, understand the motivation of your characters and help you focus during the revision process.
So, what’s the major dramatic question of your novel?
Werner
http://www.1000words-a-day.com/
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine's: What do you do when your past comes back to haunt you?
(And it's actually in the banner I made for my sig this year...but I don't think that options available yet...)
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine centers around this question:
Will Anna (a were-mountainlion-tiger mix) come to trust Francois (a vampire) and allow him to adopt her, her siblings and her children?
I already know the answer, but that's not the reason to write the novel. The reason for writing the novel is the journey that gets you to the answer of that question; the little questions that need to be answered along the way. Like, "Should she stay with Francois after his men break a vow he made to her, or should she run? And when he finds her after she runs, should she trust him again, or should she once again decide to run after attempting to kill him, thinking he is as bad as his men? Or perhaps worse, since -- if he IS as bad as his men -- he's one hell of a liar.
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I would totally read this. It sounds like a great concept.
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I would as well.
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I would really love to read this!
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Sounds super interesting! Very nice!!
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The main question of my novel is: How will the young Ethiopian boy manage to find money to get him training as an actor. Will he use the stolen goods handed to him? What happens to the Gap year student who looses the goods? How will her mother and brother manage as they loose touch with her?
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I have completed the 50,000 words and I am now stuck to find a link between my two stories and an ending for my novel. I have tried several ideas and don't like them. Help!
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May I suggest that if you haven't already, have the two characters meet and explain themselves, and maybe one will be able to help the other. The way I see it, from here they can only have either a lasting friendship, or a burning hatred for eachother. That's the best way to end a novel. Thoughts of revenge or of peace of mind.
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I would read this as well! :)
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Will Tommy have the heart and gut enough to dig through past criminal investigations to stop a raging serial killer, picking off women like flies for his own personal gain, or will he back down and cower out of his fear for loosing the woman he loves most in the world after her life was threatened?
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Supposing of course I know how to start it, the main question is: what happens next?!
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Ha, good one! :D
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Haha, that's funny. (and will probably be true for me!)
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How will Acapulco detective Emilia Cruz stop the firebombings--possibly a new drug cartel tactic--terrifying restaurant and hotel owners in the city?
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Emilia discovers a sentient android who doesn't know it's dangerous; She employs him to go undercover and find out the bomber and take him out.
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Came up under the wrong heading for some reason....
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This sounds interesting--I love the setting and a female lead detective!
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I will have to read this. Being half Mexican, the war on drugs affects us a lot, in that we can't go down to Acapulco just to see our relatives safely. Excellent concept.
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When faced with something way over your head, should you keep it to yourself anyway because it seems the world we live in could only ever make it worse?
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What length would a man go to to save his marriage?
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To the End of the Earth if it meant his Wife would love him.
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Mine is Does the main character, Stephanie, defeat the evil in both worlds? Does she survive the events on Earth?
Not quite sure what to name the book yet.
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How will Tara avoid exile which evolves into who is the real heir to the throne of Cymus.
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I don't know. How will I avoid exile?
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This came up in the wrong place...
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i dont know run and run until you cant run any more?
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What would be different?
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Can messing with any one moment in history really alter the course thereof?
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I'd read that. Especially if the answer turned out to be 'no'.
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I'd read that. Especially if the answer turned out to be 'no'.
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Ditto!
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Ooh, I love alternate histories. Get in touch for encouragement!
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I would definitely read this! Good luck!
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I love these, I would definitely read this.
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Good one! I love premises like this. Do you have one event picked out? (You don't have to share what it is, I just wondered).
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How strong is the pull of home?
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The Anglo-Zulu War. This lead directly to Apartheid, and all the atrocities that spawned. Yet, no one outside of South Africa really gives it much thought, and that is a shame. I hope to shine a light on it, and make the subject approachable, so someone will look into what really happened. History is MEANT to be studied, and learned from.
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Great idea - I'd read that
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Sounds really interesting :)
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Can a cohesive identity evolve out of contradicting characteristics?
or
Is the fear of losing opportunities what leads to the most destructive losses?
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Can people of any race, upbringing, class, religion, or gender ever truly change who they are to the core, for the betterment of society? Can one simply cast away ten years living selfishly, struggling to get by, in order to save others? Can someone cast away beliefs they've always held so dear simply because they've been proven wrong? Would they do it if it meant saving the one they love? The biggest though is...if one is complacent in life, and faced with the suffering of those of lower standing, would they idly stand by and continue living their lives? Or would they rise up and do what is right?
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I would totally read that. Discovering your true self and what you can do. Sounds interesting.
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I would definitely read this.
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great questions!
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The question is either going to be "What did the author drink/smoke/eat before she wrote this?"
or "Why did I decide writing this was a good idea?"
The second question is one I'm actually considering. as dumb as it is, I may write my book about ..... a person who writes a book. Imagine that.
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Stephen King writes about writers a lot, and he's done fairly well. 8)
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My last scriptfrenzy was about a writer writing a scriptfrenzy script. real life events became part of the script - emergency phone calls etc. It was fun.
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That sounds excellent Be Bold. Would need crafting as well as writing. Is it available to read?
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OMG, can I please read that?
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I am writing about a person that is writing an online blog. I don't think writing about someone writing a book is dumb. Think of all the movies that have people writing books. It's more popular than you would think.
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That's exactly what she was talking about, how the subject is so popular and dramatized that it's cliche.
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Can love overcome what one is told they are made for?
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When is the right time to grow up?
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Like it, relate to it. The Peter Pan compex. I'd suggest never, or by 50, anyway.
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Never or 100! Growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional.
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Like it, relate to it. The Peter Pan compex. I'd suggest never, or by 50, anyway.
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Oh yeah, by 50 we will all have naturally grown wise and mature. But the concept that people don't necessarily have to start acting old to coincide with when they physically enter adulthood is definitely something that deserves exploration.
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I am over fifty. I still don't know sheet from shinola.
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Wise and mature by 50? Someone forgot to tell me! Yikes!!!
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Never.
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"Will Dexter be resurrected ?" with a combination of "Will Jason, Casimir, and Zoe be able to handle the permanence of Dexter's death should they fail?" and eventually "Is Jason losing his mind?"
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I love your "picture:"
"Careful, you may end up in my novel."
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Will the formerly timid Arlington Sterry use his new found omniscience to become the god of his world or will he indadvertedly become the devil?
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That sounds really cool. It sounds like something I'd read :3
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Me gusta.
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I hope its the latter. :3
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I'd read this. And no matter how uncool it makes me, I hope for the former.
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The main question of my novel will be, can a man whose actions are perceived as evil, be changed to do good?
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Or a better question: Can the perception of a man's actions, who are perceived as evil, be changed so his actions are perceived as good? o.O
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uh, wrong place
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What do u do when everyone u love is dead, and u can't kill the one who did it?
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I like this one - if I read your major dramatic question on the back cover of a novel I'd probably buy it!
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Ditto. I'd buy it!
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The first thing I thought when I read this was, "Yes...let's kill God"
...
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Wow, sounds a lot like one of my characters. I like it. :o)
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How do you know when you're in too deep and how do you get out when you are?
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Will Lochlan betray everything he's ever known to help Sae save her brother and the rest of their world?
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What would you do to save your friends, your family and your life?
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Very succinctly put. It's the closest I've found for my alternate reality idea.
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"If Roslyn wasn't fat, would anyone like her?" Alternatively, "If everyone loved Roslyn when she is thin, does that mean no one likes her personality--does everyone just like her for how she looks?"
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There is so much prejudice against fatness. If you explore all the layers, I will love to read what you write.
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Wow. That sounds fascinating! I look forward to this c:
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Is it ever too late to recognize our part in our own suffering? Will the MC ever realize that only he can break the cycle of abuse in his life? Will he be able to rescue those he loves from it? ( Is he capable of actual love and compassion as opposed to self centered obsession?) Will he ever see his part? Can he be redeemed or will he live out his days in denial, loneliness and sorrow?
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Neroli, it sounds like you have the foundation for a real work of literature, perhaps a masterpiece.
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Mine is easy. We all live together but some are overlooked. Is it worth living through the pain?
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I suppose mine would be: is Erin all she's made out to be or will she just die like anyone else in the end? (Admittedly I'm not sure of the answer to my own question quite yet)
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Mine is: can vamps love humans?
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Not copying Twilight or anything...
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The answer? I'd say NO.
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I guess mine would be "Will it get better?"
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Does what doesn't kill us really make us stronger?
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Oh, I'm really curious about that. My brothers say that line to me all the time.
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what doesn't make you stronger kills you.
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And what doesn't kill you will usually try again.
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Nope. What doesn't kill us makes us -Smarter-.
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OK, not related to the question, but I love your picture/drawing!
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me too =)
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If you consider survival by itself a measure of strength.
Even after that, it can still wear you away and erase you.
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Mine: Will Darcelyn evolve or de-evolve after her encounter with Anthony?
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Can amaya get over her past in time to save the others that are unaware of the opposing danger?
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Can someone really hide their pain inside of them but still keep a smile on their face like nothing ever happened?
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If you understand your past, can you heal from it?
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Excellent question. I'm eager to read more since I've pondered that question myself.
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Yes, excellent. Some times understanding parts of your past will help heal. Sometimes you just have to forgive some people, but don't condone or forget the action. Sometimes it's better to build your self esteem from now on.
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I would say always, but the distance to the understanding is sometimes further than we'd expect.
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Great question! Begets argument!
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What are two brothers to do when they are made kings of an island neither of them have ever heard of before?
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Ooh... I sense a family feud in the mix. =D
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Will she ever find more coffee?
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i'm glad i already finished my morning cup--otherwise i would have spit it all over my keyboard.
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This is definitely my favorite question thus far. And I am grateful that I know there is still more coffee in the cupboard, otherwise you'd have had me in a full-on anxiety attack!
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How can Susan and Donovan stop the vengeful ghost of an ancient princess without becoming its next victims?
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Without respect, there is no relationship.
Since anything can be turned into a question and to keep in line with yours: What kind of relationship is there when there is respect?
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VERY good! Sounds interesting, I'd read it!
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my experience of ITP
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Mine is: which of these three people will be dead by the end of the novel?
And I still don't know the answer yet.
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The one thing this website needs is a 'like' button. *invents one out of thin air and presses it for this post*
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LIKE!
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LIKE x 2 !
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Why choose? You don't have to stop at just one. Shakespeare didn't. Christopher Pike didn't.
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Can Armistead Webber find purpose in her life through Giac and Matthew's stories?
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Is it possible to truly accept death as your inevitable fate?
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Or will we always try to find a way to avoid it?
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It might depend on the interpretation of death. =)
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Will Aurora escape the gang's 'you leave, you die.' policy?
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After you've lost everything how far will you go to save something new?
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WOW. Thanks for the inspiration that will probably change my novel completely...Thank You!
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I like that. I want to read more.
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My main question is will Stormy and Mallory still be best friends after solving their friend's murder.
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Sounds like a good concept. It kind of made me think of Pretty Little Liars, although I'm sure your plot will be different.
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Does fear of the mother's death reform a family or drive them apart?
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Been there, I'm interested in finding out how yours turns out.
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Why do people keep secrets from those they are closest to?
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I would like to read this.
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Will Nathan be able to stop the Department of Defense from assassinating his girlfriend?
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A family's struggle with grief threatens to destroy them. Will they find inspiration or defeat in the stark beauty of the beach in winter?
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Wow. I'd actually read that. I hope you plan on getting it published somewhere.
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Damn it. My reply got placed under the wrong heading. Sorry
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I have to answer will the truth be exposed or will it be burried with Talia?
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My main question is: What's wrong with Kyora?
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Is your destiny determined by blood, or by choices?
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That's a really good question-being adopted (closed adoption-do not know birth parents) I wonder this all the time...would love to read!
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My question is going to be is it morally wrong to kill someone who is trying to kill you but has no control over their own actions?
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That's a very interesting concept--definitely a new twist on questions of morality commonly explored in literature.
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Will Alyssa choose the love of a vampire...and thus become one herself,or will she choose the love of an angel... and thus be responsible for his falling and becoming mortal?
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Will Dr. Ansell make a significant discovery before he gets caught?
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When there is nothing you can do to save the world, is it worth trying any way?
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My main question is this:
Will "he" escape the preconceptions about his life by pursuing his own idea of purpose?
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What is the Sorcerer Queen, and is becoming her worth the price that will be payed?
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Mines: Is ignorance truly bliss? And if not, what would you do if you knew the secretes lurking in the long forgotten? Would you change them? Or just forget like the rest of the world...
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If something bad's happening to someone you love and care about, but it was way too much to handle, do you keep it to yourself and brush it off?
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what if we haven't the faintest idea of what to write about?
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Darn, that's my idea, too! (Not a single clue...)
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I have no idea... I still don-t know how to work this thing..!!! O.O
Probably going to be something around... Will Sarah accept that all her schoolmates are magic??
Eeeeh.... no probably not that either... i'll work on it tomorrow... -.-''
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Probably going to be something around... Will Sarah accept that all her schoolmates are magic??
I think you have something there. (If this is posted else where, blame my foster cat Amelia)
It is a turn around of Sabrina and a bit different than the first Xanth novel by Piers Anthony. Bink apparently has no magic powers in a land where everyone has magic powers. It takes the whole book before he finds it and then it's a sneaky talent. But please don't use as many puns as he did. Some were very sneaky and some where pretty smart.
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So, you've all come to look for America, eh? Nu?
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There is 2 main questions, one is: How does the underbelly of America survive the apocolypse, and will he survive?
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At the moment the only way to answer that question is: "What novel? Where?"
*sigh*
I've not yet started planning what to write. I wonder if I could do this the other way around? Come up with a question and than base my novel on the question?
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David Morrell came up with an idea, an image and then started asking questions until solving the mystery of writing a novel - First Blood. (the first of the Rambo series). He imagined (daymare) someone chasing him through the woods and started asking who, why, etc. So, sure, why not?
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Can a disfigured person ever really be accepted into society?
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Mine is Who killed Kera's mother and how will it effect Kera's destiny?
This is the backdrop of how the story opens although it is a mystery, it is also a romance as well.
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Mine is centered around this one:
"How does meeting new people change your entire perspective on the world?"
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Is revenge really the answer?
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Hmm, here's mine.
When you have a choice between two different lives, two different people, two different times.... do you choose the one you want or the one you belong to?
Well, that's the end huge questions. Of course, there's plenty in the middle. But I'm still processing all of my info together! And no, this isn't dimension traveling, just one messed up future world.
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like this one. Want to read it!
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Here's a first stab at mine: Can a community create its own reality just by collectively deciding so?
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rca, what a great question! I'd read that. =)
(I personally think it can, but I don't know how long it could sustain itself.)
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I LOVE IT. That's fascinating!
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Great concept! Reminds me of MNS's "The Village". I'd love to read this.
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AMAZING! I would definitely read that! :D
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I'm going to write that down so I can write about it next year, about a real community trying to do just that at the moment, I'd read yours:)
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so kind of like george orwells 1984? :)
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WOULD! SO! READ! THAT!
A way that it's been proven they can for some things: Money. We made up the idea and now it is reality, those pieces of paper genuinely do have value, but only because we all decided to believe it.
But could we do so purposely, and in other ways?
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what will she do when she finds out she is not who she thought she was?
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Will Calix be able to learn how to control her powers, find her grandfather, and defeat her embittered aunt?
These questions are so interesting, guys. I wanna read the story behind all of theeem. :b
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Question: Will June Dandridge be able to deal with her mother's sudden departure and having to deal with her distant, pompous, band director father, whilst at the same time trying to keep her sexuality a secret from the conservative Southern town she lives in?
this has been a lazily written sentence
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Okay, so here's the rub:
A family struggles to keep it together as the matriarch of the family loses her fight with Breast Cancer. During their bereavement, they take a trip to Hawaii, in honor of her last request. Memories and tempers abound as they try to forge forward without their anchor. COULD IT BE THAT MOMMA KNOWS BEST, EVEN BEYOND THE GRAVE? Can healing and love be found, on her beloved island?
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RL Robb, I love your blip. I'd pick it up!
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Sounds like we're going to need the box of kleenex. = )
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Even though life is tough and she makes plenty of mistakes, does narrator uphold her dignity and integrity to the best of her abilities?
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Mine is: Was everything she knew a lie?
I already know my answer and am hyped to get started writing it. The document I had for it, with one line, was wiped by a virus nearly a year ago and I have been mentally re-working it when not busy with other stories, so barely at all.XD
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This main idea revolves around the beginning of a universe, not ours, seven very different religions on seven very different worlds (I think - this is still gelling). What happens if one particle of matter falls out of place? What happens if some one stops following traditions? What happens if dark matter evolves and begins to consume parallel universes?
Will the main characters survive, the keepers of the dirt.
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In a world that's filled with fantastical things, why have there been no Superheroes prior to December 21, 2012? Also, what truly makes a Hero?
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My one is: Is this existence as good as it gets?
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Eliot, dare I say what I think the answer is...of course this existence is not as good as it gets.
I hope you also explore the unanticipated potential for truth, goodness, and beauty in this life. Everyone has a capacity to be overwhelmed by these positive things. What are the events that will bring the answer into focus?
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My question is: Does life really get better?
My novel's about a suicidal immortal, but I don't know how to answer the question.
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This sounds awesome! - "suicidal immortal"
Good luck!
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That will be fascinating.. haha, I never thought of the divine having an existential crisis!
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I would read this.
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How do you connect a national scandal, two million exam scripts, three weeks, four disparate individuals and a feline security guard?
I haven't got a title for it yet, however!
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I'd read this one~ =)
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sounds like my kind of book!
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How G solved the world's problems
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How much space can you ever put between you and your past?
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Will Todd Lynch (14yo teenage computer hacker working for the government) be able to protect himself and his family from the people the government tell him to sabotage?
Find out in my novel Hackerz squad: Breaking the walls
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Awesome Dylan. Before long, I'll be looking for Hackerz on store shelves and prominently displayed in libraries.
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thank you for the support. I really hope so!!
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Mine:
Will Buddy (just an average sweet-hearted punk 16 year old boy with hidden troubles) be able to end the madness in the world of twisted wonders without falling prey to it himself?
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Q: What do you do once your beyond the closed doors? (:
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How does she survive?
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Can they overcome the odds and hold onto all they love?
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It's hard to think of a question when I haven't even sorted out half the plot... I'm not a very organized writer ha. I make it up as I go along most of the time, I know, it's naughty of me.
My question would probably be: Is taking a life to save the memory of another worth it in the end?
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I'd love to see how you work that out.
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Darnit. This wasn't supposed to go there. What's wrong with NaNo's website?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I'd love to see how you work that out.
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I give up.
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The main question of my novel is:
Will Ash be able to find her sister before the girl is found by other parties meaning to do her harm or otherwise?
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Tale of Two Twitterers is a Vampire-Amish Romantic Comedy Adventure replete with Social Media & Roller Derby.
The main dramatic question is will the new breed of very bad vampires be successful in taking over the world?
I will be posting a new chapter every day in November at:
taleoftwotwitterers.tumblr.com
Come read along...
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AMISH VAMPIRES? AMISH VAMPIRES? LOLOLOLOL, I'm so jealous, I wish I'd thought of that!!!!!!!!! Hurry up and write it so I can read it!!!
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Wow...mind blowing...
I'm going to have to pose the question...
"Are you living or are you just alive; what will it take to wake you?"
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I've made a lot of notes on the actual structure of the novel instead of the story, but I have some ideas.
My question is: Is it possible to 'fix' a person who experienced death (they killed somebody)?
It's going to be written from the perspective of a man madly in love with a woman who's a criminal.
Yeah, I did get the inspiration from the lyrics to 'Fix You' by Coldplay
What do you think people? Will it work?
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I am very interested in this!!!
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Will Persephone remember? Man, looking at that question you really get no idea that the story takes place in hell (Kind of it easiest to explain it as hell :p) and that she is the only one that doesn't remember her life on earth (other than Lucas of course :p)
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Did I truly kill one of my best friends sixteen years ago?
Forever Eighteen. A story of friendship. growing up, and the hope of immortality.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine would be:
If there was an intelligent outside perspective on earth, what would humanity look like to it?
Hmm...this idea is still sketchy for me. I originally had another one for this (and I might still go back to it, since we're practically on top of the event) BUT I'm adventurous and apparently enjoy taking last-minute risks (this probably isn't healthy...ahh well). I feel this idea would challenge me more than my original one would. I enjoy thinking this far outside the box.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I'd definitely read that.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Can the Supporting Cast realise what is going on, rally, and stop the "Hero" before he takes everything they've worked for?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I suppose my question is "Will Mae survive her magical encounter?
I think I'm still deciding on that ;)
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
mine is: Is it possible to be strong enough to save a child from the hell that you have been living in for most of your life, if the cost is that you lose your only chance to free yourself?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
also, on a more lighthearted note: can the loopholes that you can find in almost any order be enough to free yourself from a magical enslavement?
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Oh my. You're going to have to provide the deepest, darkest examples of "hell" for the answer to be anything but YES!
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Is it better to follow the moral precedents set by your culture and your family, or to ignore your humanity and do what it takes to survive the temporary world around you and gain the trust of your comrades?
In this case, my narrator is a firefighter marooned in a burned forest, trying to protect the one (female) survivor his brigade has managed to rescue after her main protector dies under suspicious circumstances, while trying to lead them back to civilization again, even though the men of his group want to use the woman for their own means. It's suspenseful, but doesn't take itself too seriously at times.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
That will have some great conflict! Wow, I really like that; sort of a romantic Lord of the Flies.
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sounds like a good read, original on the firefighting front too!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I suppose mine would have to be "How many mental disorders does our male lead actually have?!"
Or if you wanted to be more serious; "What makes a hero?" possibly even "Is there any way to really get away from the legacy your family leaves before you?"
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Are dreams worth dying for? Will Wyatt die to be with Anabel or will he let her go so he can live and find a tangible person to love?
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Is being "all in this together" a good thing?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
In my novel to come, the million dollar question is: Did Jasmine really fail?
A young girl, who finds a dragon egg, and raises it, runs off into the wilds of the world, fights to survive.
Using her journal book for information in the world she has chosen, she gives all for nothing in return.
Told by Eircha, the dragon, that she failed before she even began, she must show how she didn't.
She must prove her worth.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine: What do you do when you discover the answer to something you've been searching for your whole life is not what you wanted it to be?
The cool thing about this question is it applies not only to my MC, but also to my antagonist. Although they are brothers, they both have lived through a life that the other envies and because of this, they continue to look for something that was never meant for them. Due to this, they both travel down the path of depression but during the climax, one discovers a new purpose and the other discovers hatred. The whole story is all traced back to their origins, but it plays out kinda like good vs. evil for a while. Although it's not supposed to be.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Oh! Good one! And a follow-up question: Once you have the answer that completes a lifetime quest, what's left? What do you do NOW?
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I didn't even think about that.... That would've helped so much a few weeks ago!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
There are three for mine: Will Brigid find something to challenge her at her job, will she buy the house of her dreams, and will she finally find the right guy for her?
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Mine is probably, 'Should we put commitments infront of personal development'?
For example, to people agree to help eachother with something, one ends up happy, the other sad, but doesn't want to let the other person down.
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Why is Arva by law not allowed to be with the man she planned to marry, and why, when she goes on a quest to rectify the past, does she fall in love with someone else?
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Not quite a yes or no question, but...
How much does someone (particularly, in this case, a cocaine addict) have to lose before they decide they need help?
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Can the protagonist (I haven't decided on a name yet) finally begin to deal with the grief of losing her best friend ten years ago and start to heal?
I know what I want the answer to be, but I don't know if that's the answer I'm going to get. It sounds odd, I know, but the story is a personal one and I haven't found the answer myself.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Can Felicity, a transferee (as they're called in my story) on an alien planet, find the true motive behind these "transfers" and overthrow the the regime that oppresses two races without their knowledge?
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Can Alicia survive being a part of the resistance, save her big sister and still get the guy?
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How much do your dreams define you (especially when it becomes obvious that someone else is influencing your dreams)?
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What happens when the love for someone overlays revenge?
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Tongue in cheek, I'd say: Why am I insane enough to be up at this hour considering this question?
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Mine is: Does distance really make the heart grow fonder?
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Mine is: Will Jason Morgan be able to reconcile his hatred of all things occult with his own recently manifesting powers; and will he be able to put his feelings aside in order to catch a serial killer targeting occultists?
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Will the small group from the Wilderness be able to take control of the entire government and start again? And, will Ryan figure out who he loves?
^I swear I hadn't even started to read the Hunger Games when I wrote this. I read them last week and now I realize how copy-cat this sounds, but now I really want to write this anyways.
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Mankind has often treated minorities as if they weren't human; what happens when a minority is discovered to actually be non-human?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
that sounds really really interesting:D
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What if there was a certain kind of promise that, if broken, everyone would know?
What if you broke yours?
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Will Red be able to save her grandmother without losing her soul?
The answer: No.
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My question: Will Meg (protagonist) conform and do as she's always done or let herself feel and think for herself regardless of the consequences (which are huge).
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Hm. This is a tough one. Let's see...
For the Memory Keeper: Does Holden succeed in keeping his little band of orphans safe and together despite the interference of the Immune?
For Outside the Reach: Can Holden and Meredith get the cure to the Out of Reach before it's too late to save their dear friend?
I'm sure that first one will change as the story evolves. I'm not even really sure where it's going just yet. XD
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
If Christiana fails in controlling her demon, will she too die along with the people she cares about most, or will she live to see it all happen?
(actually, there's at least ten more questions that relate to whole story, but that's probably the most important question. I know the answer too.)
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She's always dreamed of being the princess in a fairy tale. But what's a fairy tale princess to do when the fairy tale hits the fan?
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Will Kit be able to push past the wall in her own mind to discover who she really is, and what friends really are?
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When your world is nothing but law and order, is a full, happy life even a possibility?
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Okay, let's see...
What's more important to the invisible girl: a niche in the popular crowd when she accidently recieves the ability to choose visibility, or the boy who sees her even when she's invisible?
wow, sounds complicated
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Why should one chose to live when there appears to be no hope?
Plot concepts: Living in the face of despair, a girl with crippled magical ability, five space fleet commanders who destroy her homeworld and systematically murder her people, a dark nebula from which none return sane, magical ink, passion for music, the beautiful, the Watchers who will return, the meaning of justice, an unknown foe that threatens all life... and seeing how all these are in fact connected.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Wow, I'd read that.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I've been sitting here trying to flesh this simple question out... make it something that includes a bit more of the heart of the story... but , I really can't. But that's okay, given my particular story.
Will Donna find the fame she so desperately craves?
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What happens when a simple burrito completely changes your life?
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"Is the cute red-head that shows up in William's office really God?"
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The main question of my novel:
Do you kill yourself living or do you live killing yourself?
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If you could, would be with someone who's dead but after your time together, you can't remember the time spent with them?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is a terminator-inspired story, about a soldier who travels back in time to kill the woman who creates a cyborg that will end up threatening humanity's survival. So my question is, will Roman (the soldier), end up saving his race's existence?
I have an answer, and I'm so pumped to write this!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
My main character is given a vision for a future of prosperity. My main question is, does she succeed in bringing that prosperity?
I think this is the main question, only because I know the answer.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is:
"What happened to Lilly Bell?"
It isnt a yes or no question, buts its basically what gets the reader wanting to read more. My writer coach told me that in books, you decide what your character wants most, and put everything you can in their way so that they dont get it. In my novel, that's all Riley wants. Is to know what happened to her sister. And so, I made it into a thrilling, blood-chilling mystery. :)
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Can Marli actually turn around from what she's gotten herself into, or is she doomed to be a cut off, jobless homewrecker?
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Mine: What would life be like if technology caused a societal collapse?
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After 768 years of war will she ever remember that real reason to keep living, and when she does will she be able to accept it and continue living the unrewarding and empty life as a tortured underling?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I guess my plot's main question is: Will they all survive, and if so, will it be worth it?
The thematic question is: What's it worth to you? "It" is up to your definition.
My novel (as it is planned now) is centered around a group of four or five escaped test subjects for a program to create genetically/chemically engineered supermen. Each has a specific ability gained from their testing, and they all must choose between living on the lam on nothing but their wits, powers, and friends, or living comfortably after betraying the others.
On a personal note, this is also my first attempt at such a huge endeavor, and I am so excited!
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How will one average mostly untalented and uneducated person cope, survive, and thrive when she is apparently the last human being on earth? And what will be her purpose for continuing to continue?
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Will Dr. Kevin Hopson, devastated by the death of his wife from breast cancer eight years earlier, be able to clear the name of the new woman in his life after he learns she is the FBI's main suspect in a series of serial killings at hospitals all over the eastern United States, and that's only if he can figure out that she isn't actually the serial killer the FBI has accused her of being?
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Mine is: Do you write your own destiny or does destiny take you?
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Two-parter: Why must The Record be kept, and what will it reveal?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Here's the question:
What did Baido mean when he asked Charity, 'Do you finish what you start?'?
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How far would you go to get back into the arms of the one you love most?
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Did God lose the war on heaven to the fallen angels?
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I guess my main question would be: Can a father's love for his son overcome the fact that his son is the reincarnation of the serial killer that killed the father's wife?
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What happens to Lex and Elizabeth to get from 'Love's Young Dream' to 'Days of Wine and Roses'???
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After Artie's wave of petty crimes and home invasions sends him into an existential crisis, will he atone for his wrongdoings and finally leave Philadelphia a braver man?
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Will the crew of the Tyr be able to reveal the ultimate hypocrisy represented by the United government of P.A.X and thus destroy it? Will the destruction of P.A.X be a move for the betterment of society or a move towards its utter destruction?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Co-ed Frat: How do you leave your best friends behind and what would you do for someone you hate?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is , How will Malin (a servant for the Eadwynn family in the early 1830's) cope with losing her job and getting pregnant before marriage?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine's - Is it right to use criminal actions to fight a 'worse' crime?
The question is wrapped up in a murder mystery called (provisionally) 'The Librarian and the Wife-Beater'
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When a man recovering from an A.I.D.S. related brain infection, finds himself alone and in the cross hairs of two ruthless assassins, he barely gets away with his life. But, with no corroborating witness to back up his story and no answer to the question of "why?", can he convince the authorities that a relapse of his condition is not to blame, as well as discover who wants him dead before they find him and finish the job.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is, essentially, How can some people be so cruel, sadistic, and heartless?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
My question is what is the essential sum of an individual?
Their actions? Their thoughts? Their end? - I conclude, as with any novel that the worth is in the journey.
I'm exploring this across a utopian backdrop and a coming of age story to highlight how we perceive the value of self.
....I'm thinking I'm a little too ambitious.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
In the main narrative (I'm going for a "ripping yarn" style story.) the question would be:
"Where is Clara-Alice?"
But then, I suppose it could be closely followed by:
"Once you've seen the impossible break into your reality, are you morally obligated to tell people about it?"
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Mine is: If everything in your life is pre-destined from your birth to your death is there anyway to change your fate?
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Will a couple of outlaws in the Old West be able to go straight and start a legitimate business?
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My question I answer in my novel is this...who am I and why am I here.
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Mine is this:
Cassandra wakes up to realize that she has been living the wrong life. Circumstances and her own decisions have landed her in a life far different than the one she'd intended to live. Now she has a chance to change everything, to start with a clean slate, but it is not a simple choice; people will get hurt. Does she care? Can she turn her back on the life she has created or are her ties deeper than she believes?
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Will Arthur, Merlin and Co. ever defat Norgana and her evil allies in this videogame reality?
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My main question: Does overcoming adversity actually make you stronger and improve your life in the long run or can taking the easy road and avoiding struggle be the better path?
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Can love truly conquer all or is that some romantic and mystical wish we all have? What if what love had to conquer was beyond reason? Beyond belief? What are the limits? Where is the line drawn?
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Mine would be:
Is the pursuit of perfection worth damaging your mental and physical health?
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Will Mary cure her virus and save her beloved Yelena?
Honestly, I don't know. I'm not even sure if 'cure' and 'save' are the correct descriptors for what happens to the poor girls.
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In my story i guess the main question is:
When you dont know who you are, who are you?
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MIne is easy. I merged two outlines into one: A who dunnit, turns into a what dunnit. Who/what killed the former CIA assistant director in a modest midwest hotel after he published his memoirs? While attending a book signing at a local bookstore, the assistant director is found dead in the morning. Who / what dunnit? Was it the tired old desk clerk who was a former employee purged after 911 because the analyst tried to warn them and was ignored? Was it the Somalian driver whose family was killed because he declined to act on information about an attack. The Serbian houseman whose village was destroyed because he did act, but based on wrong information? The Nicaraguan nationalist who lost everything in the Contra War? Or any other of the 100 odd displaced nationals from around the world, who came to America because their lives at home had turned to Caca ........Or was it something else, a cosmic horror that manifested itself that day and in that place.
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My book is a bit strange in that I'm trying to prove a point, so I think mine would probably be: Does good always defeat evil?
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The question I've come up with is this "When aliens move onto Mars, will humans survive near Earth Encounter?"
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Could a bunch of young criminals and underdogs end a war that's been going on during 15 years?
Well, my novel is starred by a group of anti-heroes, and I like it because of the fact that you would never think they can be the ones to save the day.
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Will time traveler Charlie Sinclair choose to live in the present or escape to the past where love, respect, and the potential for immortality await?
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The main question of my novel:
"What kind of mother tries to sell a baby for $500 at a Mexican fast food restaurant and why?"
My main character, Bree O'Donnell, witnesses a Hispanic mother trying to sell her baby for $500 to a woman at a Mexican food restaurant. Bree unwillingly gets caught up in the drama and discovers a ring of Baby Brokers...."
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Is loving and caring about other people harder than loving and caring for yourself?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is a little more complicated, but I'll try and boil it down to a question (maybe two).
Are Vlad and Lola supposed to be together?
Wow...that sounds so much more trite than it actually is. It's much more complicated than that.
Did Vlad create Lola?
What happened to Lola's sister? Her dad?
Is Vlad capable of feeling anything at all?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
the main question to my novel is - what if hate and love becomes so close that you can't tell them apart anymore? what if you can't hold onto your hate anymore and start to love instead? could you even become a parent in this case then?
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Hard to fromulate at this stage, the whole thing is very sketchy and may change as things progress, but at the moment it is along the lines of: Will Julia ever understand why her son committed suicide and how far can a parent expect to be involved in an adult child's life anyway?
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Will my Southern belle survive the zombie apocalypse with only her charm and Yankee lesbian sidekick?
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LOLOLOL! I love it! This would make a hilarious zombie movie! I want to read it. :-)
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I AM SO READING THIS BOOK.
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The main question of my novel- Hmmmmm- how much history do we lose when we throw away old things- the main premise of my plot is tracing an item found in an elderly aunts house back through history- learning of the dramas it's previous owners encountered when they wore it, and finding out about an otherwise secretive family member
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What unifies family? What IS family? The numerous characters dogpiling, leapfrogging, and slamdancing their way into this narrative aren't making this question terribly easy for me to answer but I'll let them duke it out. At least so far no one's lost an eye....
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Will Gwen and Ianto ever escape the Timelock and see their beloved Jack again?
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Can Joy break away from the sadistic and torturous hold her father, Dr. Haverghast, has over her and find her happily ever after?
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I'm not convinced of the need for a Main or Major Dramatic "Question"; chance, fate, etc, should colour the writing better than some bland/formulaic plan.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Hi Werner,
Yeah... though I guess it depends on what you mean by 'successful'... and also, in many respects, by 'novel'. A novel can be successful artistically without being successful commercially. And, well... just what IS a novel? We all have our own definitions. We'd all term 'Finnegan's Wake', 'Tristram Shandy', 'Factotum', 'War and Peace', 'As I Lay Dying', 'One Day', 'Jude the Obscure', 'Picwick Papers' and 'A Box of Matches' as novels... yet they're all completely different from one another in terms of style, structure, pace, dramatic progression, plot, etc. I guess the best that can be said is that a novel is an extended piece of writing with some kind of dynamic - narrative or otherwise - that holds it together from the first page to the last.
And having said all that.... I think the major dramatic question of my novel is whether or not the protagonist can succeed in writing a novel before the last page is reached!
Good luck.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
The 127th Centauri Irregulars have finally landed themselves a solid contract - a decent wage and a stand-up fight. How will they, and their opinion of their chosen careers, change as they learn that they've signed on to fight for the Bad Guys?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
When it comes to it, would you go with the decisions of your heart or your head?
Alternatively.
Would you sell an innocent boy to slavery if it meant you could survive in a hellish world?
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I guess mine would be something like:
Has new girl Olivia really found the right group of people, and together can they find the secrets behind 'The Game'?
Or at least something close to that..
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Will Edmund Dale rediscover love and inner contentment or will his obsession with grammatical accuaracy finally destroy him?
Can't beleive I just had to spell check "grammatical". This could be a long month!
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accuaracy.....wtf!
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I have no idea what my main question should be. My story is about a group of people who die unexpectedly and are chosen to become the next grim reapers. They have to attend an academy, taught by teachers who live in insane asylums on earth, and learn to, and specialize in, reaping souls. However, the devil's agents are plotting to corrupt the new grimlings, while an unexpected foe is plotting the end of both humans and the undead. I guess I could ask: Can death die? Or maybe is there anything after death once you've been reaped? I have no idea. Any suggestions?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
The question to mine is.
Will Sai (a dragon) be able to overcome the trials and tribulations sent before him as he travels through Appalach in his quest to defeat the tyrant Swartz, and become King himself.
I'm looking forward to this and vein baked to meet other writers and give and receive feed back on our stories :D
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I'm looking forward to this and being able* to meet other writers...silly typos
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Mine revolves around this question:
Will Lorretta choose to follow her dreams, will she choose the right path, and will she choose the man who has caused her so much heartbreak?
Yep, its a pretty simple question, however, I believe the answer will touch the hearts of the ones who read it.
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
My characters main question is: "Is there anybody out there who genuinely cares?"
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My story answers the question:
Is the problem with society the system of government people choose to follow or the people themselves?
My story is based in a utopian.dystopian society, but in my head i always thinks of ways in which it wouldn't be perfect. this is why i thought of the problem not being with the system but with people themselves.
I wonder if this is to over done and boring?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is on having a conversation with Jesus in a coffee shop. of course there is more to the story, but thats the gist.
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I have to tell you a little about my setting before I get into the questions... here goes.
The universe is divided into 3 or 4 Galaxy Systems. One of the systems, named Ua'flor, has been ruled for many generations by identical quadruplets (multiples are a common phenomenon in Ua'flor). The set of identical quadruplets that are up next to take the throne are the main characters of my novel. One of the quads, I am thinking the youngest, will find out a secret. Will she tell her sisters what she has discovered? If she does, when would be the "best" time to do so? After the secrets innards have been uncovered, or not, what will the girls views on Ruling thier Galaxy System be? Will the sisters find out about their aunts plot to place her sons on the thrones? Will their mothers thirst for power within tradition be the demise of the girls' entrance into rulership, or will it just be the backdrop of the secrets details?
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Will Tom manage to overcome the difficulties in his life, and his own inner demons, and maintain his sobriety following a drink-fuelled suicide attempt - and by so doing, can he regain the confidence and respect of his family?
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June 1978.
Danielle, in her early twenties, lives life according to a loose philosophy she hardly realizes she lives by: get close to no one and no harm will find her. Never again.
She keeps a low profile, always, especially in Toronto. Yes, especially here in Toronto. What would be the point in getting caught now? None.
So, she, of all the people involved, is the most shocked when she finds herself alone in her living room, the phone receiver in her now-sweaty hand, having a conversation with a police emergency operator. Makes no sense. Did she really just dial 9-1-1?
She can barely breathe as she very reluctantly answers the operators' questions. Since they can tell where the call came from, what choice does she have? Either way, they've got her. The operator asks Danielle to remain on the phone while the police head over to her apartment. She cannot believe that she just basically invited police into her home.
A few hours later, Danielle finds herself in a police station working with forensic artists and being interviewed by numerous detectives, many amazed that she's sitting there, unharmed, and telling the story. She feels like somewhat of a freak in a side show, but mostly she's just afraid that she'll be discovered. That she'll caught. That she'll be the one sent to jail.
None of what's happening on this night fits under the "keep a low profile" advice of her attorney when she first returned here a few months ago, after all those years away.
All the while, Danielle puts on a good face, but her heart beats as fast as a jackhammer on overdrive. She realizes that she's waiting for Sergeant Dinker to walk up to her at any moment, recognize her, and cuff her.
Two questions demand a yes or no answer: will Danielle's extraordinary deed, unplanned and even unwanted on her part, be punished or rewarded? And the hardships Danielle lived through over the first 25 years of her life...were they somehow pre-ordained so that she'd behave in the exact manner required for her to be spared this night - and save many others in the process?
Could it be?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Mine is:
How far would you go to save a life?
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What happens when a balanced, elegant system for resolving crisis is overwhelmed by crisis?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Not to paraphrase Dumbledore...
"Do those we love ever truly leave us?"
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Haha, my question is: Is this real? Or is this all a dream? And to answer with Dumbledore here: Of course this is all in your head, Harry. (hm, maybe I'll actually call a character Harry...) But that doesn't mean that it's not real.
....or something like that, I haven't got my Book with me right now.
Actually I'm not sure yet, of this will be the answer to my question. Maybe I can think of a more definite one^^
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
NOPE! They're in our hearts and our minds forever imprinted though we cannot hug them or have them have a awsome conversation they will alway's be there even if we dont know it
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"Will she go home?"
Which is a combination of the motivation: "Does she want to go home?", and the plot: "Can she physically find a way home?"
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I suppose that mine could fit in that theme. It'll be interesting to see how yours evolves
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"What does it take to transcend the roles that society forces upon us?"
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Interesting! This sounds like it could be incredibly deep.
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Thank you! I'd like to think that my happy fantasy romp is more than literary junk food, so I appreciate that compliment.
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Awesome O.o; Pretty intense!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
This sounds like one of the most interesting on this board!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
I'd find this interesting if the answer is ultimately "Yes" otherwise I'd worry that it'd turn into a lengthy 'woe is me' monologue and personally I prefer uplifting books. Good luck with it whatever the answer is you're working towards as I'm sure the journey will be revealing either way.
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doh - no delete button... I clearly didn't read the question accurately - "WHAT does it take.... " sounds good to me!
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
Can someone take their ambition too far? Where does one draw the line?
Re: The Main Question of Your Novel
NICE! When I read this, it made me think of a book by Chuck Palahniuk called Diary. It was about pushing to insane lengths to create...not the FULL theme of the book, but it was throughout. Good stuff. Good luck in November, friend!
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Do you have to earn everything you take?
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This sounds amazingly interesting!
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This sounds very interesting! Concepts of karma as well as sort of ethical Marxism come to mind. Best of luck writing it!
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good question.
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Will our world destroy us?
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If I had to say so right now I would say the mine is very similar to this one.
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That made me stop and think for a moment. Thanks for that.
"Can you ever truly escape your past?"
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I like this one. I would like to think the answer is yes, so long as we keep our mouth shut.
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Ooh, this is good.
"Will she find the freedom she's looking for?"
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that is mine (in a literal sense)
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"Do we ever stop dreaming?"
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Interesting! Sounds like it could lead you to some deep exploration of ontology.
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(Doing a few stories this year. Here are all three.)
Hart and Hind: Do the failures of the past dictate future outcomes?
Blood Debt: How far can a mother's love be stretched when absolutely nothing validates/encourages it?
The Empty People: How does its existence in a finite world distort infinite love?
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I like Blood Debt's question.
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These would work combined into one novel! They all seem to fall along the same theme.
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How far does she have to be pushed to break her no-killing rule?
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This sounds interesting.
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On a total tangent, DaraHavok, I love your icon. XD
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I don't know if you can do this for a comedy that well, but...
"How much trouble can one typo lead to?"
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Oh, this could definitely be non-comedy, too. In this book I had to read for English over the summer, it talked a lot about punctuation and grammar. Leaving out a comma here or there can completely alter the meaning of a sentence, sometimes with drastic results. My favorite example is this:
Let's eat, Grandma!
Let's eat Grandma!
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Poor Grandma!
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My favorite example is a Panda eats shoots and leaves vs a Panda eats, shoots, and leaves.
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Hahahahaha.. this gave me a really great chuckle. I liked the grandma one, and I agree, Poor Grandma, but I think this one is hilarious!!!! hahahahaha
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Let's ask Mr. Tuttle.
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Seriously, this sounds AMAZING. Good luck in November and hats off to your amusing question.
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That actually can be quite humorous! One mis-step and one meaning becomes something completely different.
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Who killed the king? What is truth? Where did two nine year olds find a genie?
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I thought you wrote "giraffe" instead of "genie". My first thought was, "setkgisuhe That's an excellent question!"
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What does he want from her? And ultimately; will he find peace?
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Will he prevent Armageddon or will he be betrayed?
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What would you sacrifice for absolute power?
It's actually the first line of my synopsis!
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Can I avoid the fate of my cousin?
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This one I find intriguing. I'm curious as to the story behind your main question. Would love to read this one!
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Which is better: fantasy or reality?
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Oh, I love this! I attempted to deal with a very similar question last year!
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Mine is very similar
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Fantasy! My vote goes to Fantasy every time
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Can the world's natural disasters be linked to something supernatural? If so, what could it be?
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Who has it better, men or women?
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I guess mine would be...Can they bring to previously embittered nations together after years of war and will they ultimately be able to fulfill their dream of living together in a peaceful world?
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This one sounds interesting
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Pretty cool question! I want to read that one already :D