Developing a conflict?
Posted: 30 Jul 2010, 14:12
Is there any process you use for developing a conflict?
I'm toying with the idea of writing some sci-fi; I've been writing fragments, developing characters, growing a universe from pieces of will. I've even developed a governmental structure in my head that's different than what we have here.
I have some ideas, but they all seem ... reused. Basically all I can think of is Holt Fasner (The Gap Cycle), aliens (everything's used alien invasion forces in a galactic war), and anti-heroes (being on the side of the bad guys).
Because of the universe I've chosen, some conflicts are impossible: particularly small scale politics don't work when you're dealing with mankind just finally developing the ability to colonize the galaxy. Internal wars are just barely possible: due to the universe I've set up, it's possible for someone to find a habitable planet near an ore-rich asteroid belt or such and begin to build a space super-power... which would give me something boring, or another Holt Fasner.
Seriously. Space race, we can go out and colonize. The first belligerent person to build up a planet can either develop space battle stations and start attacking people before they have defenses; or he can develop space defenses and manipulate most/all of human space into giving him police powers (giant politics game). The first is boring: even if he gets a good hold, he's a direct enemy and everyone hates him; the story is simple. The second is ... another Holt Fasner, just from a completely different approach and a different history.
The innards of the story would be different from other stories, of course. Even the ones I'm ripping off (I've noticed many ways to tell a story have been employed by various writers; I've actually directly selected one, because I like the writing style, and decided to use that as the method to write MY story). I'm focusing a lot on the development and applications of technology; on comparative politics (different planets, different political atmospheres, different political THEORY); and on social issues. But there still has to be a real story in there, a sort of conflict, something ugly.
I'm toying with the idea of writing some sci-fi; I've been writing fragments, developing characters, growing a universe from pieces of will. I've even developed a governmental structure in my head that's different than what we have here.
I have some ideas, but they all seem ... reused. Basically all I can think of is Holt Fasner (The Gap Cycle), aliens (everything's used alien invasion forces in a galactic war), and anti-heroes (being on the side of the bad guys).
Because of the universe I've chosen, some conflicts are impossible: particularly small scale politics don't work when you're dealing with mankind just finally developing the ability to colonize the galaxy. Internal wars are just barely possible: due to the universe I've set up, it's possible for someone to find a habitable planet near an ore-rich asteroid belt or such and begin to build a space super-power... which would give me something boring, or another Holt Fasner.
Seriously. Space race, we can go out and colonize. The first belligerent person to build up a planet can either develop space battle stations and start attacking people before they have defenses; or he can develop space defenses and manipulate most/all of human space into giving him police powers (giant politics game). The first is boring: even if he gets a good hold, he's a direct enemy and everyone hates him; the story is simple. The second is ... another Holt Fasner, just from a completely different approach and a different history.
The innards of the story would be different from other stories, of course. Even the ones I'm ripping off (I've noticed many ways to tell a story have been employed by various writers; I've actually directly selected one, because I like the writing style, and decided to use that as the method to write MY story). I'm focusing a lot on the development and applications of technology; on comparative politics (different planets, different political atmospheres, different political THEORY); and on social issues. But there still has to be a real story in there, a sort of conflict, something ugly.