# Should I take the path to the right or left?



## ShadowWaterDragon (Oct 15, 2008)

I'm working on a short-medium length story but I don't know where to go from where I am.

It's about a cub who can see people's fears and even make them experience them. I've posted the first part to my FA account here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1624940/

I don't want to ruin it for those who haven't read it but I still need to tell you a little bit about it. The cubs going to an orphanage with an FBI agent. I've led on that one of the other characters might try to interfeer and obtain the cub for themselves or a bigger organization.

So here are the possible paths I'm considering:
A) The character that's trying to obtain the cub is part of an organization but always seems to screw up getting the cub somehow. (Light comedy)
B) The character that's trying to obtain the cub is the leader of an organization and sends some minions after the cub. (Serious story)
C) The cub makes it to the orphanage, stuff happens and get's taken away to a place for 'special' cubs. (Basically think X-men but with furries)

I'd like to go along with path C but I'm not sure about how to incorporate the 'bad guys' in my story and still having them fail but not looking completely stupid. I also don't want to give the cub a body guard type character...but I think I'm going to have to anyway.

So what do you think? Either vote for which one you want or I'm open to alternative paths.

Thanks in advance.


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## ScottyDM (Oct 20, 2008)

Stories with conflict are better than stories without.

Most readers lead boring uneventful lives, so they don't want to read boring uneventful stories. Give them excitement! Even silly can be tense (think Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummy).

In any conflict there are a couple of fundamental questions: #1, what are the stakes? #2, what's the size of the conflict?

*Stakes:* Let's say someone keys your car. How bad is that? If it's a 20-year-old car with a few dents and oxidized paint--small stakes. However if it's not your car but your bosses, and he told you to take it to get it washed, and it's a fully restored antique worth about 5x your annual salary, and your boss doesn't think you're all that competent to begin with, and your boss is a mobster--uh oh!

*Size:* If the main conflict is that this boy loves that girl, but their families don't want them to date--small size. Now make the boy a scientist and the girl a reporter, and there's an asteroid hurtling toward earth that could wipe out civilization, and then throw in some conspiracy that spans the world's governments and history--huge size. It's easier to write a large conflict story, but a small conflict story can be very effective if you can get the reader to _care_ about this boy and that girl. When the readers project themselves into a character, any size becomes all encompassing because it becomes about the reader.

Hope this helps bring things into focus.

Scotty


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## GraemeLion (Oct 20, 2008)

To echo what Scotty says, there can NEVER be enough conflict in a story.  Ever.  The more conflict you put in, the more the characters will reveal of themselves, and the better your story will be for it.

It may sound cliched and over dramatic, but the point is to take the characters and readers to the edge and threaten to push them over.. and any ramping up you do helps.


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## sashadistan (Oct 29, 2008)

Follow the Badger. his advise is good.


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## ShadowWaterDragon (Nov 4, 2008)

Thanks everyone, I think I know what I'm going to do now. I hope you'll all keep an eye out for the next part of my story.


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## bluewulf1 (Nov 4, 2008)

I like B). But, if you can't find a door, make your own.


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## Hydramon (Nov 5, 2008)

A) Meh, comedys good, but the background seems too serious for this.
B) Minions? Why is it always Minions?
C) Xmen meets Furry? Maybe not the best idea... but also maybe a good idea.

Why not do something like the cub makes it to the orphanage, but finds out about "something" whilst there, then have the story based more in the future, when the cub is a teenager or something, and is hunted due to its ability and knowledge. Lots of action, drama and maybe even comedy


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## TakeWalker (Nov 6, 2008)

Hydramon said:


> C) Xmen meets Furry? Maybe not the best idea... but also maybe a good idea.



What, you mean Extinctioners?


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