Writing assignment

Something I thought might be fun. One of the current topics is It's Been Done, a valid concern not just for the writer but the reader as well. With that in mind what I thought might be interesting is to go over five classic stories and see what kind of twist you would put on them.

• Soldiers in the Middle East: We've had several stories like this recently with SEAL Team Six and Zero Dark Thirty, as well as the Modern Warfare and Medal Of Honor games. How you you give this story some zest?

• Fanfic Fuel: This would have to be one of the dreams of a writer, to be handed the reigns of their favorite media to write about. Whether it be Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Punisher, Ghostbusters, Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, WWE, Mass Effect, Kim Possible, whatever form of media you like, what spin would you put on the story?

• Police procedural: If you're not familiar with this story then thing Law And Order or Blue Heelers, NYPD Blue or Underbelly. What would be your take on these?

• Sitcom: From Friends to How I Met Your Mother there have been numerous twists played with one of the classics. What's yours?

• Sports: There has been several unique spins on the classic sporting movie, from Space Jam to Celtic Pride to Eddie that has thrown something of a curve ball at the viewer. How would you put your stamp on such a story?

edited 4th Feb '13 5:01:02 AM by tsstevens

Too much war in these prompts. Could use more variety.

Fair enough. I changed the five options so you have something different to work with.

• Soldiers in the Middle East: Something like Black Hawk Down.
• Fanfic Fuel: The many historical and mythological figures you can put in the Fate universe. With an alternate universe of Medaka Box providing the Masters.
• Police Procedural: Dealing with crimes complicated by the arrival of a Batman-like vigilante.
• Sitcom: No spin, just something standard. (read: can't think of anything)
• Sports: Dodgeball. With magic powers and battle auras and varied playing fields. So basically shonen'd up.

None of those really float my boat.

Others to add to the list:

• Medieval-style fantasy settings, like LOTR, Eragon, Ladyhawke etc
• Space Opera - Star Trek etc
• Romance (serious or Rom Com)
• Historical Fiction/Period piece - anything from Robin Hood to Call The Midwife
• Alternative History

For a Medieval-style fantasy, I'd go all out averting standard tropes like Always Chaotic Evil, various "hats" and fantasy racial stereotypes. A dwarf would be just as likely to be a clerk, scrivener or apothecary as an axe-weilding warrior or miner; a troll may well be unloading bales at the shipyard and an orc could be shoeing horses.

And this human over here may be fine with trolls and orcs but utterly hate that human over there just because he's from a different country.

edited 4th Feb '13 12:48:07 PM by Wolf1066

I think it would be interesting casting dwarves as woodland dwellers and elves roamers in the mountains.

I'd go for the different humanoid species all being just as racially and culturally varied as humans. Complete with those of "mixed race" within those species.

Rather "half-human, half-elf", have them not able to breed at all - but that elf over there is half-whatnot, half-thingummy (supply your own elven racial divisions) and has physical features reminiscent of both.

Have a person identifying where a troll came from and his/her likely spoken language by hair/skin colour or facial features or size.

Soldiers in the Middle East: I might have the soldiers encounter — perhaps awaken — some terror from the ancient world that threatens both them and the rebels, leading to a tense and unfriendly Enemy Mine action/horror situation. It might be interesting if it were entirely harmless to peaceful civilians, reacting specifically to violence, leading to much terrified and counter-productive fire-fighting on the part of our protagonists, until the last soldier or rebel finally figures it out and survives by dint of Sheathe Your Sword

• Soldiers in the middle east: I know nothing about soldiers or the middle east, so... pass?
• Fanfic fuel: A Pokemon fanfic involving trainers pulling swords out of Pokemon and having duels over The Power to Bring the World Evolution.
  • Or better yet, a skewering of those fanfics that try and make the Pokemon world more "realistic" by making every Pokemon a dangerous vicious predatorial killer, where every Pokemon will have only abilities that can be found on actual real life anumals, and quite a lot of critters would end up a lot smaller, especially the insects.
• Police procedural: I don't really have anything to say about this, either...
• Sitcom: Take a Standard Sitcom Situation, and flip the genders. Flip all the genders! So, for example, you might have a an attractive popular boy living with a bunch of homely, socially awkward girls.
• Sports: ... i got nuttin'

And now you all have a fairly good idea of which sorts of plotbunnies I think about most often. :U

Police Procedural: Zombie Lennie Briscoe, Ziva David, and Castle. They fight crime.

Soldiers in the Middle East: Focus on the aftermath; the consequences the actions of the soldiers and insurgents have both in their own personallives and the lives of those around them.

Fanfic Fuel: Superman. Rewrite the entire mythos of the character from the ground up incorporating all the aspects of the character that I love while introducing a few of my own ideas and concepts.

Police Procedural: Focus on the jury and how all the members view the crime, the lawyers, the trial, the accused etc. and how ordinary people ultimately judge who and who isnt guilty.

Sitcom: I've got nothing.

Sports: Car Racing in the future, complete with death tracks, booby traps and weapons.

Fantasy: Recast the mainstays of the fantasy genre (dwarves, elves, hobbits etc.)into something completely different. E.g. Elvesare savage and wild, hobbits are cosmopolitan and incredibly enterprising etc.

Thats all I have at the moment.

My solution: Kitbash all (or, well, most) of them together.

You've got three viewpoint characters with three separate stories. The first is an American MP, the second is his opposite number and sometime-partner in the local police force, and the third is an up-and-coming basketball star in one of the country's newly-established professional leagues who also happens to be a member of an ethnic / religious minority. It starts out as Slice of Life type stuff — not quite sitcom levels of comedy, but just following these people's daily lives and relationships.

Then somebody on the team gets murdered, our basketball star is immediately blamed, and our "buddy" cop duo is called in to investigate. Tensions flare in the local community, with everyone blaming the minority / the majority / the Americans / pick your poison. Whoever actually picks up this idea (since I have no plans on writing it myself) can decide for themselves whodunnit, why, and if / how everyone else can keep tensions from boiling over.

edited 5th Feb '13 12:40:53 PM by Specialist290

Okay, first these would be what I would do.

• Soldiers in the Middle East: First I would have it center on female soldiers. Yes I know that might not be realistic as women are not really meant to be on the front lines, but this would bring us to point two. After September 11 it was proposed that women would be excellent in fighting Middle Eastern Muslim terrorists, and recruitment for combat roles would help bolster the numbers for The War On Terror. Thus the best candidates were selected, women with the hearts of tigers, who could go toe to toe against any man, who were just as skilled, just as tough and just as dedicated. Those who could really get to terrorists. The story would focus on several such women in a unit, which brings up point three. Their unbalanced: one lost her son to terrorists, she sacrificed him actually, and had wanted to retire but was recalled, she's grouchy, and she takes it out on the Taliban. Another has a son back home and there is no depth she will not stoop to so she can protect him from terrorism. The third pushed really hard to have women on the front lines, and while she tries to maintain order and discipline she has a maverick streak and is not afraid to break the rules if it means stopping Al Qaeda from hurting others.

• Fanfic Fuel: Here is what I would do with each story.

• Neon Genesis Evangelion: It would take place After the End and center on one of the first people who came back from Instrumentality. And they are pissed. Enough so they began investigating what happened, and think the giant head that's seen decaying has something to do with it. If Rei somehow makes a reappearance then they want her head on a pike.

• The Punisher: There's another vigilante operating in New York, which is a story that had been told before. However this one is different: they're professional, and at the moment had not gone out to kill criminals, instead investigate crime until the police can be informed of the best time to strike, rather than kill them like the Punisher would. Now this vigilante has contacted Frank Castle with information on a gang committing armed robberies, and he is suspicious why.

• I went with doing a film adaptation of Final Fantasy VII redone and remastered using the cutting edge 2013 graphics and sound.

• The Hunger Games: This would center on a former champion who is too old to be involved in Katniss' war, but can provide information on what the games do to those who survive. They won not through brutality or skill, but survival, someone who might have picked Foxface to win. They ran from the initial onslaught, moved about and hid, then went back to the bodies and used their bodies to sink to such barbaric depths even the District 1 and 2 contestants were shocked. What they had to do to survive had left them jaded, and it is how they are able to cope that is passed on to Katniss.

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Buffy now has an army, however she needs to be much much better at leading them. She begins research on other Slayers who had fought with others, before Willow contacts their spirits for guidance on how they led.

• For Professional Wrestling I would center on an ex wrestler turned promoter who tries to identify where others had failed and where they can try and innovate.

• For video games, Wing Commander, where I would have it a Lower Decks Episode that centered on an original cast that would pop in and out of the storyline between the first and second games, from Blair's court martial to a pilot in covert ops with Paladin, from helping Spirit find her fiance to flying under Lieutenant Colonel Devereaux. Some missions would change to playing as a Space Marine.

• I would make a second season of the Spiderman 2003 animated series and have the center storyline being The Punisher hunting down Spidey, and when he threatens those close to him Peter has to don the costume again.

• The police procedural would be the story I'm writing. An aboriginal girl dealing with criminals who are up in arms about being victimized because of their race which is a hot topic at the moment while investigating the murder of a transsexual.

• Sitcom: I'd center it on a news reporting team and try and make it accurate while still being funny, showing reports that prove truth is stranger than fiction.

• For a sports story I would have it center on a coach who suffers from depression. He's nice, kind, loyal, eccentric and brutal beyond belief, pushing Training from Hell to it's limits without causing damage as he drives, punishes and occasionally greatly rewards his team. It's so bad The New Guy wants to quit but not only does the team relish the torment in the hopes of pleasing the coach he is adamant he is not giving up on him.

Now I think I'll comment on some of the ideas that were tossed around.

Something like Black Hawk Down.

Sort of like one that focuses more on survival? It's good how you've picked up on that type of style being popular these days. It's a nice change of pace from what is typically thought of from a war movie.

Not familiar with Fate, sorry.

Dealing with crimes complicated by the arrival of a Batman-like vigilante.

I don't think we have seen many police stories where a vigilante is the cause of the problems. Sure in the ones that center on them this is one of the plot points but when it's from the police perspective it's rarer. When you say Batman like are you thinking he would use his detective skills to help the police or he'd actually be out there beating up thugs?

Dodgeball. With magic powers and battle auras and varied playing fields. So basically shonen'd up.

I kind of have in my head that South Park episode for some reason. The likes of Initial D which is street racing and Slam Dunk were more straight laced and not Dragon Ball inspired so I would be interested to see how you would use it.

Medieval-style fantasy settings, like LOTR, Eragon, Ladyhawke etc

I'd transplant the basic plot of Knights Of The Old Republic into a medieval setting, which the game basically is, and play in as many high falutine ideas that Bio Ware do well as I can. What Is Evil? The concept of Good Is Not Soft vs Good Is Dumb. That sort of thing.

Space Opera - Star Trek etc

Mine would center on a criminal who was regarded as a living legend on a failed colony, who is eventually caught up with by The Federation and agrees to put their skills to better use by going to the academy and training to become an officer. Part of the plot would be trying to fit into a more civil world, breaking old habits and not resorting to their old ways to accomplish new objectives.

Romance (serious or Rom Com)

It'd be serious. Mine would be about a woman who is seriously in love with her boyfriend, but he finds life a struggle and she has Yandare traits, not obsessive or possessive, just nothing she wouldn't do to make him happy (he asks for very little and she wants to do more because she feels he is unhappy) and wants to be with him no matter what, even if he is upset with himself and doesn't want to burden her.

Historical Fiction/Period piece - anything from Robin Hood to Call The Midwife

I think I have just the thing. A young girl in the wild west who loses her parents and is raised by an older sister. One day she comes across an Indian girl who befriends her and takes her back home, where she teaches viciousness on those who do you wrong and how to survive when life works against you. The girl begins living between her sister and her new friend until one night she returns home to see a posse razing it to the ground and kill her sister because the bank were not paid. She vows to hunt down the people responsible and stop them from hurting anyone else.

Alternative History

I would only change recent history a little and focus on youth crime, gangs, how the police can't seem to stop them, the courts won't touch them and the effect they have on the community. One such gang was in Real Life so bad they made residents of a small town fear for their lives and it was considered safer in New York or Los Angeles.

For a Medieval-style fantasy, I'd go all out averting standard tropes like Always Chaotic Evil, various "hats" and fantasy racial stereotypes. A dwarf would be just as likely to be a clerk, scrivener or apothecary as an axe-weilding warrior or miner; a troll may well be unloading bales at the shipyard and an orc could be shoeing horses.

That's the way to do it I think. It would be interesting how much of the classic conflict boils down to race and if you were able to pull it off it would be a powerful message, Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped perhaps.

I think it would be interesting casting dwarves as woodland dwellers and elves roamers in the mountains.

Sort ff reversing the roles the races would play? There's potential there, it would be interesting to perhaps take the stereotypes and preconceptions of one race and have the other race see what it's really like.

Soldiers in the Middle East: I might have the soldiers encounter — perhaps awaken — some terror from the ancient world that threatens both them and the rebels, leading to a tense and unfriendly Enemy Mine action/horror situation.

I like the subtle anti war and anti conflict message that comes across such an idea. Were it me I would have it awaken as a reaction to the fighting.

Yamii Denryuu, I'm not familiar with the anime you're referring to so I don't feel qualified in looking at that idea, sorry. I will comment on this though.

Sitcom: Take a Standard Sitcom Situation, and flip the genders.

That seems to be the popular theme here, to have a reversal of roles, races. How I Met Your Mother kind of does that in that the women and more masculine and the men are more feminine, and that is a great show. I'd be keen on seeing how your idea plays out.

Police Procedural: Zombie Lennie Briscoe, Ziva David, and Castle. They fight crime.

Oh god. Yeah well why not? I think that's a funny prospect and I would certainly read it were it to eventuate.

Soldiers in the Middle East: Focus on the aftermath; the consequences the actions of the soldiers and insurgents have both in their own personallives and the lives of those around them.

This is a good idea to base a story off of. I'd be interested in details, how far down the rabbit hole would you go? Post traumatic stress? Disillusionment with the invading forces and the war torn country? The people of that country grateful for the soldiers who helped overthrow the tyrant and are now helping them rebuild? There's a lot of interesting angles you could look at in such a story, and done with sensitivity and care it would make a good story.

Fanfic Fuel: Superman. Rewrite the entire mythos of the character from the ground up incorporating all the aspects of the character that I love while introducing a few of my own ideas and concepts.

I think Lois And Clark did something similar, at least they took the redone mythos where there was no Superboy and modernized the story, and while there may have been the critics who didn't want the original messed with the show was a huge hit. Superman is always a classic whether it was the old cartoon serials where he fought the Japanese, the shock it was when he first fought Batman or the big one, the Death and Return of Superman. I would like details of what exactly you would like to do with the mythos.

Police Procedural: Focus on the jury and how all the members view the crime, the lawyers, the trial, the accused etc. and how ordinary people ultimately judge who and who isnt guilty.

I think that's absolutely brilliant. I'm not sure if you are familiar with Underbelly but that was real, and when the TV series was aired it was banned and the sale of the DVD was prohibited, because the trial for some involved in the gangland wars was still occurring and it was feared that the jury would be influenced. That might be an idea to add to the story.

Sports: Car Racing in the future, complete with death tracks, booby traps and weapons.

I don't believe we have seen much of this genre. For the most part the films have been more traditional racing or modern day (yesteryear in some cases) death racing. A futuristic racer like Wipeout or maybe a space ship race of some description would bring something fresh and original.

Fantasy: Recast the mainstays of the fantasy genre (dwarves, elves, hobbits etc.)into something completely different. E.g. Elvesare savage and wild, hobbits are cosmopolitan and incredibly enterprising etc.

That sounds like a fun idea in that you like the other works I've commented on are taking this preconceived idea of a race and turn it on it's head. I think such a story would be good in terms of racism and stereotyping.

My solution: Kitbash all (or, well, most) of them together.

That actually isn't such a bad idea in that you are bringing in pieces of the writing suggestions and using elements from each. Instead of trying to make it a war story and a police story and a sports story you have one of the suspects be a basketball player so the sports element is there, the two people investigating are a soldier and a police officer so you have those two elements there.

To elaborate on the Police Procedural: Batman-like might have been the wrong word to use... Just basically meant that the vigilante is competent. And no, he's not helping the police. He really does play by his own rules, and it sometimes messes up with the cops' plans (like, for example, their undercover guy getting killed by him).

As for Black Hawk Down, I actually just wanna write something like it because I liked the movie, not because it's popular (didn't even know it's popular).

As for Wolf's writing assignment:

• Medieval-style fantasy settings: Take your standard fantasy setting, except there's no war or evil overlord or anything— the main issue is
• Space Opera: It will star a cute blob.
• Romance: A cupid who has to deal with her own love problems regarding a dashing seraphim.
• Period Piece: In which Shakespeare experiences a Shakespearean love story.

@ tsstevens: What I would essentially try to do with the Superman Mythos would be to combine the Silver Age and the modern, dramatic elements of the character into a wholly natural synthesis, something I think All-Star Superman did unbelievably well. Without sounding too much like some creatively bankrupt Hollywood executive, I suppose you could say that I would like to write something of a spiritual prequel to All-Star Superman as a series. Specifically, I would like to write a story that focused on how the character (his relationships, his motivations, his beliefs and his methods) has changed since he first revealed himself to the world.