So I was watching the British mini-series "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and saw an image that I see every few years and every time I do, it just fills me with ideas. Top bat, high collared coat with a cloak, and a scarf pulled over the nose so only the eyes are visible. This image is so evocative to me, and every time I see it, I want to use it.
Tonight was no exception. ...except. Except this time I didn't just think to myself, I wish I had a story to use that in. I actually thought of a story to use it in. I enjoy how Lois McMaster Bujold's Challion series isn't the same character over and over again. It's the same world but with different characters. I've thought of doing the same thing with some of my stories. In the course of writing WANTED: CHOSEN ONE, NOW HIRING, I had to come up with a lot of the setting outside of Brandarbra. I wrote down at least some content for all the Seven Kingdoms. I also mentioned that there is a large university in Reliarach, the oldest of the kingdoms. So, old, well-established kingdom with a major university that draws people from all over. Yes, definitely can work with this. With all the radical sociological changes introduced in WANTED (the revolution of women in society on a number of levels, the re-emergence of the Forgotten Gods, etc), I can have a grand intrigue with multiple societies and a crumbling government that squeezes tighter and tighter in an effort to maintain control.
The problem? Well, I don't really have a story, I have some cool images. And that kind of inspiration rarely pans out into a cool story. It pans out to a cool few chapters. Also, what story I've created seems incredibly cliched. So many other stories have worked with student revolutionary societies (a predominant theme thanks to the French revolution and popularity of stories like Les Mis). So, I'm not sure if this will work out, but I wanted to write it down just in case.
Worst of all? I can't think of a name. How am I supposed to write it if I can't think of a name?
Okay, that is all. Here, watch a video.
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