Obstacles

[BeccaPrice]

I'm on meds that inhibit creativity. This is being a pain.

I really want to finish writing my gargoyle story -it was written long ago, but even the printout versions of it have vanished, and I want to try to re-create it.

so - the first part of the story has the Prince (or maybe Knight - not sure yet) going out to find a mythical amulet that will save his people. He doesn't even know whether it exists or not, there's just rumors and a legend that tells him roughly where to go look for it.

What kinds of obstacles should he meet on his path? It can't be fighting the gargoyles, that comes later when he realizes that they're living creatures. I'm looking a a generic quest story for this first part.

any ideas?

[gmw]

Your avatar is from Alice in Wonderland (well, Through the Looking Glass) - pick it up again for inspiration.

You really need to pick specifics that help you define the character that you want for your Prince. Think about how you see him and what sorts of things will help you highlight that. Similarly for the land in which he traveling. Rather than describing the land directly, use incidents and obstacles to impart that information to the reader (so, for example, you may be able to work out some suitable obstacles just by looking over your descriptions).

(Not sure if this is helpful, but the best I can offer at 1:47am.)

[BeccaPrice]

I'm thinking the traditional overcoming of earth, air, fire and water in some way.

(I hate this medication; it's like thinking through fog. It's necessary, but I hate it.

earth - a landslide or maybe an earthquake? (the gargoyles live in caves so it could just be navigating through the darkness and the twisty cavern system)
air - a major thunderstorm?
fire - going through a volcanic land?
water - ocean voyage?

but the gargoyle prince has to overcome the same set of obstacles, so it has to be something that a creature carved out of rock can surmount as well.

generally, in my stories, obstacles are overcome through being clever rather than brute force.
water

[teh603]

Is going off your meds, or eventually not having to take them, an option? Or changing to something less powerful?

There's a saying (at least there was) around the UH creative writing department that when you medicate, socialize, and generally solve all of a writer's problems, then they're no longer able to write. I don't remember who the poster boys were, but there were like five or six of them- writers who got treatment, and suddenly couldn't write anymore.

[BeccaPrice]

going off my meds isn't an option - or rather the cost would be too high. I'm talking with my pdoc about the negative effects it's having on me, though, and we're slowly decreasing the dose, and will hope that helps.

I used to have story ideas like a fountain. Now, when I've got time to write them down, the fountain has dried up. I'm thinking about joining SCWBI again, and hope that I'll have someone to help me brainstorm ideas with, and hope that helps.

[crich70]

Maybe the 4 protections were set up by the wizard who created the amulet as a test of whether whoever would seek it (and the gargoyles help) was worthy of that aid. Human memory being what it is the account has become garbled and all that is remembered is that there are four tests, each one based around one of the four elements. Maybe there are 4 doorways in a hidden chamber and through each of them is a mini-quest which will result in giving him part of the key he needs to find the amulet. If he succeeds in all 4 he gets the key, if he fails things reset themselves and he has to start over again (and the clock is ticking).

[Teutonic0]

I like the above idea.

Maybe for the air element, you could have a region that the prince/knight has to get through, but the ground area is infested with poisonous insect things. Above could be a some of massive, puzzle-ly jungle gym like structure infested with flying creatures that the prince/knight has to get past (and maybe in a thunderstorm).

[frahse]

Good luck.

I have relatives with similar problems.

Being an engineer by education and experience I of course have all sorts of advice on how to synthesize creativity and find solutions.

First you are on the right path.

Write down any elements that come to mind, including those you dream of unless that interferes with your treatment.
Learn to diagram on paper as well as in your mind connections to these elements and ideas. Put the diagrams on paper, or a white board, or on sticky post-its. Computer screens aren't big enough to show you a wide expanse of thoughts.
In the old days we used flip charts.
Go look at something like: /how-to-choose-the-best-chart-for-your-data

(I am not recommending power point by the way, but if that works so be it.)

Fill in the blanks as well as you can, but not too much detail the first few times.

Then let it sit and come back to it later and review. Add, subtract, move around, etc.

Revisit your project as much -- as you need to.

After that is left the craftsmanship of writing and making it interesting for your audience.

[BeccaPrice]

Fortunately, I don't have to write sequentially, like I did before computers <g>.

The four mini-quests idea sounds good, but it also sounds like my kids' video games, where they have to do all sorts of challenges on the way to doing the main thing (my daughter particularly is a big Assassin's Creed fan).

One of the challenges is getting through the maze of caves before finding the Gargoyle's cavern; he has a ball of twine he uses to make sure he can get out. (well, it worked for Thesesus!)

not sure what the other mini-quests could be.

[gmw]

After a few hours sleep I had these thoughts:

It's a children's tale with a strong moral aspect. Consider creating events that reinforce that moral, and/or compare or contrast to the events with the gargoyles. Maybe people or creatures that are beautiful or cute-and-cuddly-from-a-human-perspective present an obstacle of some sort.

Or, you can give reasons/excuses for the Prince's bad behaviour by setting him up to have an aversion for rocks and tunnels. He could get caught in a rock slide, or a cave in, or something.

The latter obviously being something that the gargoyles must know how to deal with and perhaps their affinity with rock allows them a more elegant way to surmount the problem. The former would allow some contrast in perspectives because beauty (or cuddly) is in the eye of the beholder.

Your thought about going through a volcano presents interesting possibilities, because the heat (and perhaps fire-beings) can be quite beautiful but deadly to both people and gargoyles. (Fire may present problems for your ball of twine.)