Indecision!!! Writers block!!!

[StrongArm]

O.K. I'm having trouble coming up with a plot point in my story. My main character is about to be enslaved, he is basically sold into hard labor slavery where he will toil in the mines, and occasionally have to fight in small bloody arenas for his captors benefit/entertainment.

How he gets there is the issue. I'm having trouble coming up with the scenario of him being sold into slavery.

My character was summoned to another world, he doesnt speak the language - there is no convenient translation magic. Right now he is unconscious in a crate, being transported to the slave trader. He wont be escaping anytime soon.

I have a few scenarios in mind: In one scenario, he is awoken with a bucket of water to the face to be put in front of a nasty slave trader who bargains with his current captors about the price, The slave trader (big uncle Li) is creepy, and paws at the MC like a piece of meat-which in their minds he is. (a standard slave transaction scenario)

In another scenario, he wakes up on a cart with a bunch of other prisoners, the one in front of him is a blonde man that says: "Yeh uoy, eruoy yllanif ekawa..."

(For those of you who get the reference, i'm sure it will be amusing ;)

A different scenario is an Auction type scenario. He will be stripped, caged, and put in front of a large group of potential buyers who proceed to bargain over his fate in the middle of a market square. If i go this route, i will make it visceral, nasty and frightening.

Perhaps i dont have to choose and do a mix of all three...

(My novel is a very grim dark fantasy by the way, but i do have moments of comedy, drama ect. ect.)

I'd love to hear feedback and opinions.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Power Fantasy sounds boring. I like realistic dark fantasy, but I tried writing one and I had a plot in mind, but the realism made it develop slowly. I like happy stories with low stakes conflict because it helps me escape from my miserable reality.

 

[StrongArm]

Power Fantasy sounds boring. I like realistic dark fantasy, but I tried writing one and I had a plot in mind, but the realism made it develop slowly. I like happy stories with low stakes conflict because it helps me escape from my miserable reality.

I like stories where someone triumphs over adversity, rather than escape from it. Not to say there cant be both - The MC could be powerful and STILL be met with daunting adversity

 

[Lloyd]

This sounds like Kenshi

 

[Deleted member 54065]

O.K. I'm having trouble coming up with a plot point in my story. My main character is about to be enslaved, he is basically sold into hard labor slavery where he will toil in the mines, and occasionally have to fight in small bloody arenas for his captors benefit/entertainment.

How he gets there is the issue. I'm having trouble coming up with the scenario of him being sold into slavery.

My character was summoned to another world, he doesnt speak the language - there is no convenient translation magic. Right now he is unconscious in a crate, being transported to the slave trader. He wont be escaping anytime soon.

I have a few scenarios in mind: In one scenario, he is awoken with a bucket of water to the face to be put in front of a nasty slave trader who bargains with his current captors about the price, The slave trader (big uncle Li) is creepy, and paws at the MC like a piece of meat-which in their minds he is. (a standard slave transaction scenario)

In another scenario, he wakes up on a cart with a bunch of other prisoners, the one in front of him is a blonde man that says: "Yeh uoy, eruoy yllanif ekawa..."

View attachment 16482
(For those of you who get the reference, i'm sure it will be amusing ;)

A different scenario is an Auction type scenario. He will be stripped, caged, and put in front of a large group of potential buyers who proceed to bargain over his fate in the middle of a market square. If i go this route, i will make it visceral, nasty and frightening.

Perhaps i dont have to choose and do a mix of all three...

(My novel is a very grim dark fantasy by the way, but i do have moments of comedy, drama ect. ect.)

I'd love to hear feedback and opinions.

Well, if you want to create a scenario of him being sold to slavery, you can have him captured by his slavers. You all have the premises: he can't speak the language, and he's captured (already). And since people are often afraid of what they don't know, they just have him sold to make a penny out of him rather than keep him with them.

 

[StrongArm]

This sounds like Kenshi

Fantastic game!

 

[Lloyd]

Fantastic game!

I played since it first came out on early access. If the engine wasn't 10 years old it would be the GOAT.

 

[Fox-Trot-9]

A story with an MC that doesn't have to struggle to get things done is too boring, so go for the 1st option.

 

[StrongArm]

A story with an MC that doesn't have to struggle to get things done is too boring, so go for the 1st option.

there will for sure be struggle. Its just a matter of how much. I like wizard characters, but they have a tendency to become overpowered (doctor strange, gandalf, rand al thor Etc.)

 

[Mandark]

A story with an MC that doesn't have to struggle to get things done is too boring, so go for the 1st option.

The struggle doesn’t have to be physical. The MC could destroy all his enemies but still struggle with the environment/culture of this new world.

maybe in this dark fantasy there are monsters and only nobility has magic. So the lower classes are subjected to all kinds of tortures. Well, presumably if the MC just kills all the nobles the monsters will eventually kill everyone because it could be written that 1 mage is worth 20 strong knights.

not that this scenario would be in the book, but OP MC doesn’t have to be boring because individual strength can’t solve all problem.

 

[StrongArm]

The struggle doesn’t have to be physical. The MC could destroy all his enemies but still struggle with the environment/culture of this new world.

maybe in this dark fantasy there are monsters and only nobility has magic. So the lower classes are subjected to all kinds of tortures. Well, presumably if the MC just kills all the nobles the monsters will eventually kill everyone because it could be written that 1 mage is worth 20 strong knights.

not that this scenario would be in the book, but OP MC doesn’t have to be boring because individual strength can’t solve all problem.

Thats actually very close to the premise! My novel is called No More Nobles The nobility are the only ones with magic. (Its not that other people cant use it, the nobility just doesnt let commoners learn it)

My main antogonist is the aristocracy itself. the government if you will.

No monster attacks though...

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Start writing and see where the wind takes you.

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Looks like your going to write a My Little Pony fanfic.

 

[Fox-Trot-9]

The struggle doesn’t have to be physical. The MC could destroy all his enemies but still struggle with the environment/culture of this new world.

maybe in this dark fantasy there are monsters and only nobility has magic. So the lower classes are subjected to all kinds of tortures. Well, presumably if the MC just kills all the nobles the monsters will eventually kill everyone because it could be written that 1 mage is worth 20 strong knights.

not that this scenario would be in the book, but OP MC doesn’t have to be boring because individual strength can’t solve all problem.

Touche!

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

Writer's block ?

Hmmm.....

Buy seriously,
People usually like [A novel about the power of friendship, sunshine, bunnies & rainbows where nothing bad ever happens]

But

it's camouflaged as [A gritty realistic dark fantasy where the MC fights adversity/enemies with wit & sheer will]

or

[A gritty dark power fantasy where the MC uses their power to destroy the evil of the world]

like those pathetic Isekai that shows gritti dark grim world and nothing bad really happens. but, Protagonist can always fight their way through no matter how dangerous the enemy is. Or protagonist always get saved and wins everytime they're about to lose.

Not many people really like total dark fantasy. They usually still wants the protagonist to wind at the last moment.

But well, its really about your market. Don't forget to put unrealistically likeable protagonist that along with modern freedom philosophy, and nice flirting words straight outta poem that's kinda corny.

 

[StrongArm]

Writer's block ?

Hmmm.....
View attachment 16483

View attachment 16484

Buy seriously,
People usually like [A novel about the power of friendship, sunshine, bunnies & rainbows where nothing bad ever happens]

But

it's camouflaged as [A gritty realistic dark fantasy where the MC fights adversity/enemies with wit & sheer will]

or

[A gritty dark power fantasy where the MC uses their power to destroy the evil of the world]

like those pathetic Isekai that shows gritti dark grim world and nothing bad really happens. but, Protagonist can always fight their way through no matter how dangerous the enemy is. Or protagonist always get saved and wins everytime they're about to lose.

Not many people really like total dark fantasy. They usually still wants the protagonist to wind at the last moment.

But well, its really about your market. Don't forget to put unrealistically likeable protagonist that along with modern freedom philosophy, and nice flirting words straight outta poem that's kinda corny.

My intention is to write a realistic dark Isekai. I hate the way 99.99 % of Isekai are written.

Most Isekai' are crappy power fantasies, where the MC promotes slavery, gets everything handed to them, win through the power of bad writing, have lame enemies who are one dimensional. The list goes on.

I want to turn the genre on its head.

My MC doesnt promote slavery, he is enslaved.

My MC wont have a harem, but a single love interest with a personality & motivations.

My enemies/antagonists wont be moustache twirling villains or rich young masters.

Unlike japanese isekai authors, i can flirt with women, and actually write convincing female dialogue.

I like the IDEA of isekai, I just hate the way its written.

I can do it better.