Help!

I don't know what else to put this under. This is the basic plotline of my next book. I have the main idea pretty planned out, but I need some help on the finishing details!

So, like I said-this is just a plotline for a story. I need some help on the finishing details, and I need some ideas on how to link certain things together, and make it make more sense. It's going to be a dystopian novel that I'm hoping I can turn into a trilogy if it turns out well. This is my first time writing something dystopian, and it will only be my second ever book. I find it very hard to create your own world so that's why I need help.

 So, this is what I've come up with so far. I was thinking that a bunch of wars have started out all over the world. I was thinking that the United States has lost all of it's power, and whatever country it was in war with has invaded the United States and took over. I was thinking that this country (I still haven't figured out what country I want to use) has taken up residence in two main states. Probably Washington (since that's where all the government stuff is) and New York (since there is so much space and it's mainly just really popular and such. I was thinking that they want so much power that they've taken over all means of food and water in an attempt to kill off most of the inhabitants. Such as food and water cannot be imported into the other states. The other states have to live off of the animals they have, crops, and water from local sources. That works out for a little while until the scientists from the country come up with a man-made disease that they release. It is intentionally designed to work faster and be mainly catchable by adults and young children. Teenagers can catch it, too, but it doesn't effect them as fast. There is a cure for it, though. But it's very expensive, and only the wealthy can afford it.

Then, I was thinking that the other country could set up some sort of contest. Like all the teenagers that are still alive from every city and state have to go to New York on foot. They have to try to make it to New York without dying (since there isn't much food and lots of sickness). Like each town is their own team.Once they get there they have to do something to win the cure. I was thinking the first book could be about them trying to get to New York, and the next could be about the battles for the cure.

 

Here are my question that I need help with-

*What country should I use?

*What kind of disease should I do? What should the disease do to the people? I want it to be really unique and strange! Like maybe it has a diverse effect on the teenagers. Like maybe the adults and young children just get sick and die, but it does something completely different to the teenagers.

*What are some dangers that I can add to their journey?

*And what should they have to do to win the cure?

 

Please give me any ideas you have! Not just the answers to these question, but literally anything that you think I should change or add. It would mean so much to me!

Author's Note

If you have a lot of ideas that you don't want to write in a comment then feel free to message me!

Reviews

[Kes]

I know you've already started this book - I've already read bits of it! - but I was thinking maybe Britain could've invaded the US. It's be an interesting twist, you know? Then you'd have to have reasons for it; especially since the US and the UK are friends at the mo. Think about it?
Can't wait to read more.
K

[Lydia]

I actually haven't started this book yet.

[Schyala]

Personally I would suggest North Korea, it sounds like something they'd do to their own people. If you don't know anything about north korea, you might want to read up or check out some documentaries. This can give ideas about thier current situation and what it will have an effect on the US. Such as the "work" camps they have and no medical help and the strict government. Also, they have like the fourth largest army in the world so you could draft some to the army. (sorry I'm already getting excited about this story lol)

For the disease i would suggest some sort of man made bacteria that is ineffective or defenseless against hormones, (we all know teenagers have lots of those) Defiantly make it up, real stuff is boring ;)

For the dangers, i would focus the characters in these genres- Action/Adenture, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, and Drama. This way readers that like one of all those topics will still like the overall products. So some of the dangers would be action and fantasy related (not fantasy as in dragons but man made monsters or something) and the inner personal dangers would be the rest.

To win the cure, they should have to travel to either new york or dc, and join the forces or help out the country. Idk, i think it should be a total twist of it.

Good luck, can't wait to read :)

[Lydia]

Thanks so much! This was very helpful! I'm still stuck on the disease, though. I'm just not sure what I should make it do to them. Like I said, I want it to be something that works slower on certain people and faster on others. Maybe it puts some in more agony than others. Maybe even make some immune to it. I was also thinking that the whole contest thingy could be watched. Like people watching somehow to send different roadblocks in their way. I don't know. Dystopian fiction is hard! Haha

[Schyala]

Well what ever you decide i'm sure it will be wonderful. You can always just make up a completely random disease. Actually, maybe you can make one that harms some people more than other people but you don't have to explain it because the people might not know what it is, only the government. Kind of like cancer, apparently we all have it just certain things spark it. It sounds like the hunger games from the watched part and like Stephen King's the running man, which are both incredible storys so that's a good idea.

[Lydia]

I was thinking maybe the disease kind of takes over their minds. Like they slowly forget everything, and then, once their memories are completely gone they become dangerous. I'm not really sure. I guess I'll have to think about it, and see if anyone else has any suggestions.

[Schyala]

That's a really good idea. Hope you figure it out :)

[Lina Grey]

Sorryif this is long, but I can't send a message right now. So, here's what I think:
I'd use China, because it's a pretty big threat to America. A couple years ago they could have actually bought America with all the debt we owed them. You could also use a communist country, like North Korea, or combine countries, since they've always got allies in a war anyway. Dystopian society you could even create a new country to use.
Another thing, you plan on making the people live in New York and Washington. I think by Washington you mean D.C. because that's where the capitol is and the legal system and everything, but it's a city, not a state. You may want to think about that.
I really don't have any idea about what sort of disease or cure you should use, but I think you should make them up rather than use real ones.
Also dealing with the states you pick, regarding the teenagers' journey, you probably want to pick a state in the middle of the the country or edit the size of it with where people live. Teens coming from Pennsylvania will have a shorter journey than teens coming from California. Also think about geography. People travelling through a desert might have a harder time than people travelling through a forest. You can add a number of other obstacles for the teens to face, but if you're going to make people fight and travel long distances for a cure like you explain, you might want some more regulation with how it all works out.
Sorry it's so long. If my messages would work right, I'd send it one of them, but I can't do that right now. Have fun with your book though, and I hope this helps :)

[Lydia]

Thank you. I will take that into account. I like the idea of a made up country, also. And the thing about the state makes a lot of sense, too. I was trying to think of a way to make all of that work, and you just answered my question! As for the regulations and things I'm having a hard time figuring all that out. I just don't want to use anything that has been used too many times, y'know?

[Lina Grey]

I understand that. It can be a bit hard to find originality when there are so many things already created around a subject. What I usually do is read up on what other people have created similar to my idea, then, without looking back at those things, think about what I want to accomplish and find inspiration for it. Afterwards I go back through and make sure I haven't stepped on any toes. It's also good to know that not everything has to be completely original. As for overused, try finding yhings that are underused to get inspiration from. I'm sure it'll work out just fine. Send me a RR when you get the book going :)

[Lydia]

I will! I'm not sure when I'm really going to start writing it. I'm trying to finish the book I've been posting on here now. That only has a few more chapters to go, and then I'm going to start planning out this next book. I'm trying to do a lot more planning with this one. Like my last book I kind of just dove in, and started writing. This book I'm planning out characters, plot line, and different things.

[Lina Grey]

Well that's always good to do. I never do good with planning first, i plan during. Whatever works, i guess.