Need some help

[BZWingZero]

I have all of my characters, I have a well developed world, I have how the charactrs interact with each other. I just need one thing, a plot! Help please!

the story is a Sci-Fi/ Fanasy type story. Somewhat whymsical.

[Anareth]

How do you know what the story is if you don't have a plot? If you have the characters, and you have the world, if there's a story to be told the plot should logically follow. It's a little hard for us to give you anything beyond vague and basically useless suggestions unless we know a lot more about what you're trying to write.

[BZWingZero]

There are three teenagers,the main characters, whom have magic powers. The powers are only in the Royal Family.

The king can manipulate fire, water and electricity. He is somewhat eccentric but kindharted. A good king.

His son is relatively pessimistic, typical teenager. Mechanical genious and posseses telekensis and telepathy

The younger daughter of the king is slightly tomboyish and can create complex illusions

The king's nephew, quite outgoing. has the power of Transmutation, but he isn't that good at controlling his abilities.

Hope that helps.

[Anareth]

Uh-huh. So, you have three teens as main characters. The obvious setup is for some sort of coming-of-age story. Think about what's going on in the kingdom. Who's around besides the good king? What is the political situation? Since two of the kids are his children, presumably one of them will inherit the throne. If not, why not? What will they do with their lives? What do they want, and what sort of obstacles do they have to face to get it?

See, I can't give you a plot. I haven't lived with these characters, thought about them, know any details about their world. But if you think about those questions, a plot will probably come to you.

[Keita]

You could make one envious. Or you could give them different roles to play. Or you could have the king devise a set of tasks for them to see which will get the throne...

[Ryuu]

In addition to the above:

How large is your kingdom? What are the neighboring kingdoms? How are those rulers selected? Are the neighbors envious and distrustful of your kingdom and powers of your royal family, or are any seeking aliances from other enemies? Could there be political intrigues within the kingdom (such as various ministers)? Are there other royal family members waiting in the sidelines & what powers might they have? How is the general populations feeling about the fact that they don't have such abilities? What are there reasons for your characters to have such abilities--do they defend the kingdom from natural disasters by using their gifts & if so, how?

Those are just some of the darker themes or plot ideas you could consider as part of the obstacles your characters might face & have to overcome--any one of them calls for more detail in the story, but you'll produce a much richer story with them or any other ideas that I forgot to include:D

[BZWingZero]

The comming of age sounds good. I think I will have them go off exploring in a nearby forest when the king is captured/a revolt takes place and the kids need to save the day.. even though it is lsightly cliche(sp?)

[Brenda]

Ha, I was just going to suggest that something would happen to the king and they would have to deal with all that goes with that - hiding it from the public if possible, making sure the country isn't going to fall apart, going to rescue him themselves - possibly meeting with some ordinary peasants who help them with stuff they never had to deal with in the palace - and showing them that their magic powers aren't everything.

If the king does get captured, be sure to be careful - how are they going to catch him? How are they going to hold him if he can manipulate fire, water and electricity? Does manipulation mean he has protection - if he burns their fortress down around him, will he go with it? If he runs electric current through his manacles so that they can't touch him, does he get electrocuted? If he causes their reservoir to burst the dam, will he drown? Maybe they knock him out without warning and put him in a stone tower... how far does his power extend? Also, how will the others' powers help them to rescue him? Mechanical tinkering sounds promising, with illusions to mask what they are doing... maybe transmuting iron bars into lead that will bend easily?

Wow, I didn't realize I was going to get so involved in my suggestions! I hope these help!

[Grey Bear]

Can I be honest? It would be more interesting if you dropped the "special powers" thing. Believe me. You root more for a character if they're up against a superior foe. And the whole "Siblings with Superpowers" thing has been done to death.

If this is fantasy, then why not try taking the old tried-tested-and-tired cliche of Magical Royal Families and doing something new with it? Why not get rid of the "Coming of Age" story and go for something where they *have* come of age, they *have* proven themselves and now they have to face up to some rather nasty home truths. Maybe they're like an Egyptian-Greek family where Mummy Dearest is killed and so is Elder Brother so Sister Dearie can get her mitts on the throne. Perhaps theres some incest a la Cleopatra.

Now, if you want something that makes people sit up and pay attention, I recommend you firstly read "The Snow Spider" trilogy by Jenny Nimmo. Its all about a little boy who finds out one birthday that he's a Wizard. Its not Harry Potter (as the books were written yearss before JK had the idea), but its definitely just as dark in places (especially "The Chestnut Soldier") and it has a great idea of taking Welsh mythology and putting it into the everyday and mundane. Secondly, I recommend you read on some of the religious sects that various famous people have belonged to. Thirdly, look at how family disputes play out in history and folklore. It ain't all happy ever after (one of these days, I will shoot the sucker who created that mythos).

GB

[AnnMarie]

Secondly, I recommend you read on some of the religious sects that various famous people have belonged to. Thirdly, look at how family disputes play out in history and folklore. It ain't all happy ever after (one of these days, I will shoot the sucker who created that mythos).

GB
Hey GB...I should let you read SEEDS OF FLAME.... it does not end happily ever after......

[Just Bob]

Also try to remember how important character development is in a story. Especially for teenagers, if they aren't affected by major events that they go through, there's something wrong with them. Maybe they gain some kind of perspective, widen their horizons, come to realize something about themselves or the people around them... Or they might be left damaged by what they experienced, bitter and angry, or disillusioned and cynical or perhaps grieving and paranoid. Character development is what makes the very best fiction.