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/lit/ - Literature

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973458 No.973458 [Reply] [Original]

I've had this short story sitting unfinished for quite a while. I have the climax and ending all planned out, and I've written probably the first two-thirds already. The problem is in the bit they're in right now, there's nothing for them to do.

To put it simply, two children are searching for something hidden in a cave. A psychotic man is chasing after them. They're going to find something later at which the climax of the story takes place, but I need something to fill the time between then and now.

It's somewhat fantasy-themed though in the end revealed to be slightly more sci-fi in nature though as of yet they haven't really encountered any monsters or anything, the story is it's own setting. Think old western town in winter.

Obviously what they're wandering through could be like a maze, but it wouldn't make any sense in the story for there to be puzzles or traps inside. They will find a fossilized corpse before they get to what they're looking for though.

I figure I can't just have them enter the cave, and then a paragraph or two later find what they're looking for.

>> No.973469

OK, here's an idea.

They wake up and it turns out they're on a gene hunt - GENE HUNT, yeah? - mission to Mars. Hence they truly were a Life on Mars.

You don't need to pay me, a good deed is its own reward.

>> No.973474

>>973469
I hate you forever.

Yet I respect you.

>> No.973472 [DELETED] 

flashback/backstory shit?

>> No.973477

>>973458
flashback/backstory shit?

>> No.973478

anal.

>> No.973492

>>973458
kinda sounds like Tom Sawyer...

>> No.973512

>>973492
Uh, how so? There's no slaves or social commentary or anything.

>> No.973551
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973551

>> No.973554

>>973458

If you knew what it was about, you'd know what to do.

>> No.973561

>>973512
kids searching for something in a cave while being chased by a killer...

>> No.973569

Who are the boys? Who is the psycho? Why is he chasing the boys? Why is he a psycho? Why are the boys in a position to be chased? Why do they pick this cave? Why do they go deeper? What does corpse mean? What item do they find? Why is it significant? What are you trying to say with this story?

There's a lot that needs to go in to planning how characters will act and what they will do. Without that, you do get those moments of stagnation where you have to just make up bull crap for them to go where you want them to.

>> No.973598

>>973569
It's a boy and his sister, though they may not actually be related, and just of the same species.

They'd both been having dreams about the cave, an what they believe is inside of it. They end up being chased out of town, and decide to enter the cave. The man chasing them may be of the same people as them.

>> No.973628

>>973598
You're really not helping. You have to tell more of the story to get some suggestion.

>> No.973637

>>973628
I don't want to post the whole story, plot, and premise.

>> No.973657

>>973637
Well, I don't see how you expect to get help. Sorry.

>> No.973690

>>973657
That's okay, I figured out the perfect solution on my own as I was typing a reply.

"I just need some examples of things they could do and find in caves!"

Hint: There was a bear earlier in the story.