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Question: I need help on a plot for a short story!?
I already have the plot, but because!.!.wait lemme explain

In my story, this guys in hospital, and he's like dreaming of a forest where hes somehow turned up in that is inhabited by evil creatures that come out at night, but whatever happens to him in the forest hapens to him at the hospital at the exact same time!.!.!.

How do i show that in my story wothout being too obvious!?!?

The stpry starts off with teh guy being in the forest, and you find out in the end taht hes in the hospital in a coma, but how do i show taht what happened to him in the fporest is actually happening!?

Should i like describe cuts that are appearing on his hands!?!?!?

HELP PLEASE
thankssssWww@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Sounds nice!. I'd be interested in seeing it!.

I suggest you cut in to the story once in a while to describe what is happening to him in the hospital, but don't be too specific about just what is happening, just make it clear that it's happening in real life!. Normally I'm against those generic discriptions because they end up being cliched, but for this story it sounds like it'll work!.

?/\/\?Www@QuestionHome@Com

You could do a two way POV!. For example it could be told by a doctors POV in the hospital but the coma patient's POV/ in third person in the forest!.
also if he is trying to remember how he got to the forest, he could meet people/ things in the forest that give clues as to how he came about being here, and the closer to death he is the more he recognizes the people because they are also the guy's that died with him/ has died!.!.!.!.

i dunno really, just throwing around ideas :)Www@QuestionHome@Com

Have the nurses and doctors noticing odd things happening to his body!. And then send in House!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

You could have things like he feels a constant pain in his arm (from the IV) and he hears people talking that no one else can hear (the family visiting him) but he can never get the voices to answer a question (Because they really can't hear him in the real world) Animals or whatever that attack him make odd BEEPING instead of snarling (the heart rate machine)
In the real world
As he progresses through his 'quest' periodically cut back to doctors informing family that he seems to be improving!. But when he falls behind in some way have the doctors report a troubling disruption!. make it more of a mental connection I think!.!.!. too many physical disruptions wouldn't go unnoticed in a hospital!.!.!. he'd be locked up!.

Give him a deadline in the story!. He has to get somewhere in time for something important!. In the real world, we find out that he has to get to the place to wake up before his family disconnects his life support machine!.

Things like that!.!.!. I don't think there's a way to get the point across subtly in a short story!. But the idea sounds great, I want to see how it turns out!.
Best of luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com

There is film from the 1970's called Jacob's Ladder that has a similar idea to it!. The patient, in the film, is a US soldier on the verge of death who in his coma dreams of being back home - you realise his true predicament through use of flash backs leading up to his fatal injury!. Perhaps your character could meet a wise old man sitting in the forest and as they begin to talk, small/unusual things start to happen which puzzle your character but which they eventually makes sense of with the help of the old man's wise words!. They could be in hospital because they are trying to regain their sight
and the old man is metaphor for the healing process!. I really love yucky endings!.!.!.!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I'm an author of short stories and I find that it helps to NOT plot things out too much before I write them (yes I know it goes against all of the theories about writing, but it works for me and may work for you)!.
I tend to get new ideas and sentences by daydreaming about my current story just as I'm dozing off as you are at your most imaginative then

As for describing cuts on your character's hands, yes you should explain them - basically you need to paint a mental picture for your reader - I find that if I can "see" what's happening, as though I'm watching a movie in my head (okay, I know that sounds freaky and i'm already expecting the big thumbs down), what I write has more impact

Just write what comes into your head and then continue with more of the story and a few days later, go back and read your work from the beginning and you'll find it easy to make it better by adding in more detail or erasing unnecessary detail - whatever is appropriate!.

I hope this helps and by the way, your plot sounds good!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Learn to spell!. Www@QuestionHome@Com