Mount Ngauruhoe aka Mount Doom n the lord of the rings movies, this is a very regularly shaped active volcano in tongariro national park. the famous “tongariro crossing” hike goes past it but not to the top. the climb isn’t hard, but it’s a long way up a pretty steep slope of loose ashes and rubble; not the most enjoyable terrain to hike on. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Writing a short story is presenting more than just character development problems. I’ve hit a wall with my plot. I’ve embarked on a fantasy short story that is eerily similar to The Lord of the Rings.
I want to avoid this. I can’t seem to get away from it however. The problem is the classic struggle of good versus evil. The problem is my brain wants to throw in a journey or quest for the main character. Go find something, and prevent the bad guys from getting it or…..else. Mount Doom be damned.
As I sit here and ponder how to keep my story from burning up in flames, I wonder if I’m the only aspiring writer that runs into this problem? Is it difficult for others to avoid writing something similar to what they’ve read? The more I write this post, the more frustrated I become.
I know I will overcome this challenge. A journey for the main character isn’t a bad thing. Maybe the outcome needs a little tweaking. I shall venture off to Middle Earth and ponder my plot. Suggestions from Elves, Hobbits, and humans are welcome. No Orcs please.
Related articles
- Turning Passive Plots into Active Plots (omnivoracious.com)
- Where are the women in Tolkien? (Part 1) (vulpeslibris.wordpress.com)
The Dad In Me 
happens all the time. just try not to make it look so obvious 🙂
when i have more time, I’ll share with you a short story I’ve been playing around with.
I’m thinking I’ll end up re-writing what I have. I look forward to seeing your work.
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