Young Writers Society

So, I'm trying to figure out my storyline, and I basically have it pretty much planned out, to a certain point, at least enough to get me started on writing it (I have a first scene, but I need to develop a plot before I could go on). But I'm missing a very essential piece of the plot. Basically, I have this person who... gets things for people. Shady/sketchy people hire him to 'get' certain... things for them, which sometimes requires a little lawbreaking. I'm not explaining this well, but I don't want to go into to much detail either... Anyway, so this person gets hired to get a certain thing for somebody and when he gets it, before giving it to the person, he finds out that it's something that belongs to the government and it's really important and if that person got it they could do devestating things to the government with it, I'm not sure what kind of things. My problem is, what could it be? My whole story is based around this, so I need to figure out what it is. It could be anything... except, preferably it's rather portable. It gets carried around quite a bit within the story.
So any suggestions for me? Please?

Hmms. Codes for a dangerous weapon? Secret files about something bad the gov did that they don't want anyone to know about? Some science expirenments weapon thing?

Oh! That could work. I know some govs have little tubes with the remaining sepcimens of old illnesses that have mostly died out. Maybe someone was doing an expeirnement on an old plague and made a new one that they were planning to use as a weapon, and this person found out and got pissed so they decided that instead of the gov using it on country A, the person (hirer) from country A will unlease it on the gov's (B's gov) country.

If that makes sense.

You could throw down the good old "missile codes" or "top secret documents", but perhaps it might be more interesting to depart from that. To accept a cliche like that would be to toss your story in a pile with many other similar tales. Make sure that whatever you come up with- it's unique.

My first thought was that it should be a set of pictures involving the president in illicit activity. Sexual or criminal, preferably the latter because it's more current. But, that's only one possibility...

If I come up with any good ones, I'll edit this post...

I think photos are a good idea - it's thinking of what they could be of that's hard. I think the whole 'evil president' thing has also been done in several films, if not books.

Perhaps you could have a background story? For instance some event that happened years ago and suddenly these photos appear with new evidence. *gets excited*
That way, you could have maybe flashbacks, or a background story. These could really add depth to your piece.

Maybe it could be part of some sort of Government legal case that changed society and this new evidence proves some big secret or conspiracy.

I'm not too sure but I like the photo/diary/letter sort of idea. Pm me if you want to talk more about it or if you need a crit.

Alainna
xxx

Well, just to let you know, there aren't exactly photos and things like that in the world my story takes place in. It's kind of made up, but it's pretty much like ours, just not in modern times. Get what I mean? There isn't any of our technology and women still went around in dresses most of the time. That type of thing.

But your ideas are really helping! I think I might have come up with something, possibly but definately keep the advice coming!

Ooh. Medieval type times?

Well that's not too hard. Is there magic? It could be some religious relic, or just some powerful magical item the gov was holding unto in case they needed it.

Or maybe there have someone working for them whose very powerful (mayb not magic), but this item will make them turn on the gov (because they went around behind their back and did something).

Nope, no magic.

But how's this for an idea? The person that he's supposed to get it for is actually part of the government, but he's secretly working against the government, and what he has the guy steal is actually evidence proving that he's working against the government.

That could work. ^_^ But you'd have to decide what the evidence is, of course. Who's he stealing this 'evidence' from, again? No the gov, right? Cause if they already had it they'd know, wouldn't they?

Oh. Unless it's some valuable item he was suposed to get for them, and he actually sold it to someone and replaced it with a fake, but it turns out the fake is of poor quality and knows that at *date* the gov is going to present it as a gift to someone and then they will realize it's a fake (maybe even it turns out the item belongs to someone powerful, and he wants to screw them over so he's glad he sold the real one, but he doesn't want them to blame him) so he sends your character to 'steal' it so everyone will think it's stolen and go hunting for the theif.

*breaths out* Just an idea.

... I'm a little confused... sorry.

My bad.

Characters
The gov, the traitor, the theif (you MC?)

Plot
The gov had the traitor in charge of some special branch, which under his control retreives an item for the gov (scroll, chest, w/e). The traitor sees it's valuable, and decides to sell it for personal profit on the side, replacing it with a fake.

Some time (maybe years?) later, the gov realizes the item they retreived belonged to some powerful person they want for an ally. They intend to use it to bargain an alliance. The traitor is pleased, because when the new ally realies the item is a fake, they will get very pissed and he will be able to turn it to his advantage.

However, he soon finds out that the fake has serious flaw, and the forgery will be recognized right away, even before the alliance is made (when the almost-ally comes to see if its the real thing). The traitor knows that they will realize what he's done, and possibly start looking at some of the other things he's been doing and notice he's been crossing them.

To avoid their wrath, he hires the thief to 'steal' the item and make it obvious. Once stolen, the gov will waste their time looking for the theif and not end up scrutinizind the traitor. Except, as you said, the theif realizes that's been going on and must decide what to do with the evidence. (He might also need to track down the original...?)

That better?

Much better. It's a good idea. I'll have to think about this some more... hmm...

But I have a question. My guy isn't the most ethical person, I'm mean he steals things for people stuff like that. But in my story he's trying to help the government. I need to figure out why he cares. I kind of decided that he has this passionate love for his country or something like that (even though he doesn't really realize it until all the stuff in my story starts happening), but why? If he's this rogue criminal, why does he care?

Well, passionate patrioticness aside, he may always have been caught for his less than moral acts and in exchange for his charges being dropped he must go and help them.

OR

He was brought up to love the country (very appy and patriotic family) and despite the fact he enjoys less than moral behavior, that partiotic feeling stays with him.

OR

He has a girlfriend/family/friends who he likes.

OR

He just knows the best work comes from the gov, and so ignores who they are and focuses on the job he loves.

And the list goes on. =P

^_^ Keek!

What would be clever is if you got these, and it turned out the president is corrput and the government who are pretending to be baddies want you to get hem to bring him down.

Just a thought...

SWEETNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow, I have to think about this... oh goodness. This brings in a whole lot of juicy new options... This will make everything in the plot so much more complex! This is perfect! Thanks a million Aedomir:)

XD Plot twists are fun. I love stuff like that. Good luck with it! Make sure you figure out everyone's motivations before hand.