Need help with some brainstorming

[Peter Graham]

I'd avoid the revenge thing because it's starting to happen way too often in real life. Sorry, but Colorado seems particularly plagued with this kind of thing lately.

- Z.

Fair point, Z-O, but I think that (in literary terms at least) a distinction needs to be drawn between deeply unhappy/disturbed individuals who "take revenge" as an immediate response to an ongoing and current situation (and who usually seem to commit suicide at the same time) and those who went through it at school, but did not take revenge at the time.

Those in the second group normally do not feel the need to take revenge at all. They leave school, grow up, move on or whatever and it just doesn't seem that important any more. I think that Stormpirate's character would have to be in this group if he were bullied at school, which is the main reason why I felt that this would not be a sufficient motive for murderous tendencies in adult life.

As an aside (and if you don't mind commenting), how easy is it for teenagers to buy firearms in Colorado? We get told some pretty frightening stuff over here about gun crime in the US, but those of our "newspapers" that give acres of page space to those stories are by and large such a disgrace that many of us take anything they tell us with an enormous pinch of salt.

Regards,

Peter

 

[Stormpirate]

More than likely the kids are getting the guns from family members. Guns of that caliber are difficult for kids to get, if I'm remembering correctly.

And you're right; the "I got bullied at school so I'm taking it out on everyone" seems not just cliche, but also frighteningly real, and while I as a writer would want to connect with my audience, I wouldn't want to connect in that way.

 

[jackokent]

I like the idea of a bored baddy. Someone who's grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, denied nothing and sees power / control as his ultimate right. Someone who's never had limits placed on thier behaviour and is now looking to push the boundries even further.... just because they can.

We've all met people who just seem to get everything thier own way and who get away with abissmal behaviour because of thier own self belief. People are quite often jelous of such a person and grudgingly admire them even if they are universally hated because they walk all over everyone else. That's a cool baddy for me.

 

[Zubi-Ondo]

And you're right; the "I got bullied at school so I'm taking it out on everyone" seems not just cliche, but also frighteningly real, and while I as a writer would want to connect with my audience, I wouldn't want to connect in that way.

Yes, and this was my point. I personally would not want to get halfway into writing a novel to find that some terrible parallel version of my story was going on "out there". I like what folks are suggesting in the thread about the not-so-evil-but-flawed-like-humans-are angle. As some seem to be implying, I too was bullied from time to time when I was knee high to a gnome, and if I were writing this I might choose this path: Discovering this all-powerful magic, our hero struggles with the idea that he could get revenge on his old nemesis(s), and triumphs over his evil desires to do good in a way that no one expected. (I'm not really saying anything new, am I?)

Now, as I am NOT one of those gun-totin', whiskey drinkin', shoot-em-up cowboy types (What am I doing in Colorado?), I'm not 100% up on the gun laws here, but I'm pretty sure you must be over 18, and there is a waiting period (I think it's 2 weeks) to get one. That said, Denver is probably like any city in the US, and certain places on the planet - if you're willing to talk to certain nefarious types you can probably get any weapon you want if you've got the cash. Or like someone said, your dad might be Charlton Heston.

- Z.

 

[fire_elf20]

I grew up in a family where I could have pulled the guns out anytime as we are hunters.. and honestly tell me you didnt know where your parents hid something growing up say the gun safe key? money? I know I did luckily I would rather take my agression out playing sports I say hit them on the field get over it move one.
and Im in nebraska pretty close to colorado except everyone in nebraska would rather anyone from colorado stay there....