So, there is a story concept I have that won't leave me alone but is being stubborn about not developing. Part of me has a feeling that maybe it needs to be split into multiple stories that connect together somewhere. But I want to have enough to dig into without it feeling confused.
The most vague element that I wanted to make a sci-fi xianxia maybe taking some inspiration from star wars?
It has been bugging me for like over half a year now, but I can't get a good enough grip to really get started. The biggest issue is that I am having trouble thinking of core conflicts for the story. Normally when I have some meaningful themes to work with getting conflict out of that isn't crazy hard.
Anyways it seems like the kind of story that would be best served by hookiing the main characters motivations into the conflict and themes of the story.
Star wars kind of has a light and dark thing going on but by default dark is evil essentially. Although there is also the emotional connection. And the prequels and other media added more nuance, but theme of family is also kind of woven through it.
On the most basic level I kind of wanted to subvert the "dark is evil" and try to maybe go for something more rooted in Yin and Yang.
However if I go that way, where does the conflict come from? And who is the villain?
I guess maybe I could go in a more avatar/legend of Korea like direction but in space?
Trying to work with a more eastern style element system, or maybe throwing in some stereotypical xianxia tropes like flying swords could be fun if it doesn't go overboard.
Trying to explore some of the ethics of transhumanism, cybernetics, etc. And comparing that to some of the similar strivings in the realm of daoist magic. Spaceships and flying swords. Magical immortals, cyborgs. brain uploads vs. Ascending to the spirit realm. And to to try diving into more sci-fi questions but with the added complexity of magic putting a finger on the scale.
I think part of the problem might be that I have too many possible themes and can't find something to narrow it down to that doesn't feel like too few.
Family, loyalty, yin and yang, authoritarianism, technology, the soul, and magic, the role of emotion, the evils of slavery, etc.
I want the gross setting, theme, and major conflicts to work together.
As for setting I could go for something sort of like the old republic, chaos, wizards as quasi feudal lords.
Or maybe something like the Han china But in space? An empire of a different sort than the one in star wars heavy laden by corruption and facing rebellion due to the weight of the buerocracy. Maybe borrow some plot points from romance of the three kingdoms but reinterpreted and with new different focal characters and the space daoist wizards inserted.
Could also go for some sort of clone wars equivalent by handled differently so the separatists were more in the right?
Maybe borrowing some elements from th yellow turban rebellion or perhaps going for a more anti-colonial direction? Since I want to take an original direction with things. By still ask some similar questions yet give different answers. While still feeling clearly distinct.
I thought about maybe going for staffs and fire or other elemental themed magic rather than the psionic-like force?
But things just aren't coming together. I feel like eventually if it keeps digging at me with the potential there will eventually be a breakthrough. But wh knows how long that will take, usually I word have wither forgotten, dropped, or actually started getting something concrete written. I don't even have a main character yet. But I am not quite sure how to get things to be cohesive enough. I have a feeling that once I get it to stick that things will flow from there though.
I guess I thought by posting here someone might say something or help me narrow things down enough.
I had been trying to restart some of my stories after a brief period of busyness of a couple weeks, but this old idea bit me and wouldn't let go. I have been able to consider and work on others a little but this one still is getting in the way, so I figure ifi can make enough progress here then it should allow me to get back to working on my simpler stories which are easy to write.
MAybe I get something really cool out of it. Hard to tell.
I thought about posting in th idea thread. But thus isn't th sort of idea where other peoples opinions effect whether I do it or not, rather simply whether I can manage to gett it to work.
