To ask if you think my idea could work as a book/short story?

[TheHolyToast]

I'll be brief (incase I make it as a millionaire one day 😂).

I've been wanting to write a book for years and all my ideas fall flat. My latest one seems to be sticking with me.

It's about a teen going off the rails with a bunch of wrong 'un friends. At one point she looks at her life and wishes she could see into the future to see where she ends up. Then something happens (haven't figured that bit out yet!) and she wakes up 20 years into the future. She has no idea what has happened in the last 20 years and so goes off to find her previous friends. Does it sound like it's worth a shot?

Oooh, intriguing! I would read this!

I would read that too.

I'd read it. You need to make sure it's got a bit of originality in it though. It made me think of the 13 going on 30 film!

13 going on 30

Yes, me too. I look forward to the release

It's more about delivery than plot/themes imo

I'd definitely read it! As others have said, you need to make sure it doesn't stray in 13 going on 30

Sounds a bit like "do you remember the first time" by Jenny Colgan, and I've read something else similar, but can't remember the name. As someone said, it's about the writing and the detailed plotting

Lots of people think that the key to a good story is having a good idea, it simply isn't the case. it is really down to your writing, skill at presenting scenes and characters.

If you love the premise and its what you want to do then that is a great place to start as you need to love the idea.

My fav author is a fantasy author called Brandon Sanderson. He teaches writing sometime and those classes are available on you tube if you search for his name. the classes as all super practical and he uses lots of examples about building engaging worlds, sympathetic unique characters and plots. i highly recommend watching them. I have no writing background but i think i have a few really strong ideas and these videos give me loads of confidence that i can actually learn the craft of writing to do them justice.

Feels too familiar, like I have heard the same kind of thing before.

Yes I kept thinking of 13 going on 30 too but I'm thinking this will be a serious story, a bit of tragedy even. I know the idea itself isn't original but I'm hoping the details will be. I think I'll start writing it. Even if it comes to nothing it's practice and something to do 😊

the writer Jim butcher proves this point as he had a similar conversation about writing vs idea with a fan. The fan challenged Jim to write a book that mashes up Pokemon with the lost Roman Legion. Jim did so and its now a bestseller called Codex Alera.

Harry potter is not an original idea, it is good because of the richness of the world and the quality of the characters and plot.

Interesting.

My tip for getting it written is that it's far easier to know where characters are going if you know where they end up - so work that out then write towards it!

Write it, I’d read it

OP go for it. Writing is a craft and the trick is practice. It works best usually to have someone/a group critique the work in a non specific way (so not actually tell you what to do but point out where there are problems in a non specific way)

Please take a look at the Brandon Sanderson Videos. i'm a bit obsessed with him. read his books!!!

Hmmmm. I'd do that one as a psychological thriller. She gradually discovers that something horrific happened. Something that destroyed not just the friendship group, but their hopes and dreams. Something that, from their reactions, it's clear they blame her for. She then wakes up again as the teen, and is desperate for it not to happen, but does not know what it was. So starts to live forward, doubting every move she makes. And somehow that hesitancy contributes to the thing that happens, to make everything fall apart...

nocoolnamesleft - I'm officially handing you my pen and paper. I want to read the bloody thing now!!

Thank you so much, that has opened it out massively for me, I love it!

Following on from Cats suggestions.

There are two main types of writers, 'gardeners' and 'architects'.
Gardeners are discovery writers who will take a character and just write and see where it goes. Architects are outliners and plan the story in a fair amount of detail including the ending then write each scene to suit.

Gardeners will often have very engaging character where as Architects usually have good story and a satisfying ending. Brandon uses a combination in order to benefit from both.

Ideas are ten a penny, it's words on the page that counts. Take it from someone with half a dozen published books.

That, cool names is a decent start of an outline!!

That's a bit like the concept of 'flash forward' a tv series a few years ago. everyone on the planet suddenly saw themselves for a brief moment at a certain date in the future then flashed back to the present time.

there was the mystery of why it happened then the main characters were doing various things and we want to know why they were doing it. the character spend lots of time wondering how they end up in that situation in the future.etc etc

I think we’ve taken a twist into The Butterfly Effect now.