Story writing... I need help with my plot ^^"

[Ingredient]

I'm just needing some help with my story for English in a week or so and must be 1000+  

I've thought of a plot so far but I need some ideas on how to put it all together and give it more detail.

Currently what I'm thinking is having a cursed town and because of this curse all the people in the town are "dead". They look like normal living people with emotions and life but really they are dead inside. They can't die, age, grow or leave the town. Their souls are earthbound and can't leave so they are desperately looking for ways to escape. Everyone who currently isn't dead in the town, such as newcomers, will mysteriously go missing and will return to the town dead like everyone else a few days or weeks later. When the newcomer returns, one of the dead will vanish and never return. There are also rituals and sacrifices in a sanctum temple type of place. The main character will find the sanctum and is caught by his "friends" who then sacrifices him and then he wakes up as one of the dead in his bedroom but he thinks it was a nightmare.

This curse is what is really keeping me from writing. How did this curse start and why this town? What should the curse be called? What can I add and how could I improve this idea? Sacrificing for what and to who? How will the main character find out about this curse?

The town is located up in the mountains, I also don't have a name for the town or where it is. My friend suggested that the town was cursed by a witch who was killed at the stake. She suggested adding some witchcraft or a crazy scientist who created a disease. Maybe the 'dead' and the 'living' should have different terms or names rather than a living and dead person.

I, however, was thinking that when the dead performed a sacrifice on a living person their soul will be set free and will be replaced by the living person who is now part of the dead. If that is the case then the town population will always be the same which would be a bit suspicious and curious.

I'm really in urgent need of ideas for my story! I don't want to change to a different plot but looking for ways to improve my current one.

Thank you

[OreoHeroz]

Interesting plot! Me gusta your idea. ;3 Here are some suggestions, of course, you don't have to go by it. I'm not considered really a "creative person". You did the work you get the credit.

But I think witches are too mainstream...maybe you should try something else, like the idea you have. I don't think you should make it with "witches" and "scientists". Don't do what most stories with a curse do. Use your imagination. Like unicorns sent the curse. (No, don't do that.) Maybe a creature or something.

Naming the curse is the hardest part. How about they don't know it yet, but later in the story they find out?

When the main character finds out about the curse, how about there is this old man sitting on a log by the fire in the dark? The main character sits down when the man invites him, and then they talk. After the man introduces the curse, he suddenly disappears when the character looks away?

That's all I can think of. Sorry if this isn't much of a help - I used to write stories but now I don't. I'm horrible with expressing human characters, but better with animals.

Good luck on your story, and I hope you find something suitable for it! <3

[Ingredient]

Thanks, I'm glad you like it ^^ It was either that a high school student secretly committing homicides... Lots of mind tricks and stuff to keep you thinking. That would've been fun to write but not many people seemed to like that idea :c

I didn't really think adding witches and scientists would work too well but I wasn't really sure what I could use instead. (lol unicorns xD)

I like the idea with the old man explaining the curse to the character. That would work pretty well but I need to figure out who this guy is though, why would he tell him in the first place? Hmm... more thinking now :3

I'm on a bit of a family holiday at the moment so that makes finishing homework difficult but I'm hoping I might find some ideas while I'm here. I used to write stories with animal characters as well, when I was younger. They weren't very good but I had a lot of imagination back then, my mind has been quite blank lately.

Thank you OreoHeroz, you've been a great help! <3

+floof

[Ex0rcist]

'Tis an interesting plot ye' have there, Ingredient. It is simply what I haven't heard before and I wish ye' luck with its construction. I might be able to shed a few of my ideas regarding your questions... however, I'm not quite sure they'd be of much use. I'll let ye' see for yourself. c:

- How did this curse start and why this town?

As Oreo stated, 'tis a bit too cliche to include witches or scientists in the cause of this curse. My idea was perhaps a cannibal may be the source. You might be familiar how cannibals are capable of performing some pretty dark things, so adding into it, I would like to say that maybe this cannibal has been kidnapping people over the last few months. Doing a lit'le experiment with his victims, he believed he could start a virus by drilling into his victims' skulls and injecting a specific acid into their heads. Those who failed to survive during the injection was consumed by him.

I thought this would be pretty unique because not every story contains a cannibal causing the main conflict. Also, said acid could be whatever ye' choose. As for the reason why that specific town has been cursed is simply because that is where this mysterious serial killer resides.

- What should the curse be called?

'Tis difficult coming up with a particular name for the curse. I think it would be best to leave it as 'unknown' or disclose it later on whence the name appears in your mind.

This is all I have to offer for right now. I might come back and add a bit more ideas or ye' if ye' choose. I hope this helps a bit. c: Good luck, lass. ~