Creating an Original IP

[Al1701]

I know my strength is taking worlds and concepts created by others and expanding upon them. However, after a couple setbacks in getting permission from Hasbro to make Legends of Dream Valley (though I'm not accepting defeat on that just yet), I think if I'm going to have to create something original to be recognized as a creative force.

So, I've taken my idea for the Weather Makers of the Wonder Planet and divorced it from the Futago Hime brand. I spent good money on a meteorology degree, I might as well use that knowledge for something.

It's still about a shy princess joining her kingdom's weather making agency to serve her land. Many of the original characters are similar. Some of the original species I made are going to be kept. It's just going to be in an original land.

However, I must admit I need help. I'm a compulsive planner, and building a world from the ground up is a huge project for me. Part of me just wants to sit down and start writing. Another part of me wants ticker with the world and flesh out its history, culture, races, and technology. I'm better with established worlds because much of that work is done and I can write the story from there expanding on the universe as I need to.

So, anyone wanting to help create the next science fiction/fantasy phenomenon to be developed by an intern at HP?

[sunstar]

I would be happy to help. The best place to start is building the land. Is it mountainous? A wide plain? an island? Once you have decided what the place looks like, you can build up the world around it.

[Al1701]

Literra, as I'm currently calling this place, is basically a land like we read about in fairytales. Dragons and other fantastic creatures roamed its wilds. Magic and those who used it were everywhere. It's very origin is out of a fairytale with the princess having to chose the kind and wise prince over his evil and selfish identical twin brother. However, happily ever after came and went, but Literra just kept on going. A thousand years after its creation, it's now a vast, modern land. Magic now lives besides technology where something like a kind witch using a computerized cash register to ring up a purchase of potions is commonplace.

Literra's greatest accomplishment is gaining control of its weather. This was first accomplished by an elite of magic users specializing with weather spells. However, as technology evolved, the control of the weather has come under a government run organization using advanced technology (and a little bit of magic) to control the weather. Instead of a small guild, a massive team handles cloud, wind, and air mass generation.

Literra is actually all of the things you mentions as it's huge, stretching from one coast of its continent to the other. It ranges from frozen tundra to tropical islands, temperate rainforests to deserts, and from vast farmland to urban sprawl.

There are currently three races I have planned. There's the Humans who are well Humans who live on land, Merfolk who are amphibious humanoids with both gill slits and lungs as well as webbed hands and feet who live in the oceans, and Avians who are humanoid bird who live in high places and have flying cities. I've been considering a subterranean race who would probably be reptilian who live underground. The Humans are the most magically inclined of the races.

Currently, Literra is ruled by its first ruling queen, Alexandria I. Her father changed the law requiring the ruler had to be male so she would be next in line. She is a wise and kind ruler with a sharp wit and a fair hand.

The story would surround her eldest daughter, Alexis. Having turned 16, she is taking on more duties as a princess. One of these is serving the kingdom in its public sector. Being peacetime, Alexandria and Alexis decide she should complete her service in the Weather Bureau. There she meets the interesting cast of characters who make the weather of Literra work. She is placed with a "Hodge Podge" team that spends a lot of time traveling across the land following up on issues.

The general story is mostly about Alexis exploring her kingdom, making friends, and learning how to be a better leader. However, there is a recurring villain who is very close to home. Literra is a country in transition, and some are none to happy with the changes happening around them.

[sunstar]

Nice work! You have it down pat!

[Al1701]

Do you think people will like the idea, though?

[sunstar]

Those familiar with Weather Makers of Wonder Planet may feel that it is a bit close. I feel that the idea is different enough to stand on its own. After all, FIM uses the idea of weather control too.

[Al1701]

You mean Fushigiboshi no Futagohime (what Weather Makers is based on?) Yeah. Fortunately, much of what I'm using from Weather Makers is stuff I created in the first place.

I should write up character sheets and a general synopsis. I wonder if some of the artists I know would want to help make concept art. What style should this be in?

[sunstar]

That depends on you, the writer. What do you see it in?

[Al1701]

I see it in traditional animation, but that's never going to happen. I guessing CGI would be better than Flash in this case. I've yet to see human done well in Flash.

I have an idea of what the uniforms for the Weather Bureau look like. It's a three piece shirt/blouse, vest, pants/skirt outfit. They also have windbreakers, parkas, and raingear. They're even color coded by department. Water is blue. Wind is purple. Thermal is wine red. I just need to talk to someone to get them from ideas to something on the page.

[Al1701]

Why is the start of a story always the hardest part? I need suggestions on how to get this thing rolling. I'm trying to think of how to introduce the audience to this new world, but I can't seem to get anything coherent to form.