So I have an idea for a series, but no idea how to write it.

[marzo]

Okay, so here's the situation.

I had this idea for a series: the humans first start coming into Neopia. Basically it would be about the tensions between the Neopets and the humans. Humans want to take the Neopets in as pets, some Neopets choose to live with them and others are insulted by the idea--that sort of thing. 

I was also thinking of a sort of subplot that involved the invention of the create-a-pet center. My idea with that was that the humans began creating quad versions of the two-legged Neopets so that they would be able to keep them as pets. The quad pets would be sentient, but not as intelligent as the anthro pets and feel totally dependent on the humans who own them because they were created that way. Then I was hoping to explore some of the moral/ethical things that come out of that. 

Does that sound confusing? Because that's my problem. This originally started out as a plot I'd use in RPs...I got enough complements on it that I thought I'd try turning it into a story. But I have no idea where to start, or even if this could work as a story at all. 

So basically, my question is; is this actually a good idea? And if it does sound like it can be written, how do I begin it? I must have tried 50 different beginnings and they all fell flat. Thank you!

[Breakingchains]

I think you could do good things with this. I will say I'm not sure it would get into the NT, especially with the idea that "created" pets are different beings from "anthro" pets (I can see TNT taking issue with that) along with some unsettling RL implications that are jumping into my head. But if you wanted to do it anyway and put it elsewhere if it doesn't fly, it'd probably be a pretty decent standalone darkfic.

From your post, I'm not sure how much you've nailed down about the events you want to focus on? Because what you've described here sounds less like a story and more like the setting/social backdrop in which a story would take place. If you haven't yet, I would pin down your characters and their motivations, and with them your main conflict--like, here's this setting with all this social tension, now what is the more individual struggle that will highlight and illustrate that?--and go from there.

[Joker]

I doubt this would make it into the NT because of the wide-scale inclusion of humans. The different types of pets (and their levels of intelligence) would probably be grounds for a rejection as well.

Not to say you shouldn't write it - just something to be aware of before you start.

[marzo]

Thank you for the feedback. I was worried that the idea might not fit NT standards--I'll probably keep it in the back of my head for now.