[stylist] a novel idea

[Applebutter Hill]

Barbara,
Just playing off of what Shawn said about this already being a theme. Don't
let that stop you; murder, love, espionage etc. are all common themes in
novels. If you had to come up with a truly original main plot, there
wouldn't be any new novels. Readers want more of the kinds of stories they
like, so the more popular the topic, the more traction a new twist on it
has. Put your own spin on it, write it well and you will have a refreshing
take on a popular theme.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacobson,
Shawn D via stylist
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2014 10:26 AM
To: 'Barbara Hammel'; 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] a novel idea

Actually, the loss of privacy due to the internet age (along with cameras
everywhere, get discussed as a concept in science fiction magazines and some
stories based on this premise have been published.  One story I remember is
set in a future where you could be tracked by RFIDs (like the sensors that
stores put on products to stop shoplifting).  In the future, these become so
small that they can be put on money and you can be tracked by the cash you
use (scary stuff).

Anyway, interesting concept (versions are being done).

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Barbara
Hammel via stylist
Sent: Monday, October 06, 2014 9:36 AM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] a novel idea

Hey, novelists who are looking for an idea, I thought of a grand one and I'm
not really a story writer because I always get to the point too quickly and
just am not a good story teller - though I put myself to sleep quite
frequently making them up.
Here's the deal but first I need to explain what a panopticon is in case you
don't know.
The term panopticon was made famous by the 19th-century British philosopher
Jeremy Bentham.  He originally thought it a great construct for prisons.
What you do is build a circular building with the guard tower in the middle.
All the cells are transparent so theoretically with even just one guard you
can watch all the prisoners.  Lights are placed on the perimeter so the
prisoners can't see each other or see if they are being watched.  Okay, now
broaden that out into the world we seem to be headed for where Orwell's "Big
Brother" concept is coming to fruition with the ways especially government
can spy on us all through phone records and computer usage.  This is the
kind of world the story would be set.  Now, in order to have a revolution to
right the world back to a time when individualism is highly valued and
people could truly be free to speak their minds without repercussions, we
need a group of people who can circumvent the current system.  The obvious
group to do this would be a group of blind folks because they can function
in the dark and they have this special code called Braille.  It would be up
to the writer to figure out just how the panopticon is gaining its
information  -- maybe microchips in light bulbs or something - so there is a
way that only blind people - and those sighted folks who can learn to
perfection our adapted skills, can carry out a successful revolt.

Barbara

Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.--Robert Frost
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