filling out an SCP

Summary:

drafting ideas for an SCP but i'm struggling to find soemthing orignal

filling out an SCP

MJSpringer 05 Jan 2020 00:18

I'm drafting ideas for an SCP but i'm struggling to find soemthing orignal and interesting to give it a reason why it's being contained that isn't too vague

I trimmed your thread summary above, since it was taking up a lot of space on the forum listing. Try to keep thread descriptions and titles under 7 lines so you don't visually crowd out other people's threads. ~Zyn

I've never properly written an SCP before and I've come up with an idea based on the folk tale of the three hares, a symbol of three hares that appears all over the world in many different forms. I had the idea that this trio of ageless hares must be kept together and by doing so, it generally increases peace, tranquillity, success and all that but if separated or injured, there are terrible consequences for those in proximity and even important cycles that keep things going and that the hares are linked to. I dont want to just be like "good stuff happens for people when the hares are together and bad stuff happens when they're not" but I'm just looking for a way to make the concept mysterious and interesting but not vague. Any insight would be welcome.

Last edited on 05 Jan 2020 00:43 by Zyn Show more

Re: filling out an SCP

Doctor Fullham 05 Jan 2020 17:31

Okay, so I wasn't familiar with this myth, and I did some very cursory research. I guess I sort of like the idea of a sort of kids' story like this ported into the real world. However, it seems like you have only a vague idea of what you want this to be. And even with a more solid idea of the effects, there's still no real narrative here yet.

I recommend reading several items on the Guide Hub:

How to Write an SCP

Essay Regarding SCPs, Narratives, and How They Can Share a Page

There are other guides there that can be very helpful, but these are some of the most often recommended for first-time contributors.

General Notes

I also recommend reading a significant amount of the top-rated SCPs from the last several months, and focus on reading more recent SCPs rather than older series. Many early series SCPs would not last a day under current SCP standards, and a few are only still around because of their history with the wiki itself. (This does not apply to all early series SCPs, but many of these were written before the wiki's style had really been cemented.)

The anomaly, while important, is not actually the main focus of the SCP. A good story, a compelling narrative, something that makes the reader feel something - that is the goal of an SCP article. What feeling do you want to evoke from the reader? Horror? Empathy? Sadness? You need to create a narrative around this anomaly and its effects.

I am not saying this to discourage you, I just want you to understand the amount of effort that goes into creating a successful SCP.

If you can revise this idea with a story that you want to tell, we will be able to give you much more meaningful and constructive critique.

The anomalous item is the vehicle, the narrative is the person driving, the readers are the passengers. You can have the shiniest, most polished, most interesting vehicle in the world, but without the driver, the passengers aren't going anywhere. Where is the narrative taking the readers, and how is it getting them there?

I'm just looking for a way to make the concept mysterious and interesting but not vague.

This is the job of the author. I don't want to sound rude, but we're here to help you grow as an author, not to handicap you by giving out ideas. If you can provide a narrative that you want to connect to these hares, we can offer more helpful critique.

Last edited on 05 Jan 2020 22:14 by Doctor Fullham Show more