Answer: Hope this helps
Explanation: Dystopian stories about characters or societies grappling with ‘bad places’ like post-apocalyptic wastelands remain popular for several reasons. For one, their situations naturally supply intense conflict, drama and suspense. How do you write a dystopian story? Start with these 5 tips:
1. Start with a strong scenario
Classic dystopian novels and stories begin with a troubled scenario. For example:
Great Britain, now named ‘Airstrip One’, has become a province of a greater territory named ‘Oceania’ ruled by the ‘Party’. The Party uses ruthless ‘Thought Police’ to persecute individualism and independent thought (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
A radical religious group calling itself ‘The Sons of Jacob’ overthrows the United States government. It replaces it with a religious political system based on Old Testament fanaticism, removing women’s rights to read, write, own property and handle money (The Handmaid’s Tale)
We can easily see why each of these would be ‘bad places’ (or dystopian settings) for characters who value their freedoms and rights.
2. Create a believable dystopian world
A believable dystopian world typically presents a keen sense of threat, menace or discomfort.
3. Develop your dystopian settings
Dystopian settings such as cities razed by global conflicts will naturally present characters with many challenges, from dangerous, crumbling infrastructure (environmental challenges) to social issues such as increased lawlessness, mutual mistrust and other social effects.
When developing a dystopian setting, ask questions such as:
Who now has power now, and why?
Who is the most vulnerable in this dystopian society and why?
What still works and what no longer exists?
What do people remember and what have they forgotten (e.g. names, cultural practices, people, places)? 4. Create conflicts, threats and challenges
Because a dystopia is a ‘bad place’, it follows they are usually places rich in conflict and ‘trouble’.
In ‘Sloosha’s Crossing’ in Cloud Atlas, Zachry recalls cannibal raids by rival tribes. In The Handmaid’s Tale ‘Unwomen’ are women unable to bear children, and are banished to highly polluted areas called ‘The Colonies’.
Where there is a system of injustice, unfairness, danger or oppression, there are interesting situations for characters to resist, avoid, escape or confront.
When writing a dystopian story, it’s helpful to think about best- and worst-case scenarios. These help us identify what characters want to do, and also what they want to avoid. 5. Give characters credible motivations
In dystopian fiction, as in other types of stories, character motivations are important. There has to be a reason why the government bans free thought, or decides to meddle with women’s reproductive rights and other liberties.
A tyrant, such as the leader of the ‘Sons of Jacob’ in Atwood’s novel, may be motivated by:
Ideology – the set of beliefs they hold (tyrants may believe, for example, that a fanatically literal interpretation of the Old Testament is the only ‘right’ way while quietly ignoring how it also gives them extreme gender or other privilege)
Lust for power
Greed
Backstory such as personal trauma that has left them embittered
Whatever your characters’ reasons for upholding or demolishing your story’s dystopia, it has to make sense for the story. Ask yourself:
What does my character gain if they choose to be complicit with the ‘bad’ aspects of this dystopia?
What could my character gain if they attempt to fight or overcome the underlying situation?
We see these differences in how people respond to tough environments in a story with dystopian elements like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. One sibling, Edmund, is more selfish and less immune to flattery. He is thus easily charmed and manipulated by Jadis to do her bidding, betraying the others.
Get feedback on your dystopian story idea or extracts from your draft, and use Now Novel’s story outlining tools to brainstorm the many settings, characters and situations that will shape your story.
