Amph The Writers' Guild

I've done that a couple times

Also, another place to look

 

I often use a word or phrase that's used later in the story for the title.

 

Unlocked.

 

So I'm currently in the process of expanding/revising a story I wrote back in 2006 for a college class. It's difficult, because the class I'm taking is in fact a screenwriting class, and the story I wrote is in a short story format. I have to write the first 25 pages of the screenplay by the end of the semester, and that means a LOT of work. I've already fleshed out the characters more, but I'm stuck on a snag.

See, the story is about two Civil War soldiers that go back in time to the Hundred Years War to stop a bad guy from taking over England and changing history. I always hated my way of doing it when I was younger, but I couldn't find a way around it. See, in my original version, they encounter a sorceress, who brings them back in time with little explanation. It's never explained how they adapt so quickly to it, or why she chose them, and the idea of the sorceress itself always felt to me like it was lacking something important. So I want to change the whole beginning of the story to something that makes a lot more sense!

Also, another problem: I have no female characters apart from the sorceress, so if I cut her out, then it'll be altogether too testosterone filled and I'll lose my entire female audience. So I need to find a way to work a strong female character (or two) into the story, to kind of balance it out a bit. But I can't figure out a way to do it!

So if you have any suggestions, critiques, or simply want to read what I already have, please feel free to give it. Be kind or brutal, I won't mind. If you want to see my story, PM me. Thanks in advance!

 

What point in time during the Hundred Years War does it take place?

 

1415, just a little while after Agincourt. I figured it'd be good to give a point of reference that a lot of people know, . But the entire time-line is subject to change, so if you have any better suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

 

I was just thinking that if you set it in the right time period, you could throw in Joan of Arc.

 

That's an interesting idea, but I'd like to keep the actual historical figures to a minimum. For one thing, there are three groups. The English crown, the French army, and the coup forces of the bad guy, who is also English. The English crown are the good guys, so I'd have to paint Joan of Arc ina relatively negative light if I were to put her in the story, unless I wanted to make it entirely inaccurate, which I suppose I could do...

 

Ah. Are you having the English royalty be real historical figures?

 

I've been considering it, but it's so far a simplification of the royalty. There's a generic king, and a bad guy who is als of nobility and is entirely made up. I'm not quite sure if I'll work in real historical figures yet or not though.

 

Hmm. Well, it puts it at about Henry V.

 

Yes, I know that much, but I hardly know anything about him!

 

Me either, not that much I know more about the Tudors and such.

 

But of course. You're speaking to a History major here.

I'm not sure I like the title either. It's titled "The Unknown War". This is because of the coup that Earl Kamon (the villain) attempts on the English crown Nowhere in history is it written, so it is largely unknown (mostly because I made it up ).