Hi there, I have an idea for … well, I guess it’s more of a short story than anything else, and I’d really love to hear your ideas about it. It’s kind of your typical YA fiction novel, and I definitely want to cater to that kind of audience. I just really feel like, having just recently gone through puberty, I understand where they’re coming from and could write something interesting yet insightful about being a young adult.
Okay so the story would take place in a high school and would be written from the perspective of a seventeen year old girl working with the makeup team for the school play. This would be a part of her goal to do a diploma of makeup in Brisbane when she finishes high school, but doing the makeup for the play would put her at odds with the theatre kids. She would feel isolated and different from them, and their attitude would be perpetually condescending. Because of the amount of time she would be spending along, Claire (that’s the name of the protagonist) would start to notice odd things about the head drama teacher. Then, when it turns out he was murdered, Claire would piece together the clues she didn’t know she’d seen and capture the killer. To do so, though, she would have to team up with the drama kids and work together to bring the killer (the assistant principal) to justice. The story will end with Claire being accepted to do the diploma of specialist makeup she was trying to get into.
What do you think? It’s kind of a YA / detective novel cross, kind of a modern and updated Nancy Drew. I’m open to any suggestions and, even though I haven’t really included it here, the characters are fairly fleshed out. It’s just the plot that, I realise, needs quite a lot of work. Thank you for your time.
– Nat