Getting revenge on a ghost?

[mfarraday]

I am thinking of writing a ghost story (like several other projects I can't seem to finish...deja vu...I recall saying it didn't matter whether I finished things, it's coming back to haunt me now...no pun intended.)

In my story, a man is researching ancient relics when he starts getting visited by a ghost. he witnesses what he thinks was her murder.

she directs him to her bony remains, in which he finds a key to a safe deposit box. the contents of the box will save the woman's descendents from certain bankruptcy.

but in the end, the woman turns out to have been the villain, not the victim.

I want there to be double twist at the end, but I can't figure out how to get revenge on a ghost. it seems she's already won. how can I turn the tables on a long dead villain?

i am just thinking out loud, please pardon my ruminating...i want a double twist, but not sure if it will present itself until I write most of this thing.

I hope I can stick with this one to the end! I have too many unfinished ideas. My words coming back to bite me in the....nevermind.

[M G Kizzia]

find out the rightful owner of the fortune and return iit in a way that causes disgrace on the ghost's family and causes the ghost woman's family to curse her for all eternity.

[mfarraday]

good idea. i'm thinking some long-unresolved crime could be wrapped up in a way that makes the ghost's descendents rich but disgraced...like it was blood money in some way. or have a long disgraced enemy of the woman finally be cleared of an ancient crime.

[rosebud]

mfarraday, I love your story idea and the suggestion that M G Kizzia made. That would give a lot of motivation for the ghost not to help in the mc's quest (therefore conflict, which is always good).

As for finishing something, I hear a lot of writers start with the ending, then go back to fill in the details of the story. Maybe that could help you finish something. I know how hard it is to put the pieces together at the end after trudging through most of your novel.

Good luck.

[DrG2]

it kinda depends on the metaphysics of being a ghost that you create.

Personally, I think the worst thing would be to damn the soul to hell for eternity.

So, her family gets the cash, and decide to donate the land where the ghost is bound to a church, who will make it a cemetery/church/whatever, and bless the ground, cutting the ghost's tie, and she goes directly to hell.

How's that?

[mfarraday]

I'm starting to wonder about combining the three story ideas I've had into one big novel. Maybe it would work. I wrote the start to an erotic romance set in the 19th century, a scifi story about a civilization in deep space, capturing a rogue planet wandering the universe, and a 3rd one about a man whose mind was being controlled by a sadistic android. If I took the timeline of ALL these stories, including the ghost story, and fast-forwarded them to the future, I could probably tie them all together for a novel. I just need to get writing.

I think the ghost could be a computer program that was half erased at one point, and still lingers behind in an ancient spaceship, a relic someone is exploring....it doesn't have to be a ghost from the 19th century, like I was thinking. It could be an ancient ghost from a feud set several hundred years in the future, too.

ok so this thread got me thinkin' at least....now i just need to write. pick names. start somewhere.

[EccentricKim]

good luck, m! I like all these suggestions! Or maybe the MC can just keep the dang treasure for himself instead of being all goody two shoes . . . and so the villain ghost gets duped by the villain live human!

[mfarraday]

I'm not really sure who the MC is anymore, LOL...

If I had more time to write as opposed time to sit and think and do nothing (during my hours when I do childcare)...i could maybe stop procrastinating and get some work done!

[rosebud]

If you do daycare, then you know about forming stories. You're either reading to them or help with homework. Draw one of the circles that have lines jotting out to the characters, plot and subplots, conflicts and resolutions. I don't remember the exact details of the drawings, but they sure help the younglings get their stories written. Another method is to begin and end your story with red ink so it comes full circle, use a blue pen to support the beginning sentence, then use a green pen to 'slime' or embellish the blue lines. Sounds crazy I know, but it worked for my kids. I think WD magazine published a similar method without the colors.

I only suggest these methods because you sound all over the place trying to decide what to write. Whether or not to combined your writings so far, or start something new. Good luck. If you want me to critique something of yours you can always PM me with your copy.

[deloughy]

The man studies ancient relics. What if he has some sort of ancient artifact or something that he can use against the ghost, something that can prevent the ghost from ever passing into the realm of the Afterlife, forcing the ghost to choose between completing her mission and forfeiting eternal rest, or forfeiting her mission but gaining eternal rest? I don't know if it's necessarily revenge, but definitely a way to strong arm her.