Story Idea: Raising Humans

They say ideas are a dime a dozen, but they also say that if you don’t use your ideas The Muse will stop providing them. So I’m writing my overflow ideas here, and maybe one day I’ll use them. Or maybe you will. Or maybe we all will. I’m not worried about that happening, in fact, I encourage it. Because with each of our unique personalities and writing styles, even starting with the same grain of an idea, our stories will evolve with results as different as that of Romeo and Juliet is to Warm Bodies (a parody of Romeo and Juliet). Play with these ideas, and please share how you’re using them in the comments, it’ll be fun to see your take on them.

Today’s idea: A book I would call, KEEPING YOUR PET HUMAN ALIVE

I’m reading a book called, GETTING STARTED WITH JUMPING SPIDERS by Kathy Hendricks. It says that “after they molt” a stage called an instar, “they will leave the nest and start to disperse. This may only be temporary at first with the slings emerging during the day only to return at night. Eventually they’ll move out of the main nest and often set up little group hammocks” (sounds a lot like apartments! ) “although some go solo right out of the gate”. This description sounds so much like the human experience. I also love this line from the book: “the male will dance and approach the female cautiously before attempting to mate. A female who doesn’t consent may be fatal to a male who doesn’t take a hint.” 

Taking the same approach but transferring the concept to humans we could have chapters discussing ‘the joys of keeping a human’, ‘what to do in the escape’, ‘where to look for them when they escape’, ‘how to feed them’, and ‘general care.’

This could take off in so many directions, depending on who you credit as the book’s creator. Is the book a circulation from an alien race? A human with an especially tormented mind who is a serial kidnapper?

Note: I can see this being interesting if the human creatures were named something very different by aliens, and it’s not until several chapters in that you recognize the species to be human. Or not. This idea can split off in so many directions!

The alleged author of the guide would influence the topics covered in the book, and any humorous mistakes the guild would make. For example, (I’m stuck on the idea that the scribe is from an alien race) would the author the author attribute our life cycles to their own? Would the author believe our hormonal fluctuations are in line with their molt stages? After observing the adolescent stage of humans, would they provide advice not to handle one during that stage because they’re more likely to attack? Would they describe how the females develop more colors upon their skin and sometimes their hair (makeup and hair dye). Aside from genitals, how would the author instruct the reader on identifying gender? Aside from height, how would they identify the humans age? I’d love to see the reference of smelly feet come in for the teenage years . . . and I’d love to see what funny labels an alien would come up with for all of our stages.

As in the book that inspired this idea, the final chapter could be about how to find a human so that you can have your own pet. Of course, you could catch one in the wild, and there are benefits to this process- the cost being only one consideration. You might be looking for certain color variations or features that are not well established in the hobby. Or, you could purchase from a breeder. Captive born humans do tend to be more docile, and the transition might be easier for breed humans. You might want to start with the baby so you can have the joys of watching it grow, or you may want to start with an adult so that you know what traits the human will possess.

As you can see, this idea can go from a comedy to a horror in the blink of cursor.

Since I write for children, if I were to make time for this idea, I might change the concept from “keeping a human as a pet”, to “keeping a friend”. Perhaps the manual was discovered by a lonely child and each chapter begins with the mystery author’s advice/instructions. Then the child tries to implement each chapters misguided concepts. We, the reader in the real world, would cringe as the child unknowingly pushes the other children away. But, of course this story would have an arc. Does his/her growth come from another lonely child? Or a child who is naturally gregarious? Does this other child stubble upon the book, and if so, how does that direct their actions?

I shared how I would use this idea (if I didn’t already have five outlines I’m brewing- see my WIPs) Now I’d love to hear how you would treat this idea. Would it be for a mature audience? Would it be a social commentary, or a heartfelt expression of all that could be?