Synopsis for an Untitled Story. Opinions?

[Shelby Taylor]

Like many of my fellow Nerdfighters, I am currently working on writing a book.  I'm not planning on being a professional author, as I could never be that artistic for a living, but it would be pretty cool to have this one published eventually, as it (that is, its characters) has been evolving in my brain for more than five years, and I've finally come up with a plot-ish type thing for it.

Just a warning, there will be gay/bisexual main characters.  Though it is not the main focus of the story, it is important, so if you don't like that, skedaddle.

I obviously don't have a title, so suggestions would be welcome.

Eighteen-year-old Theo is a best a misanthrope, at worst a complete jerk. A high school senior, he is counting the days until graduation, for summer to come and go so he can head off to college as far away from Cedar Grove, North Carolina as possible, the day he can dump his clingy, simpering girlfriend and leave his life in the rural South behind.

Rendered numb and apathetic by his father’s callous “tough love,” Theo feels he is teetering on the edge of insanity when an unlikely savior comes along.

Kyosuke Saitou is the opposite of Theo in every way. He is a vivacious optimist in spite of an exhausting childhood, moving from one place to another after being torn from his home in Tokyo by a tragic accident. He and his family, all restless urbanites, end up in Cedar Grove. Kyosuke worries that he can never feel at home in the quiet of this rustic old town.

The two young men meet through Theo’s sister Guinevere and, despite their enormous differences, form a reluctant friendship, and soon, an inimitable bond that aids them both in their quests to find who they are and what they can be.

The Major Characters in Four Words:

Theo – emotionally retarded, intellectual pessimist

Kyosuke – empathetic, affectionate free thinker

Guinevere –serene voice of reason

Toby—Theo’s only other friend

Hannah—Theo’s naïvely enamored girlfriend

Charlotte – Theo’s bubbly half sister

Jonathan – Theo’s emotionally abusive father

Natsume – Kyosuke’s loving, hardworking mother

Haru – Kyosuke’s cheeky little brother

So what do you think? Anything too cliche? Anything that might make it better?

[Kristen Annette]

I quite like the sound of it! Kyosuke really sounds like a great character to me especially. If I saw this book in the library and read the back, I would get it.

Hmm, criticisms - I can't really think of any right now. I was going to ask you if you lived/knew a lot of actual information about the south, since I live here and it bother me when people mess it up but I see that you do, so never mind.

I've only just began writing, so I'm not much help, sorry! Good luck!

[Shelby Taylor]

Thank you. I definitely know a lot about the rural South, as I've lived there all my life. And I even know quite a bit about Tokyo because I spent two weeks there during summer 2008.

The story is all from Theo's perspective, in first person POV, but the story really centers around their interaction and relationship, so there is a lot of Kyosuke in there.

[Theresa]

I think that this sounds great! I think you should keep us updated.

And my theory is that cliches exist for a reason -- because people like them. If your aim is to be original and set the world on fire with your revolutionary thinking that is years ahead of its time, odds are that you're not going to be appreciated or liked in your time. That being said, I do not think that this is cliche, and should you handle the story with great care and quirkiness, it can be the kind of awesome worthy of a nerdfighter.

[Shelby Taylor]

I would hope people would consider it quirky, as I imagine several of the main characters would be nerdfighters, were they real. And since the narrator is the protagonist, the first person perspective really adds to it. And my habit of using unconventional metaphors doesn't hurt either, I don't think.

[Chip, A Former Ningmaster]

The only cliche I see is the "two opposites becoming friends" one, but it's a cliche that can be used when done well. Good luck writing it!

[EmiMonsterRAWR]

This is really random and dosn't have much to do with what you're asking but I clicked on this because I thought it said "Synopsis of the United States: A Story" and I freaked out and failed to actuly read what it says.

Ok about the story:
Your writing is fantastic, just the few paragraphs you wrote would probably make me read it, just because I enjoy well written books no matter the subject content. I like the idea of a book that's about highschoolers, but not the socially awkward kind like most of us here at Nerdfighters.com. The idea that "popular" people (Though it is often rebuked) have actual problems is a good starter for the book. I personaly would read it, then again I read pretty much everything (with a few exeptions). It sounds great so far!!

Titles:
I personaly love the title my friend has for her book-in-progress "Memriores of a Socially Awkward Cupcake". Isn't that awesome? I would definetly try to come up with either an expetionaly deep title or somthing funny that grabs the reader's attention. Just from what you wrote "At Best a Misanthrope at Worst a Compleat Jerk" or "Strange Friends, Girls, and Tough Love" would make interesting titles. I don't have much luck in the feild of book naming either, but when a good title comes to you you'll know, trust me.

Good luck!!

[Shelby Taylor]

I wouldn't actually call any of them popular. The closest character to anything resembling typical or mainstream is Hannah, and Charlotte is arguably popular, as she is one of those people most can't help but like, but she doesn't really associate with the "in" crowd. I wouldn't know how to write from the perspective of popular people, as I have never been one, and, frankly, would never want to be. I mostly enjoy writing character studies, which this most definitely is, so I usually go with what I know to keep the realism.

And I would totally read anything that contains the words "Socially Awkward Cupcake." :D

[EmiMonsterRAWR]

LOL unfortuently the Socially Awkward Cupcake project was, though epic, short lived. What I ment by the 'popular' thing was someone who tries to fit in, rather then a nonconformist like most of us here. From what I read it sounded like that was the persepective you were going for, but then again I just skimmed it, I was running late for Bible study.