There are certain signs that tell you you’re learning how to write a story. The most distinctive sign is when you know what’s going to happen next in other people’s stories. It can get bad, really bad, but the worse it gets, the better you will be at constructing your own story. You learn to see into the future in this fashion by learning to recognise a set-up when you see one. Personally, I can’t watch trailers anymore. Not since I watched one for the mystery thriller The Sentinel and figured out whodunnit. I figured out Lost half way through ‘06
See below for the solution as I see it (monster spoiler warning).
Lost Explained
The island travels between dimensions.
That’s why the Others already know the people on the plane, they’ve already met them in another dimension. In the last series, it became even more obvious. A new arrival turns up with technology that is unfamiliar (because it’s from another dimension). The plane, in this dimension, sank to the bottom of the sea and everyone died. This told me they were going to get off the island in this dimension, because things had been set-up so that they could take over the lives of their parallel selves. But this world is not their world, as emphasised by the fact that Jack’s dad is still alive here.
As for the invisible man who is supposed to be giving orders to the Others, his orders have not been followed in a long time. Ben pretends to follow his orders while dispensing his own. Locke is a threat to this, which is why Ben tried to kill him. All of the Others are on an important mission for the invisible man, which is . . .
Well, I have to leave some mystery for you, don’t I?
When you can spot such set ups instantly, you will know how to write a story.
I’ve just been informed of the Parallel Dimension Theory on Lostpedia.
So I guess I’m not the only one who thinks this.
-Benet Simon & Mike Mindel
Technorati Tags: get lost, how to write a story, write a story, lost explained, lost, lost solution, spoiler warning, lostpedia, parallel dimension theory
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I just wanted to mention that while I don’t follow lost, let’s see if your “spoiler” pans out! I have much respect for foresight and calling things ahead of time so you don’t have to go “I told you so!”, but all things considered, this is pretty bold. Hehe.
I recently found out about this blog from http://popurls.com I think it was, and I’ve been hoping to do more writing lately. So here’s me saying hi and feeling inspired because of your posts, keep it up!
Great piece, Benet and Mike. I remember telling my daughter very early in Lost that this had something to do with parallel universes. Just as Michael Crichton had handled that concept so well in Timeline. I actually followed David Deutsch’s forums for a while after reading Timeline..fascinating physicist working in this area.
I’m currently working on a nine book series and you are SO correct that its all about ’setting’ things up for future situations..great fun!
Keep the posts coming…love them
Cheers,
Ellen
I’ve seen a total of 5 episodes of LOST. I thought maybe the plane was crashed on purpose for the gov’t to experiment on the people who come to the island (since it has special properties on human bodies). I guess I missed one too many episodes.
Very sound advice. I find myself throwing out maps quite often in order to think of interesting ideas.
I have to agree with you, and I also have to be depressed by it because I feel I have a long way to go (is that knowing how a story turns out? Because I know I have a long way to go? Am I ready yet?)
Great info. To lose oneself, is to find oneself.
Thank you for the post!
I used to write stories. I got tired of getting rejection notices so i quit. I tried to write once recently based on an epic dream and it just didn’t happen.
I don’t really speand a lot of time writing but when i do i get lost in my story is this good ?
This is really a stupid article. Have you ever heard of using your imagination to read a book, watch a TV show, it is not real people! You watch a TV show like LOST so you can get lost in the writer’s imagination. It is not a puzzle for you to solve. Go do a crossword or soduku crap and try to use your brain for that. And you you are so smart, I don’t see your name on the credits!
Great piece. I have never watched a full episode of Lost. Now I am glad I didn’t. I agree with the piece in every which way. I write and use various media, mainly t.v to shut off my brain.
I have just come back to writing and am finding it exhilarating. I used to throw away stories I had written but every thing gets put in a special place and I try and spend time on them every day.
Not a bad idea.. however it hasn’t quite panned out like that huh
I see what you mean about lost but since watching series 4 it seems your theory isn’t correct. I might be wrong but It is still impressive how you can work things like that out.
This is, indeed, the curse of the novelist. Whenever I’m reading or watching anything I’m working out the plot twists – I used to presume that everybody did it, but I’ve discovered to my cost (when I share my thoughts!) that it’s not normal behaviour.
I gave up on Lost after the first series, largely because they seemed to be making it up as they went along. Now I look forward to discovering if you’re right.