Not So Aspiring Writer

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Hello,

I have been working on a high fantasy novel on and off for ten years. I have completed several drafts but I'm not satisfied with any of them.

My story world and its premise are complex to say the world. The world itself has five different parts. The residents are assigned to each one by their element of water, earth, fire and spirit. The premise that I gathered from my last draft is the question of reversing the evils of Pandora's Box. It is heavily influenced by Greek Mythology, of course.

I have been trying to put together an outline in the hopes I might move forward to put together a more structured, simple rewrite but the more I do the more I realise I don't have a story. My main character has nothing she wants therefore there is no conflict. I have well-rounded characters and locations to put them in but no story.

I manage any other novels just fine yet I am stuck with this.

if she has nothing she wants, then someone or something should antagonize her, e.g. accidentally acquires an important item, makes a powerful person mad (a la Howl's Moving Castle), loses someone important, et cetera. from there is a squigly line from the start of the conflict, meeting others and their conflicts, a final showdown, things like that

This is what I have done with my opening chapters. My main character is given a necklace by her tutor (who is related to her but this is related later). Jewellery is forbidden in the water element due to fear of reading the accessory. Later she is called in by the Moirai who act as the Fates and reside in the spirit element where they operate. I had originally planned her to be partnered with a guy in the Earth element but beta readers disagreed and said she has to have a distinct want.

Have you ever attempted writing any short fiction? A writer could build up a body of work while working on a novel.

I have attempted writing short stories but find them difficult.

It's very common to move on to other different projects if you get stuck on one.

This has happened to me many times.

This is very perceptive of you. A book on screenwriting says, Your main character wants something badly and has major trouble getting it, and that’s the beginning of everything.

The following youtube video:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5XVAj27l8s&t=634s

This person is saying, A dilemma cannot be solved, without a major change in world view. And that will be the character growth, or at least the character change.

I used to have many projects on the go at once. I have no motivation to start something new (which is a problem in itself) and so my attention is focused on solving this project only. It's like my brain can't let go.

My main characters situation sees her not wanting to go back into an institution but this is thwarted by her tutor who intentionally gives her a necklace (jewellery is forbidden because the government bodies are fearful of wearers being able to 'read' its history). I thought this might've been a good 'want' and cause of conflict but I've have a few readers say otherwise.

It's your story. Just because some readers disagree with one of your choices doesn't mean you have to let it influence what you think is a good idea.

some movies and novels add a sub-plot which echoes same or similar themes as the main plot,

just as one tool among many, not any kind of hard and fast rule.

Sir Kraichgauer can vouch for the previous post I put here.

So, what is the fifth part? Are the politicians' element something like Mud?

Just being sarcastic, but still missing an element...I'd guess wind or air, as a serious guess here.

Perhaps your main character was somehow assigned to the wrong element? That could create conflict both inner and in the outer world. Getting from the wrong place to the right one?

Ah, I missed out wind. My bad.

That's the fifth element.