I need criticism on an idea of mine. Help?

[Nacht-Jagen]

I'm thinking about making a story called Cirque du Gothique It takes place in present time. There is a circus that travels the world known as the Cirque du Gothique. It is obviously a gothic circus. The main character, Leo, is a firebreather in this circus. He's the "new kid" in the circus and doesn't know much other than the pay's good. Soon enough though, he discovers that the circus is really a group of assassins, traveling the world to eliminate their targets. Leo must choose if he will become an assassin himself, or find a way out of this mess without being killed.


What do you think?

[Ecurb]

Who are the circus performers trying to assassinate? Why are they using the circus as a cover? Do they use acrobatics ot tight rope walking in their crimes? Do they sic their tigers and lions on victims? Do the circus elephants stomp on the heads of those who receive black hand letters? Are the clown buckets (normally filled with confetti) sometimes filled with acid for the murderous plots?

OF course firebreathing may end up being a dramatic tactic -- your hero could be a sort of human dragon, cornered by maneating tigers, he fends them off by imitating a flame thrower.

[PeterL]

I think it's a very good idea, or it will be if you can make it work.

[coeus]

Most any idea can be a good one, so it's tough to give feedback on an idea. Usually, writing determines the success of the story idea, not vice versa. Put pen to paper, bang out a few chapters, and then let someone you trust to tell the truth read it and give you feedback.

[Calidore]

Could be a fun comic-booky action story, with the various performers planning their assassinations around their particular skill. I wonder how practical fire-breathing is in this setting, though. If your hero is going to end up doing battle with his co-workers, you may want to give him something more flexible. Maybe he's from a Chinese circus, which has different traditional routines than a European circus, and therein lies his edge.

[cafolini]

Most any idea can be a good one, so it's tough to give feedback on an idea. Usually, writing determines the success of the story idea, not vice versa. Put pen to paper, bang out a few chapters, and then let someone you trust to tell the truth read it and give you feedback.

Precisely. Any idea could be a good or bad idea, but that has nothing to do with the way the story is written.