Actually the "IDEA" is the _least_ important part of
writing. (IMO)

Here's a quick and dirty guide to turning an "IDEA"
into a story.

First, let's look at one of your ideas.

SM/Starship Troopers
The _key_ to Heinlein stories is his characterization,
watching the characters _grow_ as the story
progresses. Otherwise it would just be another [Big
Robot vs. BEM] story.

Now then, do you want
A) Magic Girls vs Bugs?
      Rather than a series of individual villains,
Magical Girls face a serious sustained invasion. 

B) School Girls in the Military vs Bugs?
      Earth on the losing end of a war, having to
draft children to fight.

C) Magic Girls + Hardware vs. Bugs?
     Hardware to enhance magic OR magic and hardware
fight alongside each other.


Or some other variant? As you can easily see, the
permutations are endless.  Find a scenario that you
like, then hammer out the physical details.  This is
the stage for map drawing, building and hardware
design, etc.  Flesh out your main characters, physical
descriptions and a short biography or back-story.

The Idea is the Framework
Physical Details are the building blocks.

NOW, you need an Engine to make the whole thing go.
This is Dynamic Tension. What conflicts do your
Hero(ine) have to overcome.

***************
EXAMPLE::

Starship Senshi

	"Counciler M'bunga, I protest this action!" Dr.
Martha Goldstein forced the Re-United Nations 
Under-Secretary-for-System-Defense back a step. "These
orders violate every treaty and charter----"

	"I respect your reservations-----"

	"Reservations!" 

	The doctors voice rose an octave and her rage drove
the Masai warrior back a step.  "GOD DAMMIT! I'll see
you and the whole damn department in hell before I let
your filthy Nazi experiments continue."

	"Dr. Goldstein, look at this." M'bunga waved a hand
and a holographic projection of Human Space appeared
over his desk. "The Bugs have hit us here," a red
blotch appeared, "here," another blotch, "here and
here." The misty white cloud of stars was ravaged with
bleeding wounds. "And they've hit us hard In-System as
well." He removed his glasses, scrubbing his face
wearily. 

	"Bug depredations are supposed to excuse _this_
filth!" She slammed a thick folder down on the desk,
causing the star-filed to shimmer a moment, before
settling down. "Murder and torture of humans BY humans
is somehow better than being eaten by the Bugs?"

	"This is going to be a long war, doctor. Our
children's children's children will not see the end.
This," he tapped papers scattered from the folder, "is
only one of hundreds of new technologies, new weapon
systems that are being planned." He leaned forward,
scattering the hologram like some god erasing all of
nature. "Sacrifice some now, or millions later. It's
not much of a choice, but it's the only one we've
got."

	"But, what's the purpose of all this?" Goldstein
asked wearily, staring at four photographs of smiling
couples, each with a chubby baby and one of an infant
by itself in an isolet.

	"Do you know how steel is made?" Goldstein looked
blank at this non-sequitur.  "The raw ore is put into
the fire and the impurities are hammered out." He
spread the pictures across the desk. "Hino Rei, Mizuno
Ami, Aino Minako and Kino Makoto. This is our ore. I
am the fire and you are the hammer."

	"And this one?" Goldstein tapped the picture of the
lone infant. "Doesn't she get your fire and hammer?"

	"Fire and hammer are for ordinary metal. This one,"
he spun the picture across the desk where Goldstein
caught it. "Needs a hotter fire than exists on earth."


***************

	
Now you have your 
Framework: World at war with Aliens
Building Blocks: Earth, Solar System, Various Star
Systems,
Bug worlds & culture 
plus your main characters.

Dynamic Tension: In this particular scenario the
various "senshi" are going to be groomed as part of a
weapons system in development. They will each be
subjected to changes in their environment to reinforce
certain characteristics. Makoto's parents will be
killed to focus her anger and determination, Ami will
be isolated to increase her intellect, etc. etc. 
Usagi is an artificial creation, designed by a
computer and grown in a tank. ^+^

Watching the senshi deal with their various lives AND
deal with an alien invasion provide the basis of the
story. It's the characters that make the story, the
"Bugs" and various hardware are secondary.


Once you have your components
Idea
Characters
Dynamic Tension


WRITE. Write , write, write. Then read, then write
some more. Learn to read critically. Look at what
another author has done, then dissect it to see what
they did and why they did it one way and not another.
CHANGE what an author has done. It it better? Worse?
Try to change a horror story into comedy. What makes
comedy tragic? Observe life. Watch TLC and Discovery
channels. Collect Reference books. 

WRITE some more. Every day, Write, write and write
some more.  If you want to write, you can.
Good luck.








=====
"When I get a little money, I buy books;
 And, if any is left, I buy food and clothes."-Erasmus

"A man is a small thing, and the night is large 
and full of wonders." -Lord Dunsany

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